This year hasn’t disappointed on the curve ball front. One thing that is far too personal to discuss, but was a big upset last week. I also had another really nasty flare up of my plantar fasciitis Sunday and yesterday. I did a slow Nordic walk last week and although it was sore after, it was nothing like this. Plus Sunday is a couple of days after, so I have no idea what has caused it. Maybe crawling around on the floor painting Melody, Urchin and Chico’s portrait. I guess I will find out, as I have another big one to paint next week! Argghhhh! It’s tooooooo busy. I am not complaining, but my poor brain can’t keep up and I good nordic walk would help clear my mind, but it’s not likely to happen since I was pretty much crawling to the bathroom last night! Anyway, enough of my woes, lets get back to the pet portraits!
I have been working on a very tricky commission of a lovely Lady who has crossed the rainbow bridge. My client wanted the portrait base on one specific photograph which really isn’t of great quality. She is a mainly a white dog an it is badly over exposed so you can’t really pick out much detail. She is lying in some tall grass which is also tricky to do, but I am pleased with how that is turning out also. Going back to her, luckily my client had lots of other photographs that were of good quality which has helped me out with her markings where the over exposure has washed them out and fill in the fur direction and also work out her tail is curly. Lot’s of details that can’t be picked out from the reference photo alone.
I often go on and on about reference photos and I know sometimes a pet has passed on, so it isn’t always possible but if you can the, better the photo, the better the portrait. It is worth the effort of getting as many as possible, until you get the right one. It’s the beauty of digital too of course. No film to waste! When I am happy with her pet painting I will upload the finished scan. If you want to see my most recent pet portrait pop over and read about Mack
Mack is a gorgeous yellow, lab, next up is a beautiful black lab, who has also crossed the bridge. Wellington. It is another not ideal photo, but certainly better than Lady’s! I am going to change the ugly background to some outof focus greenery, maybe with a bit of sky. Not sure yet, will see how my creativity takes me! I also have a couple more black dog portraits coming up. Lucky I ordered some more black pencils! I have a working cocker and greyhound to do also who are mainly black! What out for a blog on at least one of these!