Jess and Karina

 Jessie & Karina         pastel              16" x 18"

This week I learned that dear much loved Karina had crossed the rainbow bridge.   Half this portrait - Jessie only - was posted on January 18, 2011;  Karina's space was just a faint sketch and a note "coming soon".  

My life took some abrupt turns and the portrait slid into a portfolio and waited.  Last night when I heard the news, I took it out - and this morning Karina joined Jess.   So now they're finally together, if only on paper.  Both are Siberian Huskies, Jess with a red coat and Karina a grey.

Below is the photo, their two heads glued together.   I hope the above does them justice.   Laurie, their "parent", lives in California - the original should arrive there sometime soon.   I hope it gives her good memories of her best beloved Karina, and the bond between her and Jess.

Enjoy

A Not Much Day

Jenny from life - sleeping in "her" chair

watercolor          6" x 10"

A not much day:  not much free time, not much energy.   This experiment squeezed into half an hour.   Never worked on Strathmore (I think it is) and fell madly in love with it's smooth surface for w'color.  Later on blocked out front view of round cow..

As for Jen, I really should get more live sketches of her.   Difficult to do since if she sees me drawing or pastelling or painting, then she's just gotta be on top of what I'm doing.  If I manage to sneak part of the picture out from under her to work on, she'll nose-nudge my hand, or try to grab the paintbrush in her teeth.  So I'm real happy when she goes to sleep in the corner.

enjoy!

    

Kanja

"Kanja"     pastel      12" x 14"

A handsome, soft-hearted Rotweiler/Shepherd mix.

In case you're curious, it IS different paper from previous post - a greyer tone.      

Enjoy!


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"Jenny & Her Goose"       pastel           12" x 18"

The top of the armoir is Jenny-stan - her very own stomping ground.   A long jump up too.   She shares it with the wooden goose, an antique duck decoy, a plush hawk, a plant (fake) and a tortoise lamp.  The lighting is from below, a lamp on a sidetable.   I love the way her toes curl over the edge.

 

You can't see the hawk or the tortoise here but you get the idea.   A pretty good fake plant, huh?

Enjoy!

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Aha! JENNY!

"Aha! JENNY!"        pastel         12" x 18"

It's "Aha!" because I'm pleased.  At last.  

However, as I did it I kept wondering why I'd chosen a pic with such a weird perspective distortion of the hanging paw.  Now I'm real glad I stuck with it.   The pose is a Jenny standard:  perched as high as possible with one paw draped over the edge.  In fact in my mother's room (which abounds with Jenny photos!) about half are this pose....

Enjoy!

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Jenny Today

Jenny 26/3         pastel         10" x 18"

Well, that's what she was doing!    Am still puzzling with how to pastel AND use her real coat colors, being grey and white.   I'll try again another day!

Enjoy!

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Passing Grade

A Blue Gee         pastel        18" x 18"

Today's Jenny               pastel             12" x 18"

In both there are flaws but enough passes to make it onto the page!

Enjoy!

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Best Scratching Post in Miles - finished

"BSPIM"       color pencil           5" x 7"

I was rather impressed with the post - that's artistic licence!    The length of the strands and the drama are pretty much dead on - angle of head more tilted up.  My main apology is not getting details in blaze accurately.   Photo is below

Enjoy!

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Jenny & Flying Mane

"Jenny"              pastel              8" x 11"

On her favorite chair, her morning sleep - preceded by her apres breakfast snooze and to be followed by her 4 hour afternoon nap.   I do believe the lass is putting on weight!

BELOW - testing out new color crayons, Prismacolor, the obvious choice as a subject was Fan's horse with flying mane.  Not finished but gives you a sense of the potential for detailed work.

Flying Mane             Prismacolor Pencils          5" x 7"

Fan's Horse - Best Scratching Post in Miles

Fan's Horse - Best Scratching Post in Miles     Pastel      8" x 10"

Another "been wanting to do this for ages".   Photo taken in 2009, always loved it.    A blissful and energetic scratch for this gee-gee.   Ain't we lucky that we don't have to rely on the perfect post?   Mane and forelock unclipped so they flew in all directions.

Enjoy!

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Fluffy, a Pomeranian

"Fluffy, a Pomeranian"   pastel   8" x 10"

Sadly Fluffy died this past week, of natural causes but still devastating.   Fluffy lives in Beirut, Lebanon, so this portrait has a long way to go before it reaches "home".   He was a rescue by one of the founders of BETA (the only animal shelter of it's kind in Lebanon) and then given to a family member.   BETA are an incredible group and many of their dogs now have homes not only in Lebanon but also Canada and the U.S.  Not just dogs, any animal.

April 20th. 
Fluffy arrived and is hanging on the wall, where he is ALWAYS visible.  I understand, on first seeing in the morning, the picture makes his owner cry - but for the rest of the day, it makes her smile!    And soon I hope it will be smiles ALL the time.


Enjoy!

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Blue Jen

"Blue Jen"        pastel          10" x 12" (incl tape)

Jen was lying on blue chair in corner.   She's really grey and white but that's not what this is about.   Initially, drew her but no chair.   Tonight, when I added chair, I had to guess how that shaft of light fell on chair and her.  I think it's about right.  Also note size ratio rather off...she looks the size of a medium dog!

The photo is to show you just how cruddy the surrounds can be pre-edit.   Photo Verité I call it - no crops, no photoshop.

She sat and watched me finish this, and is now asleep on my work table.   The good life for Sweet Jen.

Enjoy!

Jenny Looks at Me

"Jenny Looks at Me"   Pastel   6" x 10"

A good day for pastel.   I did this from life, she was lying on the bed, a lovely stretched out shape.   As soon as I sat down, sketchbook in hand, she tilted her head backwards.   "WHAT are you doing?" was the look.   Seconds later the head rolled back in the other direction.   I JUST caught it.  She's a sweet girl is my lass.

Enjoy

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Sketchbook

A few from the past.
Clockwise from top left:  Jenny-Jenny-Jack-Rockie

Enjoy!

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Sketchbook & 103!

Pastel & Ink

Flipped thru sketchbook from last year.   A few of the finds above.

YAHOO!   Just reached 103 paintings!    One of these four is ONE HUNDRED!

Enjoy!

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Sylvie, Fernand & The Gang!

Photo Portrait 18" x 27"

Taken early December, framed at last today and now hanging over the fireplace!   The main picture was chosen quickly, the selection below was much tougher.   All the dogs, and Taylor, are rescues.

Main Picture
Back of sofa:  Simone, Fernand and Shaddie.
Seated:  Mia, Sylvie, Daisy and Coco (turned away from the camera)

4 cut in below L to R
* Simone & Fernand  * Chaos!  * Sylvie & Taylor  * Fernand & Sylvie with Shaddie & Coco

Enjoy!
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Daisy - to Sylvie

Pencil & Pastel   9"x12"

Daisy is one of Sylvie's kids.   Very very sadly on New Year's Eve an accident to one eye meant it had to be removed.   (I do not know which one).   She came home last night, after the operation.

So this is for Sylvie.  (Hoping Daisy recovers fast and thinking of you, both.)

UPDATE
Daisy doing well!   In a cone collar for about 2 weeks and not traumatised.   So good news in the end.

Update Update!   Jan 8th
Was over at Sylvie's and Daisy is skittish, playful and racing around the apartment with toys in her mouth.   Awesome!.   



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Daisy takes it easy

Pastel  9"x12"

Daisy was adopted Nov 21st by a good friend.   Here she is on her second day "at home" lolling on an armchair.   She's two years old, has the sweetest character and is just beginning to realise that she has arrived in the closest thing to heaven on earth.   Weighs around 45 lbs, is a mix of Shepherd, Huskie and Bernese...how do they KNOW this?...and the only word on her previous life was "abused".

It's another fast and free sketch which captures the mood of her comfort and I hope gives a hint of her superb markings.

Enjoy


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Emma....

Color Pencil  9" x 12"

From the "In the Park" series of photographs:  she hesitated in front of me, and then veered off to chase a leaf.

Enjoy!

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"In the frame"

This is not about dear Minou - his original post Nov 10th - but how he is framed.

Outer 'grey' frame size is 12" x 16" - and it's really a silver patina.
First mat is white wi bevel edge
Second mat, a brown textured cardstock.

I gotta say this is so much much better than original mat crop which was 8"x10" and rather bland.  PURE LUCK that it ended up this way!   So I'm thankful I made an unrecoverable error in the Minou picture...and cropping it out became essential.  Also (phew) I know how to cut mats, so it was relatively simple and economical.  

Enjoy


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