Skip to main content

Heinrich, Step I


"Heinrich," painting in process, 16" square commissioned dog portrait (I think Heinrich is a Belgian Malinoise, but I'll confirm that) done in acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard. Inquiries may always come to me.

So after I put the final tweaks on Angi's painting (I'll update you with the final version once my clients approve), I started another good sized painting, one that will take me several days to complete. I'll share it with you as I progress.

Today I blocked in the first layer of color, concentrating on getting the placement of Heinrich smack in the center of the board, yet tilted just enough that the angle of his face and the line of his neck create an "x". The dual compositional trick of the "+" and the "x" securely anchor Heinrich's face and will underline his loyal gaze.

I'm not worried about having the exact right colors laid down, but I did start right from the get-go with directional brushwork mirroring the growth of his fur. This way every layer of paint will carry subtle detailing that creates the density and softness of his fur.

Tomorrow I'll redraw, measuring carefully and beginning Heinrich's likeness. I'll also work on setting my value ranges, creating a stronger sense of light and atmosphere.

On another note, the last holiday shipment of paintings and books went out today. In two batches. I won't be visiting the post office any more this week, but I'll see how I can get by. I bet some homemade cranberry gingerbread will quell my aching heart.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork with your friends and family.
Kim
SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop
ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind
COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me (I've got a couple holiday spots left)
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.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tabby Kit

"Tabby Kit," 5" x 7", acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a tiny little orange striped guy from Morgue File . This painting can be yours for $289, which includes s&h inside the US. And in case you didn't see it, a little doodle of him is also available for sale here . Inquires may come directly to me .  Although it certainly doesn't FEEL like spring here (snow and ice and wind chills, brr!), I can tell that spring is coming. The mercury is rising a wee bit each day and the days are getting longer and brighter. Over the weekend we drove with the moonroof open just to feel the sun's meager and oh-so-very-welcome warmth (although the heat in the car was cranked, too, in the interest of full disclosure!). I wanted to work with spring-like colors today, and this little guy was still on my mind , so I grabbed a small panel and got to work. Of course, I also have Poppy to finish and some changes to make to another po
“Rapt (Shadow),” from the Larger than Life series, 16”x22”, acrylic black lab mixed breed pet portrait on gallery wrapped canvas, $699. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This is Shadow, who went missing on Sunday night. He belongs to a friend of mine, and has been a fixture in our community for many years. Errant fireworks scared the silly old guy into running off, and his family is busy searching for him. (If you happen to be in the Lake Orion/Oakland County area and have seen Shadow, please call 248-391-0867 or 248-391-6817) I’m confidant that he is safe (somewhere!) and awaiting discovery, but meanwhile, couldn’t help myself from posting his portrait as today’s dog a day painting . He’s constantly on my mind, and probably will remain so, until he finds his way back home. Hug your four legged guys while you can! Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ dis

NEW! Etsy Store

One of my favorite unsold paintings from 2008, "Lashes & Corkscrews," 5" x 8", acrylic on canvasboard, depicting a tobiano buckskin curly horse, $289. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com (but read further on how you can get a special deal on this painting!). Now it's ridiculously easy to browse my painting archives. All you have to do is visit my Etsy store . Etsy has a Shopping Cart (so you can pile it high with purchases from a variety of artists), is integrated with Paypal (although you may still pay by check if you prefer to), and is terribly simple to navigate. When the week has ended, I will have listed almost 100 of my favorite (UNSOLD!) paintings here, grouped loosely by subject matter. During 2009 I'll update the shop regularly, and add non-Dog-a-Day pieces as a bonus, thus making it easy to search for that perfect gift. Watch my daily postings for announcements, promotions and discount codes. If you do not receive the Dog-a-Day emails (