A Puppy, a welly and Vegan pencils by Sheona Hamilton-Grant

The rain is forever present.
This drawing is a typical Scottish summer agricultural show view. A young pup seeking solace behind the safety of the indispensable wellington boot.
Spent quite a while trying to get his light coat to scan well...unfortunately I was not terribly successful.
The result is nevertheless presentable and it is with great pleasure that I would like to show you "Puppies & Wellies".

"Puppies & Wellies"
Graphite on paper, 25x28 cm
Copyright Sheona Hamilton-Grant
Available

The added beauty of this piece is that it is drawn using Derwent pencils which are ...vegan pencils!
Vegan pencils….my amazing discovery last year...
Thanks to Empty Easels' post I discovered that Derwent does not use beeswax in any of their products. I quote:
Their charcoal pencils are made from pure charcoal, clay and pigment, the wax used in their pencils is from a plant source, and the binding material is from a mineral source.
Derwent’s Coloursoft pencils, Graphitint pencils, Aquatone pencils, metallic pencils, graphitone and even Derwent’s Pastel Blocks are free from animal ingredients.
(I have contacted Derwent asking them for more information which they confirmed. Super to be able to double check this grand news.)

I am not a vegan (or vegetarian) but somehow it feels good and snuggles in nicely with what I feel is right...

This drawing is available as a mounted and framed original or can be bought as a reproduction from my Etsy store.

If you like graphite art and are interested in discovering more of my work please do not hesitate to check out my website www.sheonahamiltongrant.com

Corgi Face

Today I decided to try the Pan Pastels that have been out for awhile and worked on a new surface paper called Pastel Mat. There was a definite learning curve as I played with the sponges but I sure liked the results as well as the low dust! 

Theresa

The Portraits of people, places and animals

Irish Setter by Dawn Secord

This is my girl, Jewel. I was searching through my photo reference library for a photo of a puppy for a painting. In this quest a photo of three of my dogs sleeping together on my grandmother's old antique day bed was found. Jewel was sleeping in the middle of the dogs and I just fell in love with it and had to paint her.

The painting was going to be for sale. Hum. I'm not so sure I can part with it now. I'm calling the painting "Sleeping Beauty".

For information on my paintings - please go to my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com/galleryhome.html

Dawn Secord

http://www.dawnsecord.com/

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

commission information: http://www.dawnsecord.com/commissioninformation.html

prints for sale: http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

OMGosh - Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

Well, folks, we did it.

"Rusty" has won the Mutt Lunch Winery label contest!

After a day spent chaperoning The Princess's field trip to Cranbrook Science Center, then getting Manchild to his soccer game, arranging for the Middlechild's attendance at a school's talent show, and also successfully getting to The Princess's dance recital (different school, different performance from said talent show) with 10 minutes to spare, I came home to the news that Rusty's portrait was chosen to grace this year's Mutt Lynch limited release vintage.

A big tail-wagging thanks to all of you for voting, which got Rusty into the Top 10 and in front of the powers that be who made the ultimate choice.

And another warm furry thanks, in no particular order, to Moira McLaughlin of Dog Art Today, label designer Rae Huestis and Chris and Brenda Lynch of Mutt Lynch Winery, said powers that be.

And finally a special thanks to my Grandpa, Rusty's better half, who's sharing this victory with me from above. Maybe now, Grandpa, you can forgive him for eating that Christmas ham?? (and does ham go well with a red wine?)

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

Cheers,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

FACEBOOK: Kimberly Kelly Santini

TWITTER: ksantini

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

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.

The Copleys - a Step by Step, Painting a Dog a Day

I have been excited about this quadruple portrait since forever it seems (when my client first contacted me). The concept was to create four separate 8" square paintings on cradeled panels (you can see the generous 2" depth of the paintings in the 3rd view), each starring a different one of her dogs in a similar pose.

To create a sense of continuity, I wanted to paint them simultaneously and all in one sitting, or as far as I could take them at once. Hence, I ignored emails (my apologies if you've been waiting for a reply - I'll get to the oldest ones from last week later tonite) and went to the easel bright and early.

I'm sorry - these photos are really flat - which I didn't notice till they were downloaded onto my computer. But I'll share scanned versions of the final portraits in a couple days so that you can get a better sense of the vibrancy and detail, which I am very pleased about.

This is as far as I can go for now - I'm waiting for my client to take a peek at each one individually and give me some feedback on likenesses.

These pups were well worth the wait!!

Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me.

Finally, a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for "Rusty," my design submission for the Mutt Lynch Winery label contest. Voting closed last night and he is one of the finalists! The winner will be announced tomorrow - I promise to keep you posted.

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

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

FACEBOOK: Kimberly Kelly Santini

TWITTER: ksantini

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

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.

Scarlly Irish Setters by Dawn Secord

This is a recent commission of four Irish Setters of direct heritage from Scarlly Setters. From left to right is CH Scarlly's Up Front ROM (Chrissy), CH Scarlly's My Sky ROM (Mi Mi), CH Rendition Irish Inspiration ROM (Irish), CH Scarlly's Sweet Success ROM (Sweetnin).

It was such an honor to paint these beautiful girls! To contact Scarlly Irish Setters - Penny Nunnally please go to http://www.pennynunnally.prudentialgeorgia.com/

Thanks for peeking at my work.

Dawn Secord
website: http://www.dawnsecord.com
blog: http://www.artofthedog.blogspot.com
commission information: http://www.dawnsecord.com/commissioninformation.htnl
prints for sale: http://http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

Untitled Grace - Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

Here is a second study for Gracie's larger portrait, this one 6" x 8", done in Golden Open acrylics on a Raymar panel. (The first one, in case you missed it, is here) Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me.

As you might recall, Grace's final portrait will be sized approximately 18" x 24". Because I prefer to work alla prima (meaning all in one session) and I didn't have a clear cut favorite pose, I decided to do a couple smaller studies first. This allowed me to work through the painting concept on a couple different levels, and gave my client a few visuals to help steer his decision making.

This one has a Richard Schmid flavor to it - the woven paws and legs tucked under her chin were the perfect backdrop for the concentrated brushwork, greatest areas of contrast, most saturated color and sharpest edges.

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

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS At the risk of sounding like a broken record, don't forget to cast your vote for the next Daily Painter, for which Painting a Dog a Day is a solid contender. Visitthe website and let them know what you think. And then go give yourself a cookie on my behalf. THANK YOU!

FACEBOOK: Kimberly Kelly Santini

TWITTER: ksantini

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

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.

Rescue Doberman Needs a Name - Elin Pendleton

Yesterday I painted at the Heyming gardens, a certified wildlife habitat, and it was lovely. A large estate with all the amenities, including this watercourse and bridge. I was there in the early evening, and set up in the shade of the mature trees to look back at this heavily side-lit scene.

Here's the first of two new dogs to my own "estate" at Two Trees (ha, with me as the sole gardener and manager, "estate's" a laughing idea!). She's about two years old, and someone really did a botched job on her ear crop. However she's a gem in both personality and conformation. I used to show dobies back in the early 1980s, and can see how well she's put together. Amazing what people throw away. And she needs a name, so I'd love to hear from you on your ideas of names with the "oh" sound at the end of them--it's my tradition to name female Dobies with that end--in my past here was Cleo, Widow and Evoe so many years ago, and now this new girl. Send your suggestions! If I pick yours, I'll send you your choice of one of my Color System dvds. Let the games begin! The girl needs a name.

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

Princess Grace, a study - Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Princess Grace," study for a larger portrait, 8" square, Golden Open acrylics on Ampersand Gessobord, commissioned pet portrait of a chocolate lab. Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me.

Grace comes with an entire line of furnishings and household items. Well, not really, but she is the official mascot of a furniture store in Brentwood (CA), so it's close enough. And the concept for her portrait was to include some of the exquisite items from the retail environment, showing her completely at home in her surroundings.

This is one of several ideas I'm sketching out for my clients' consideration. Grace's final portrait will be in the range of 18" x 24", so there will be plenty of opportunity to add additional detail and range of color - including the elaborate fleur de lis pattern on this settee, which I would not mind having here in the studio.....

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

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Don't forget to cast your vote for the next Daily Painter (this is a big thing, trust me), for which Painting a Dog a Day is a solid contender. Visit the website and let them know what you think. And then go give yourself a cookie on my behalf. THANK YOU!

FACEBOOK: Kimberly Kelly Santini

TWITTER: ksantini

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

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.

Shaggy Schatzi - Painting a Dog a Day, Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Shaggy Schatzi," 8" square, commissioned dog portrait done in Golden Open Acrylics on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Inquiries (including booking your own pet portrait, from miniature size [4" x 4"] to larger than life) may always come to me.

Schatzi was adopted as a pup from a Maryland Amish farm. When her family asked what type of dog she was, the Amish farmer replied "Medium." (Perhaps I should have titled her painting "Medium.")

Now 14, Schatzi has long grown into her name (a strong, German woman not much unlike that played by Lauren Bacall in 'How to Marry a Millionaire'), proudly leading the family pack of dogs on the hunt for field mice or moles or other fierce animals. She prefers her hair wild, sprinkled with bits of souvenirs from the outdoors, but enjoys getting primped and cleaned up as well. Favorite playthings? her people, who are kept busy letting her out, then in, then out, then in......

Take a peek at the making of Schatzi's portrait - I've uploaded my first You Tube video. Hooray for technology!! (although I think my brain is mush!) I am open to suggestions on how I can improve my videos, so have at it! (via emails please)

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

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.paintingadogaday.com

PS Please don't forget to cast your vote and bring Painting a Dog a Day into the Daily Painters group. This is a highly respected group of daily artists, hailing from around the world. Popular votes determine their newest member - I made it to the top 20, and am counting on you to help me out. Thanks so much for your consideration and support!!

FACEBOOK: Kimberly Kelly Santini

TWITTER: ksantini

SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop

ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind

COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me

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.

Elin Pendleton and Florida Egret, but dog news...

As my plane lifts off for the West Coast and home, three weeks of painting and using the Color System have fired the creative energies, and I can hardly wait to be back in my studio.

The egret painting is finished and I'm actually in the air, in first/business class, with free wireless internet on my laptop. Amazing that 15 years ago, this was nowhere in our reality--stuff of science fiction. Life is good!

I'm having wonderful memories of my East Coast trip, and now am looking forward to new artwork in my studio, and many communications with you, artists and collectors who have read this far.

Sadly, I'm going home to another loss--my Tibetan Mastiff Seiko (the "watch dog) passed away rather suddenly while I was gone. I will miss her, and am wondering how to replace such a gentle giant. Here's an image of her playing with Sparky. Yes, she was huge, tipping the scales at over 100 pounds. She died near this spot, one of her favorite places to watch over everyone. At the Rainbow Bridge now...

You can see my entire blog HERE.
My workshop schedule for 2010 is HERE.
Color System information can be found HERE.
If you need to email me directly, please click here.

"Paula" new Jack Russel drawing by Sheona Hamilton-Grant.

Paula
Pencil on Paper. 16x18 cm
Sheona Hamilton-Grant. All rights reserved.
Sold

Somewhere between the paperwork, housework and computer work, I found time to pay my drawing board a wee visit.

Paula is my newest commission and is off tomorrow to Germany (a surprise "bday" present). No worries about the secret: the birthday person doesn't know of my existence.

For this portrait I pulled out my well loved - well known Hahnemuehle paper and 2b mechanical pencil.
The studio rocked to the Muse, Snowplay and Nickelback while my pencils enjoyed a well needed work out.

More of my work can be viewed on my website www.sheonahamiltongrant.com . Snippets of insider info on how my drawings develop can be read on my studio blog Black on Grey on White.
A warm welcome awaits.

Announcing my first children book "Why I Love Dogs" which includes a reproduction of my
dog paintings on every page. Being a therapy dog handler of my four dogs, I had an idea to
create this book for the second grade students that read to my dogs during reading buddies therapy at a local school. This book can be purchased for your child at
www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/1306o45

Every picture tells a story: a new pet portrait by Terry Albert

I just finished this pet portrait of Maddie and Butch and am excited to share it with you! Their owners, John and Janet, are friends and we met while volunteers for Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue. About ten years ago, I did a portrait of their two rescued black Labs, Sarah and Jack. Now, in 2010, they asked me to do a portrait of the next generation of their Labrador family, Maddie and Butch, a pair of elderly Lab mixes. 

I never know what challenges I will face when asked to do a commissioned piece. They asked me to do the same size and on the same type of paper that I used for the first portrait. I used a gray-flecked mat board, and I think I made a good match; we'll find out when we put the paintings side by side. We'll also see how much my style has changed in ten years!

They also asked me to make Butch's gray hair match the amount that Maddie has, so he's not quite as grey as you see him in the photo I painted from.

When it was finished I sent John and Janet an email to show them the result. This is the response I received:

I was in the kitchen baking cookies, and I heard John saying "oh my gosh, oh my gosh".  I'm thinking "did we just win the lottery or what?"  He said come here and look at this!  So of course I ran back to his study, and what I saw on the computer screen virtually took by breath away.  The portrait is absolutely beautiful.  Unbelievable! You captured the essence of Butch and Maddie!

How I paint

I have always worked in colored pencil, and over the past few years I am gradually challenging myself to use more paint and less pencil because I like the finished effect better. I usually started with watercolors and did an underpainting, then when I got "lost" with the paintbrush, I would switch to pencil for the details. This time, I did most of the painting in acrylic, which looks more realistic to me. I'm learning to put in lots of fur detail with paint, and I enjoy it and like the finished result. I love buying little tiny brushes too! 

I found a fun brush called a granier that has bristles of various lengths. Now I can paint striped brushstrokes, perfect for fur, grass , woodgrain, any thing that requires repetitive narrow lines. I work fast and don't have a lot of patience, but I'm not the type to use large brushstrokes to imply an area. It is a continuous learning experience. 

Maybe someday I will abandon the pencils altogether. The children that visit me love the big tote-box full of pencils, all arranged by color. I will sit them down at my drawing table and let them create their own masterpiece, usually a drawing of my horses or dogs and a happy child with a sun shining behind her. 

My ancient drawing table cost me $5 in 1973. I bought it from the company I worked for when they laid off a bunch of artists. Somebody wrote in ink at the top," Tab: 10 x 13 1/2," which was the page size we used for our ad layouts for Builder Emporium. It's a fun memento of my days as a commercial artist.

Meanwhile…

I have making pet portraits for 20 years now, and work in paint, pencil or pastels. Whatever the medium, it is a labor of love, and I get immense satisfaction from my clients’ happiness. Their eyes glow when they talk about their beloved dog, and I’m happy they chose me to make a precious keepsake commemorating their pet.  
Visit my website at www.terryalbert.com 

Irish Setter by Dawn Secord

This is Teagan. She is quite a lovely girl. Her owner commissioned her portrait while my husband and I were traveling back east. It was a delight to meet her in real life.

When I photographed her for this painting she posed like she had been doing it for years. Where ever I asked her to look she gently set her gaze.

If you are interesting in commissioning a portrait I'd love to hear from you!

Dawn Secord

website: http://www.dawnsecord.com/

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

commission information: www.dawnsecord.com/commissioninformation.html

prints and greeting cards: www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

"Waiting" by Linda Snider Ward

Dogs have such an incredible patience, especially when they're waiting for their person to come home. (ACEO card, pencil on paper)
You can view more of my work at my website and my blog