I wanted to show the difference between one of my Dog-a-Days and a larger canvas, so today I painted a 4x5 version of a 14x18 painting which I hope to finish tomorrow. Keep in mind that you are viewing these paintings together on the monitor as though they are of equal sizes, but the scale is a big part of each of their impacts.

In the smaller version I wanted color and gesture to carry the punch, so I amped up my reds and violets, and used looser brushwork. I also cropped in around one eye, including just a sliver of the other, to emphasize the dog’s movement.

In the larger version (again, still in process, but very close to being done), I lost myself in that central eye (who says you can’t place your focal point in the center of the canvas?) and the layers of fur. I concentrated more attention (and detail) on the backlighting. And I got almost the entire face of the dog included in the painting, but again, used a crop to emphasize the swing of his head. Another trick I used in the larger painting was using washes of green overtop the glossy sheen of his coat to place him firmly within a “space,” that being a grassy, natural setting.

“Black Dog Study III,” 4x5, acrylic dog painting on canvasboard, $50. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

“Blackie,” 14x18, acrylic dog painting on gallery wrap canvas, still in process but close to being completed, $499. This painting will be exhibited in March’s All Media Show at the Orion Art Center. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

Thanks, as always, for looking.
And for sharing these images with friends and family.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

http://www.paintingadogaday.com/
come. sit. stay.
enjoy the art.

Founding member of the Canine Art Guild
http://www.canineartguild.com/
the gateway to canine art on the web