Some paintings take on a life of their own, and Electric Hare is definitely one of them. This wild little bunny started with a simple request from my daughter—she wanted a pink bunny painting for her bathroom. Of course, I couldn’t resist adding my own spin, bringing in bold, neon colors and dramatic contrast to give this piece its energy and personality. And what makes this piece even more special, is my daughter helped with the underpainting ☺️

     Today, I’m taking you behind the scenes to show you how this piece came to life—from the very first sketch to the final details that make his wide-eyed expression so mesmerizing. Keep scrolling to see the full process unfold.

Initial Sketch

I started with a blank canvas and brushed on a bold layer of neon pink as the base. I love beginning with vibrant colors—it adds energy to the piece right from the start. Even though I’ll layer other colors on top, bits of neon pink will peak through in the end, giving the painting a subtle glow. Once the background was dry, I loosely sketched the bunny with a dark pencil, just to map out the composition before diving into the real fun!

Expressive Mark Making

Next, I played with fluid aqua paint, letting it flow freely to create loose, expressive marks and playful drips. I love the way drips add movement and unpredictability, making the background feel alive. As some of my sketch lines started to disappear under the layers, I used green ink to pull the bunny back out, redefining his shape.

Adding Shadows

The next step was building up the dark shadow layers, and this is where my daughter’s creativity came to life! With a bit of guidance, she carefully blocked in those deep dark shapes. But the real magic happened when she decided to mix some neon pink into the indigo she had chosen for the shadows. She instantly fell in love with the prismatic purple that felt both wild and whimsical. She loved placing splotches of that purple all over the background.

Softening the background

Next, I softened the background and toned down some of the pink since the bunny itself would be pink. A bit of white created some breathing room and then came the fun part—splashing and dripping this new aqua fluid paint. I love scribbling with it and letting it flow freely.

Shaping the fur

Next, I added the fur in layers of different shades of pinks and purples. I loved the purple my daughter mixed, so I created lighter shades of it to weave into the bunny’s fur. Building up the fur with expressive strokes gave him that fluffy electric glow. This stage was where the balance between wild and adorable really started to shine through.

Final Layers

And here he is — Electric Hare in all his neon glory!

For the last touches, I used oil paints to really pull the bunny forward and out of the background and define some key features. I just love the richness of oil paints and how it made the shadows on this piece so deep and striking. Adding the highlights to his eyes was pure magic—it’s what truly brought him to life.

With his slightly open mouth and wide eyes, he has that playful, hypnotic charm—somewhere between wild and adorable. There’s just something about this bunny that makes you want to stop and stare. Maybe it’s the way the colors shimmer against each other, or maybe it’s that wild look that leaves you wondering what’s going on in his little rabbit mind. Let me know what you think he’s plotting in the comments!

I hope Electric Hare brings you as much joy to look at as he did to me while creating him.

Until next time,