Millie the Cat

Reference photo

Drawing

First layers and detail- you can see the masking here

Finished!

Here is Millie- a gorgeous tortoiseshell cat with vivid green eyes.  I had a great picture to work from, and really enjoyed working on this painting.  In a perfect world, all my paintings would start from photos with lighting this great!  This painting was etsy worthy, so prints in multiple sizes are up for grabs on my Etsy Shop.

Pet Collage

Original photoshopped collage

First layers and detail

More layers and detail

Finished!

This is my first commission with four subjects!  It was a lot of work!  A painting with multiple subjects like this is basically like painting multiple paintings, but trying to make them work on the same page.  This means that you have to take into account proportion, lighting, overlap, and shadows.  All of this makes for a challenging piece!  But, like always, I had a lot of fun, and I love how this turned out.  The recipient was also very happy :) 

Scooby!

Reference Photo

Drawing

First Layers



Mostly Done

 

 

 

Scooby- you are too cute, and you were really fun to paint.  And I have a soft spot just for you cause my old dog was nicknamed Scooby too! 

 

 I feel like I've been painting a lot of darker dogs lately, so this was a refreshing change of pace.  It is a gift for my husband's cousin's aunt!  :)  Painting all that thin long fur was my favorite part, or maybe the background was...  Either way, I'm still as busy as ever, looking forward to two more commissions due by Christmas (yikes!) and spending some time with my mom this Saturday at the Mayo Craft Show.  Hope to see you there!

Cooper

Reference Photo

Drawing

First washes and eye and nose detail

Layers

More Layers

More layers, detail, and background wash

Final Detail and background work 

Finished!

Here is Cooper!  He is a super cute French Bulldog that took me way too long to paint :)  Not that I actually spent a ton of time putting paint to paper, but I just couldn't find the time to paint!  Between school, a new job, and keeping up with Eilie (and squeezing in Zuzka workouts in preparation for our Mexico trip) it was hard to find the quiet time I needed to focus on painting.  But I really enjoyed painting, as always, and now I need to get started on my next commission!

Rajah (the cat) + Show Announcement!

 First drawing (a little dark- sorry!)

 

 Finished drawing and masking

 

Background (I used india ink here- no need to waste a whole tube of paint!)

 The nose- I incorporated purple and blue in with the black throughout the painting

 

 

First washes on nose

First washes of fur

More detail on one eye, adding black fur

More eye detail

 

 

More eye detail and fur

 

Finished!  Removed masking and final touch-ups

Rajah 22x30

 

 

Here is Rajah, a cat who thinks she's just a little bit better than all other cats.  She spends her days looking out the window to intimidate the ground critters, and tolerates play time and a few snuggles here and there.  But she'll do anything for treats.  Enjoy looking at the process I used, she was so much fun to paint- I had a great photo to go off of.

 

So, if you'd like to see this larger than life portrait in person, along with lots of other great paintings and prints, come to beautiful Lanesboro on Father's Day, June 16th, to see me at Art in the Park.  Here is the link for more information.  I'm excited to show off my work, but I may just be more excited about the Rhub-berry soda :)

 

And thanks to Jess for lending me this photo!  If any of you have a great photo of their pet, send it my way! 

 

Yupo #1

Donkey, 11x15

Hey there!  I have been so excited to create some 'for fun' paintings that I already finished one today!  This one is extra special because it was the first time I used Yupo paper.  I first heard of this kind of paper way back in 2008 at college.  I was so intrigued I knew I would try it out one day, and, yea!  I did! 

My thoughts on Yupo?  I love it.  I will definitely work with it again.  It will take some getting used to as so much about it is different than traditional watercolor paper.  Because the paper is actually made of plastic, the paint stays on the surface instead of soaking in.  This makes lifting paint a possibility anytime during the painting process, which is something completely new to me!  I was able to get whites back and experiment with lots of different colors.  I was also able to let colors run together and drip and I used some permanent marker too.  So much fun and I'm excited to experiment more.

Claire

Reference Photo

In Progress

Claire, 16x21

This is Claire, a recent commissioned portrait.  Claire recently passed away and this portrait is going to be a surprise present for her owner.  It's hard to lose a beloved pet, but I know this painting will help her cherish her memories of Claire.

It's been a while since I've posted a portrait (I've been busy getting ready for my summer shows).  But I'll have another one of a Brittney Spaniel for you soon!  Until then, if you're in Rochester this Friday in need of a fun thing to do, come to Camp Companion's UnCorked event at Salem Glen Winery.  The link is here.  I'll be there with lots of pretty art for your browsing pleasure :)

Spud

Here is Spud- a beautiful Black Lab.  I've been painting a lot of black dogs lately, which has been a fun learning experience for me.  For Spud I used a lot of color, and kept areas white to help create a light direction.  I really like the background I gave him, I think it makes the whole painting glow a little.  Right now I don't have any other commissions- so I'm going to be working on some for fun paintings to try and get originals for my show in May.  If you have any great pet pictures (I would love some up close horse pictures) and want to see them turned into a painting- send them my way!  I'd love to see them!

Spud, 22x30

Bella (the puppy) + Show Announcement

Reference Photo

Bella, 8x10 on 10x12 paper

Framed

Here is Bella!  Now I have two! (I named my recent cat portrait Bella, too.)  I loved painting this beautiful puppy- such a sweet puppy look on her face, and I was able to use some really pretty warm and cool colors.  Scott says he may even like this one more than Nickles the Pug! 

Next up is Spud, the Black Lab!

Also, I was invited to participate in CeleBARK Your Dog Day here in Rochester!  It is on May 11th from 11am to 2pm on the lawn outside the Eagles Club (917 15th AVE SE).  If you are in the area, come check out my booth!  I'll have prints, originals, and cards for sale.  I'll also be able to talk about the commission process with anyone who is interested.  And I'll have some fun freebees too :) 

Thanks for checking out my blog everyone!

Gizmo

First attempt and Reference Photo

Gizmo, 17x22

This one was challenging.  I got it right on the third drawing and second painting attempts.  Indoor pictures make it hard for me to create interesting light direction and contrast, but I still feel I captured the emotion of Gizmo, which is more important.  And, as always, I learned a lot- specifically that I think I like Kilimanjaro paper over Arches (the tooth is finer), and that I need to approach a painting with at least three techniques in mind, not just one.  Also, I think I'm going to invest in more prep work for each painting, that is, to create value sketches. 

My next two are on their way- a puppy named Bella, and a Black Lab named Spud. 

Libby

Libby 8x10

Here is Libby!  So cute and so fun to paint.  The smallest commission I've ever done!  Enjoy her process pictures.  I'll have another post soon of Gizmo, an older dog with lots of character.

Lessons from the Jellyfish

I hate painting less than stellar work.  I know I am my harshest critic, and even though I like it that way, I have to remember how good it feels to put paint to paper, even when it doesn't turn out.

While waiting for the pictures for my next commissions, I decided to paint a 'for fun' painting of jellyfish.  I loved the picture when I saw it, and I wanted to paint it right away.  I could instantly tell it would be a great way for me to practice glazing (multiple washes of color to create an area of rich, vibrant, and smooth color), masking and blending.  I would also be able to practice painting a subject that didn't have eyes.

And, all in all, I did get to practice those things.  This painting really challenged me.  I spent a lot more time on it than I do most commissions.  And, it didn't turn out.  I was pretty bummed at first.  Having spent so much time on it and having had my vision of a bright, captivating jellyfish painting not realized was hard.

But I learned so much!  And I had so much fun painting this that I'm still glad I did it.  Also, in my search for solace during my post-painting bummed-ness, I read two different articles that really encouraged me.  They talked about how every artist has work that doesn't turn out and times when painting doesn't come easily.    The biggest lesson I learned is that I can't let one failed painting, or hundreds, get to me.  Art is a process, and I love it.  The ups are great, and the downs are wonderful learning opportunities.  I can't wait to keep painting!

And, a special shout out to my favorite person, who is the most encouraging and supportive of all my endeavors   I wouldn't be this excited about painting if it wasn't for you!

Here are the process pictures of the jellyfish.  This painting was mainly unsuccessful because I went overboard in the end with red, and ended up with a muddy, washed out looking middle.  Also, my blue glazes weren't completely smooth and too dark.