Max the Great Horned owl

A Great Horned Owl's head fills a tight, close-cropped portrait, its enormous yellow eyes and prominent ear tufts rendered in fine, layered detail against a warm, softly lit background. The dense, textured plumage across the face and chest is built up in careful, overlapping strokes that give the feathers real depth and softness despite the bird's otherwise fierce expression. Brushed linework builds the fine barring across the face and the sharp definition around the eyes, while glazing technique renders the warm background tones surrounding the owl.