Welcome to Painting a Dog a Day

Since October 2006 I've been a daily painter, creating a new pet portrait at least 5 times per week. At first the paintings were mostly dogs, but over the years I've allowed a transgression here and there, and expanded my offerings to include a variety of animals and pets. And yes, I accept commissions! Please join the Painting a Dog a Day community - Sign up using the links at the left to receive the dailies via email or follow the blog with a feed. I post additional info, including in-process jpgs and other related information, on the studio Facebook page as well.

The links above will help navigate through workshops, the commission process, and other options.

Thank you
so much for your continued support of my artwork.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Harley, a long haired chihuahua



FROM TOP: "All Squared Up," 6" square, and "In Profile," 4" x 8", $249; both chihuahua portraits in acrylic on canvasboard. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .
BOTH SOLD

I tried something interesting with these two. The long and skinny canvas I toned a bright pumpkin orange, the square canvas I toned in a peachy flesh color. Then I laid the paintings down overtop the wet underpainting. Consequently, the smaller painting seems bolder - those snippets of orange add a firey glow to the piece. The square painting carries more softness, I think because of the lighter ground.

I also used the exact same structure of colors, painting these side by side and simultaneously. I primarily used blues and oranges (compliments), yet the saturation is very different in each. The bolder underpainting demanded similar points of equal intensity. The softer underpainting allowed for a density and variety of edgework.

Oddly (not sure this was intentional or subconscious), the less confrontational profile design has brushwork that is dominant and pulls your eye around the painting, while the more confrontational head-on composition demands your eye via the dog's gaze and the brushwork becomes secondary.

I'm pleased with my mini lesson for the day. Now I'm back to the easel to play with these ideas some more.

Thanks, as always, for looking.
And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family.
See you tomorrow,
Kim
ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com


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