aren't I pretty?

I did this pup for our local Xmas show - the photo came from a reference library on Wetcanvas, an art website I belong to so I don't have info on this pup - but he/she sure is cute! I haven't decided whether it needs a background yet.

boxer

This guy was fun to paint - now I have to decide if he needs a background

stella

this white pup was such a breeze after the headaches of the black lab
So - 2 pups in 2 days - day and a half for the lab; a short afternoon for Stella!

black lab, Yogi

and I thought white animals where tough!!

This black lab changed my mind on that. I spent a lot of time trying to make the darks darker, until they were finally lifting with every stroke I took. Then came the headache with the background. I tried a blue - brown mix; my favorite. Unfortunately that was too close in value to the dog so I tried scrubbing it out!! Not happening - some of my pigment choices were staining, to my chagrin. I tried to wash a brown/sienna over the blues - very strong, so washed that back as much as I could. Next step: thinned gesso to tone down the background - finally success, although I may still put more white into the background - the browns keep lifting inot the white - whew!

shepherd?

I don't know the details (sex or breed or name) of this pup. Another commission for Tracy - waiting to see if it is done.

8 1/2 x 10 watercolour on arches 140lb

golden for Tracy

I got this fellow nearly finished today - had coniptions because he was becoming VERY yellow.
then the background refused to behave - I wanted it to be a soft contrast from dog to background
with some lost and found edges .....
I still need to improve the rounding of his (our) right temple and also lose some of that hard edge on that cheek as well.
Along the way I made some interesting discoveries about the staining cproperties of some of my colours!!
Either I need to learn which is which (fat chance there) or do a whole new palette with non staining - correcting is much easier with those .... = l

Molly finished

Molly's mom was kind enough to send me a photo of the painting when it arrived - I naturally forgot to take one myself! My only excuse is that I am still brain damaged from this #$%$# cold 3 weeks later

She is darker and brighter in real life - in the photo she is in a plastic sleeve thingy

xmas cards

I am getting ready for a local art event called "First Friday". The downtown galleries hold their openings on the first Friday of every month and one of my friends asked me to participate in a Xmas show for the first Friday in December. I needed to get a couple of paintings, with cards of the same image ready for this show.I got these 2 ready and now all I have to do is get cards printed and the larger one framed! Whew!




Acrylic on Canvas
16" x 8"
Silent Night




Acrylic on Canvas
22"x32"
Sleeping spirits

Molly in progress

This pup is in progress - needs the chest resolved before I get to the background -I might be making her too brown - will have to ask the client.
9 x 12