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“Katie’s Moustache,” 6x12, pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $90. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

One glimpse of Katie’s face, and I was hooked. Not only did she fall into my beloved “black & white” category, but she came with a full moustache and doe-like eyes.

I first covered the canvas with a variety of blues and purples, using a (mixed) light green and pink for the highlights. (Right now my palette has been expanded to include the following: pthalo blue red, azurite hue, cad red dark, alizarine crimson, cad yellow dark, and then for graying/hazing out I use light green yellow and ultramarine purple.) I lighten with titanium white and darken with one of the blues and a touch of one of the reds.

As a side note, at this time last year I was really struggling with my limited palette (I went from about 60 pots of paint to 3), but I have lived the benefits – I am so much more familiar with what I can mix given just this handful of colors. My paintings are also more harmonious. And it’s easier to pick one up that’s been sitting around for a few weeks, and not have to struggle, trying to remember how I set my palette up for it. So, as much as I fought the whole limited palette concept, I am hooked now. I recommend it hands down – it’ll make you a smarter artist all around. Honest injun.

Last night at a beautiful opening party for the Michigan State Fair Fine Arts division I was honored with second place overall for my equine painting titled “Swish.” I also received recognition for last year’s painting “My Brother’s Keeper,” which earned a People’s Choice award. The Michigan State Fair is such an excellent venue for artists at all levels to share their work. I am even more excited to paint the dog-a-day piece live on Wednesday, August 29th, right there at the State Fair in the Community Arts Pavilion.

And I owe a thank you also to Beverly Beitler, who paid a quick visit today to tidy up all the details surrounding her Harley’s portrait (he modeled for “The Red Collar,” from last Tuesday). She took home the two Great Dane dog-a-day preliminary portrait studies that Harley inspired as well (April 5th and 20th). His Big Painting is going to be something else! I cannot wait to get going on it.

Thanks, as always, for looking.
And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family,
We’ll see you tomorrow!
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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