I had a client redeem a gift voucher a while back and after some thought he decided to opt for a pet portrait in Jolly Splashes style. More can be view here.
It is also to be painted on Deep Edge canvas. I am very excited as this is my 4th Jolly Splashes on canvas this year. The most recent was Melody, Chico and Urchins. I have a black lab to do in the New Year, of Sam. I painted his portrait in pastels ealier this year. Pop along and read his blog if you would like.
Planning Stages
With Morgan’s portrait, as usual when I am going to be painting on canvas I like to do a minature painting as well, which you will receive free of charge with you canvas too. A little painting you can hang somewhere else. With Morgan I have been having a bit of a battle with the colours, trying to get them look right. It finally came together at the 4th attempt! See the length that have been gone too to get your pet portraits just right. You can see the minature below.
Next step was painting it on the canvas. The canvas measures 24×24 inches and it feels really small after Melody and gangs painting as that was 30×40 inches! I can remember when this Morgan’s size felt huge. But then there have been a lot larger pastel portrait commissions this year. I have had a few 14×18 inches and larger which is unusual but fun!
Jolly Splashes Video
The canvas was prepped and I did attempt to film it. This video won’t make it beyond this blog though. I got the angles all wrong and my head got in the way. I thought it would be a problem, but it is all a bit of an expermient at the moment. Definitely need to invvest in some more equipment I think.
Anyway, you can get the gist of it, and I still think they are fun to watch!
I am also working on some Jolly Splashes Dog portraits, but on paper. Pop along to their blog to take a look.
Morgan’s Dog Portrait Finished.
It was a bit slack not to come back and update this blog. But Morgan, after a few struggles and tweaks, was finally finished. Funnily enough it is easier to adjust watercolours on canvas than it is on paper. I suspect it is because on paper the watercolour paint soaks into the fibres, whereas on canvas as you have put a few coats of a gesso like paint on it doesn’t. Of course if you were painiting direct on linen it would, in fact I suspect it would be impossible. I would like to try linen on with my acrylic pet portraits eventually.
Back to Morgan and here is her completed portrait.
