I’ve drawn him out on Bockingford Watercolour Paper which I used as the template for the shade itself. (That is also progressing.) I did that so that I could make him bend around the shade, as well as filling the whole shape. I have extended his limbs and tail, and sorted out his convoluted body. I am going to mount him proud of the shade so that he truly prowls.
Chinese Dragons are generally benign, kindly creatures. There is one story of four Dragons helping villagers during a drought, being pinned down by mountains on the orders of an unsympathetic boss who resented their actions, then turning themselves into the four great rivers which water China. So my Dragon needs a name which reflects his benevolence.
Meanwhile I have started to paint him. Since the curtains are all the colours of the rainbow, I reckon I should do the same to him. A “tasteful” dragon is a contradiction in terms, don’t you think?
So, a golden body shading to yellow for his underbelly, turquoise for his spinal crests shading through ultramarine blue to indigo at his tail, and a green “mane”. He’s my blue-eyed boy, of course, with eyelashes to match. A bright red nose, pink tongue and very clean teeth finish the painting. I decided not to cover him in scales as I liked the sweep of his golden body. I have put some scales on his feet, largely because I made a pig’s ear of painting them and the scales cover the indiscretion nicely.
His name is Honourable Giver of Contentment – HGC for short!
He’s absolutely gorgeous – and, as I can testify, even more so in real life!
I agree completely; he is stunning and you have made him three-dimensional with the beautiful shading. He is “alive” so perhaps you should check each morning that he has not moved of his own accord! A most appropriate name.