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“Black Lab Mix,” 6” x 6” square, $60. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .
SOLD.

Painting black dogs is a lot of fun, because they aren’t really black at all. This guy had a lot of green and purple in him.
The other trick to painting a black dog that looks alive is to pay careful attention to the values and contrast. If they are too soft, the dog will appear gray. Too harsh, and the dog will look like a cartoon.

The other problem that I have when painting darker animals is with my technique, which includes a lot of dry brushing with a stiff bristle brush. If I am not careful enough, the brush will rub too much of the lower glazes out, and I lose the darker values. This is especially apparent when I’m painting something that falls at the darker end of the value scale.

So, yes, I did do that, multiple times today.

And I could still go in and lay some brighter highlights across the crown of his head and down that right side, but the painting is pretty wet, and I find myself running out of light (and time) today. So I’ll post him as is, and reserve the right to go back into him and make adjustments later. (Sometimes the hardest part of finishing a painting is knowing when it is done!)

Thanks, as always, for looking.
And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family.
Kim

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
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