Dog paintings, Pepper

At long last there was just about enough light to take a photo of Pepper's dog portrait now it is completed. I'm not sure it is the best photo but given the fact it is now going to rain for the foreseeable future I took the chance that this was the best light for a while. Rubbish weather, I feel really miserable at this time of year, I'm a bit of an outdoors girl and get very annoyed at being stuck inside or because of the gloomy damp weather and it seems that will be the case this weekend, although I really should be tied to the drawing board to get things under control!

As for other portraits, I have already made a start with Dizzy and think I've matched the colours quite well, you can see the work so far here as I've updated my facebook page already.

Other than that I'm on holiday from my day job today and will have to venture out into the soggy outdoors with Willow but at least we'll get some fresh air, the problem is the woods are a bit mucky now and I'm forever slipping this way and that but it all adds to the fun!!!



If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower. If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.

If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Now visit my picasa photo album to see completed pieces of art.

Thanks for visiting!

Dog Paintings, Pepper St George

I've not covered a lot more in terms of square inches on Pepper's dog painting but I have spent quite a while adding layers of softer pencils to add shading and definition. I'm pleased with how he is progressing and am also surprised with how much detail I've managed to achieve as this is an 'old fashioned' photo from years gone by but with my attention for detail I think I've managed to capture Pepper's look. Not too far to go now.
I'm off to the framing shop this week to choose a mount and frame for Ace and I'm planning to get Pepper completed so that I can mount and frame him at the same time. I've still not blogged the golden retriever but I did get stuck into Pepper's portrait so no more work has been done on Harry's dog portrait as yet, he still has one closed eye and a bit of surrounding fur!

And Cyril news...
Luckily we were working in a chestnut wood today and I managed to collect plenty of supplies so he can become nice and fat...

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower. If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.

If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Now visit my picasa photo album to see completed pieces of art.

Thanks for visiting!

Dog Paintings, Pepper St George

An update on Pepper St George's dog painting. Pepper, as he was less formally known is now beginning to take shape. I've added further softer pencil in the darker areas for shadows and shading and things have been moving along at a decent pace.

I've also made limited progress with Harry the golden retriever, at this moment in time there isn't much to show, just part of a closed eye and surrounding fur but I hope to get on a bit further tomorrow so will try to post an update later. I've also got another competition entry to post, plus I spent today adding all the entries so far to the competition web page so I have been quite busy.

It would also seem that I am probably booked up for Christmas, I took on another commission today but I do find it very difficult to judge how many I can manage as if my day job is a bit manic I do sometimes just feel like crawling into a corner when I get home instead of starting what really is my second job. I'm hoping there will be a gap before anyone else asks for a commission as by then I may have organised myself to have some time to spare. If I had done what I said I would and timed how long each portrait takes, in sizes and different mediums I think I may have had an idea! Then reality hit home and I suddenly realised I had undertaken a solo show in February so at some point I need to sort out my portraits so far and probably get some more done to display!!! Oh I wish there were more hours in a day!

Also today I have been trying to sort things out for Cyril the Squirrel, I have been in contact with the Squirrel info website and they have been such a help, first of all just helping with how to feed a baby squirrel and now they have put ime in contact with another 'squirrel rescuer' who lives nearby. This particular lady rescued an 8 week old squirrel who was found injured on a golf course. She is much more organised than I am and has an aviary for her's (called Shizzle) and I am going to meet her next weekend to see if Cyril can spend the winter with her squirrel outdoors in a secure aviary where he could learn to be a proper squirrel ready for release. It seems she is already half way to having a more wild squirrel in that he is living outside with very limited access to humans, whereas Cyril has constant contact with me, being in a large parrot cage and pouncing on my hands everytime I put food in, he just hangs from my arms and refuses to let go. Anyway, there could be more news next week on this, I am very attached to dear Cyril but this may be a helpful situation as he will be still visitable but also half way to learning how things should be, if Cyril bit me and was nasty things would be so much easier but I'm sure he sees me as part of his squirrel clan! I also found out that squirrel rescuers have a habit of naming their orphans and I found out another had been called Doris!



If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower. If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.

If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Now visit my picasa photo album to see completed pieces of art.

Thanks for visiting!

Dog Paintings, Pepper St George

I've got back to Pepper St George's dog painting and have made some progress. I have mainly used a 4h pencil to lay down the basic fur and I now need to go back using a softer set of pencils, 3b, 4b, 5b and 6b to add more depth and shadows.

I've also made a little slide show for work in progress for Pepper so visitors can check back and view previous stages of the commission.

Ace is now completed aswell so I'll post him tomorrow along with the complete slideshow for him.

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower. If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.

If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Now visit my picasa photo album to see completed pieces of art.

Thanks for visiting!

Dog Paintings, Pepper St George

This is the start of the next of my dog paintings. This is Pepper St George, aptly named as he was born on a St George's Day. Unfortunately Pepper has now passed away but looking at the photos I have received Pepper was a much loved dog who is sorely missed.

So far I have used 4H, 2B and 3B Cumberland Graphite pencils (made by Derwent) but expect to add more as I continue working on this dog painting. I have only layered a little and will be darkening areas as time goes by trying to recreate the sheen and dark of Pepper's fur.

And just a little pic of Cyril. We have decided to winter him after advice from the squirrel rescue people as it will soon be time for squirrels to rely on their stores of nuts, of which Cyril has none, plus it will be quite cold so he is moving into the rabbit shed. We think we will be able to let him out to play and just shut him up securely at night time so Cyril will be spending Christmas with us. Thankfully at this seasonal time of year all the supermarkets sell lots of nuts so he will be nice and fat for spring time!

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower. If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.

If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Now visit my picasa photo album to see completed pieces of art.

Thanks for visiting!