GREAT DANE.....Christmas Commission

Great Dane

Acrylic 12x12

Private Collection

Thought I'd share one of my Christmas collections, a very handsome and regal Great Dane bitch. I love the contemporary feel to this one.

Season greetings to you all from a very white but beautiful Scotland.

Accepting commissions for 2010.

http://art-fromscotland.blogspot.com/

http://art-from-scotland-gallery.blogspot.com/

SMokey Mountain Labrador

Sandy spent 17 years as a much loved companion to her owners. When she passed they realized that they did not have as many photos as they thought they had. I combined several photos as well as my knowledge of the Labrador retriever breed to create Sandy as they remembered her. Here she is, in a 16 x 20 pastel, smiling and back in a favorite area, hiking through the Smokey Mountains!

Shhhhhh-it's a Christmas gift for the owner's wife!

M Theresa Brown

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL!

Sam

This is Sam, I drew him a few weeks ago as a suprise Christmas present for our friends Pat and Ian, It was a great relief last night to not have to keep the secret any longer, when we met them for our christmas meal, and presents were exchanged. I hope Sam likes his portrait as much as they seemed too. Merry Christmas Pat, Ian and Sam...

Irish Setter by Dawn Secord

This is Ch Rusticwood Dance To The Music "Morgan" aka Goober. The photo reference for this painting was of a young Morgan - approximately 5 years old. Morgan just turned 12 years old on November 4th. She is a very special girl to her human family and the portrait of her was/is a Christmas gift.

My husband and I had the privilege of meeting Morgan this past summer while we traveled in Georgia. She still has a beautiful mahogany coat and has a real sweet temperament.

Merry Christmas to Morgan and her family!!

To see more dog art please go to my website at http://www.artofthedog.com/ or http://www.dawnsecord.com/.

Dawn Secord

Enjoying the Journey: http://www.artofthedog.blogspot.com

Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Angi," work in process, 16" x 20", commissioned dog portrait of a Leonberger, acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries may always come to me.

To see what this painting looked like at the end of the day yesterday, click here.

So today I took the painting deep into what a friend of mine calls "The Uglies." This is the stage where the various pieces of the painting are not harmonious or working as a whole. The hardest part (for me) when a painting is in "The Uglies" is to hold onto that inner image of what it will look like when done and persevere.

What is my focus now (other than forward thinking and persistance)?

Well, first I re-drew Angi's entire face, doublechecking my measurements (eye to eye, eye to nose, length of ears, drape of tongue, etc). I then refined my values (the measurement of light vs dark) so they were relatively close to what I want in the finished piece. I started softening interior edges, building the planes of her face up.

At the same time I set my references aside and began laying down whatever color pleased me wherever I felt it was needed. Because there are still many layers of paint to come, the majority of the marks I've got on the board now will be covered up - mostly. There will be places where that pink in the lower background peeks through, and that lovely turquoise around Angi's eyelid will sing with a swath of lighter ultramarine drybrushed overtop.

Keep in mind this is a BIG painting - 16" x 20" - and her right eye alone is about 1-1/2" across. There is a lot of space for playful brushwork, and I'm going to take full advantage of that!

But meanwhile, I am going to dwell on the beauty of her right ear, and bring the rest of the piece up to that level.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Oh boy, do I have lots of places to send you:

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holiday spots left)

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Chiquita (Chihuahua Portrait)," 8" x 8", pet portrait of a Chihuahua done in acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard, private collection. Inquiries may always come to me.

Who knows how many times Chiquita walked directly into the swimming pool, only to be surprised by the fact that, yes, it was a swimming pool, and no, she couldn't swim. So she wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box - but she was by far the favorite.

Chiquita passed away earlier this year, and this painting will be an absolute surprise come Christmas morning, as big a shock to her Mom as the cold swimming pool was to the old girl.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Oh boy, do I have lots of places to send you:

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holiday spots left)

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

Her favorite thing

Another commission- thank you!  A little light apricot poodle on her favorite chair.

5x7 watercolor

Judith A. Johnson

Judith A. Johnson

Tucked In & Tuckered Out - Carol Chretien

On the 12th Day of Christmas...this new painting is SOLD , 25% donation went to
Willing Hearts Dalmatian Rescue. It was part of the 14 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS for RESCUE event at Art helping Animals http://www.arthelpinganimals.blogspot.com/
14 days, 14 paintings for 14 rescues!
This painting helped with one of Willing Hearts' desperate rescues...a Dal ( named Derby ) pulled from a Kentucky shelter. Quite ill but now on the mend with lots of vet help and hands on care by WH volunteers!
New work is still available visit the blog, gifts that help. Merry Christmas!
Carol Chretien

Just completed this commission for a friend.  I love the pose and am happy with how it came out, with his beautiful ears blowing in the wind.  I am working on two other dog watercolors and two oil paintings for clients.  It's a busy time but it's wonderful to be painting in my studio while the cold wind blows outside and doing what I love.

Judith A. Johnson

Judith A. Johnson

Two Painting(s) a Dog a Day, Kimberly Kelly Santini

FROM TOP: "A Pooped Pumpkin I," 6" x 8", and "A Pooped Pumpkin II," 5" x 7", both portraits of a yellow labrador retriever, done in acrylic on canvasboard, one for my client (she's still choosing) and one for another happy home. Inquiries may always come to me.

As the bitter cold weather creeps in, it seems instinctual to curl up and nap. I've been fighting the urge all day, as the wind rattles the windows and the snow does arabesques across the yard. And it's almost time for me to give in to that urge.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Oh boy, do I have lots of places to send you:

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holiday spots left)

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

Irish Setter by Dawn Secord

I first met "Annie" Ch. Jewelset Special Attraction ROM in Rhode Island in 2005 at the Irish Setter National Specialty. Her owner approached me to photograph her for a painting. This painting was to be a gift to another party.

For the past five years I've admired Annie at the various National Specialties. Once again (to my excitement) I was asked to paint Annie. This time it would be for Annie's human mom to keep and not to be a gift. The same original photograph taken in Rhode Island was used. The only changes were to add the graying to her muzzle that had come in with age. Additional photos were supplied and the painting was started.

Anie is a regal ageless beauty and thank you so much for the opportunity to paint her and her kids. To see more of my work please go to my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/.

Dawn Secord, Artist

http://www.dawnsecord.com/

http://www.artofthedog.blogspot.com/

Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Sir Oliver," 12" square, commissioned harlequin Great Dane portrait in acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries may always cometo me.

I've just sent images of this painting to my client for review. This is the worst possible part of the commission process, at least for me. I always think the painting is perfect until I send it off, and then I start second guessing myself. And if it takes my client longer than 10 minutes to respond, I am convinced they hate it.

Some say artists are their own worst critics. I know I fit that bill.

But, despite waiting to hear back from my client, I amvery happy with Oliver's painting (look at the little snippet of pink on his nose!). I think I'll reward myself with a truffle and some sassafras tea.

Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

Oh, and while I was typing this up, the client responded, and he simply loves Oliver's painting.

Truffles for everyone!!

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Oh boy, do I have lots of places to send you:

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holiday spots left)

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me

READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year(2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years(2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me.

That's the life!

My client wanted her dog painted in his unique sleeping style.  Looks oddly comfortable to me!
-Judy Johnson

Christmas card

Just completed this pencil drawing of two Golden Retrievers sleeping contentedly beneath the Christmas tree. This was a commission for my client's Christmas card. She had originally contacted me to do a portrait and wanted to use it as her holiday card, but almost all the photos she sent me were of the dogs sleeping. Knowing time was short (she just contacted me a week ago!) and that we probably wouldn't be able to get more photos in time, I saw a unique opportunity and suggested we use those poses with the tree and this is what we came up with.

This was a wonderful challenge for me because I don't normally do much of a background in most of my portraits, but I am delighted with the outcome! It certainly gives me more ideas for future pieces!

Thanks for looking!
Catherine Temple
www.petportraitsbycatherine.com

Let It Snow! - Carol Chretien

Let It Snow was painted as the first offering for the 14 Days of Christmas for Rescue by the efforts of the Artists painting together through Art Helping Animals.

This painting for BONES (Beagles Of New England States) is the first of 14 new paintings we will post over the next two weeks.

The Spirit of Giving is upon us with the Chistmas Season and we hope to highlight the rescues we work with for their homeless animals.

12 x 12 oil on canvas, this was painted inspired by a BONES volunteer's beagle Ally. I used her pose and tried to portray a classic feel of the season in this oil using a series of glazes and painting over 3 sessions. 25% will go to the rescue when sold.

For details please email me: carolchretien@aol.com

Thanks for looking.