Paintings With Soul

"Spunky," 6" square, dog portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (congratulations!!). Inquiries may always come to me . This is Spunky, the dog belonging to the lucky new Painting a Dog a Day subscriber from the month of September. You might recall that during September I gave away two portraits - one to an existing subscriber who referred a new subscriber, and another to one of those new subscribers. So you didn't win one of the two Dog a Day Give Aways ( here's the other one ) - that's ok. There's another way you can get a Painting a Dog a Day piece for your collection: the 140 Hours Auction, the brainchild of New York gallery owner Gary Brant, the first fine art auction to be conducted via social media. I have sent one of my favoritest all time pieces (a painting which has won awards at juried art exhibitions, so it's not just me who likes it), and bidding starts at just $150 for a painting valued at $539. You can browse through t...

"Fur Face," 6" x 12", dog portrait, acrylic on canvasboard, $359 to the first taker. Dog a Day collectors (you're a collector if you already own an original painting) can hang this painting in their home (or any other painting of mine) for 10% off the retail price. Inquiries may always come to me . SOLD. I'm playing more with the concept of a mother color in my paintings. The premise behind this idea is that the artist chooses one color which they then add a smidge or a dollop of to every subsequent color mixture in the painting. I used this approach with yesterday's painting , and tried it again today. Although I think I subconsciously cheated a little bit on this one (I can't help it when I go into auto-pilot painting mode!), I still really like the resulting color harmony. If you want to read more about color harmony in your artwork, I highly recommend the book Vicki McMurray's Mastering Color . Mine is dog eared and tired, but invaluable. ...

"Frozen Whiskers I (Vizsla),"5" x 7", dog portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $249. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to the Vizsla Welfare Foundation . Inquiries may come to me at ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .   Outside the studio, the wind has been whipping about while the snow fell sideways. I think that might have influenced today's choice of subject.   This painting was inspired by a photo a friend sent of her beautiful Vizsla Windy. I took the liberty of adding a few icicles to Windy's face. You can see more of Windy and her extended family (many of whom I've painted before)  here.   Thanks, as always, for looking at my paintings! See you tomorrow, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.turtledovedesigns.com

"Shelly (Chesapeake Bay Retriever Study)," 8" square, acrylic on canvasboard, $349. Inquiries may always come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .   I've recently become enamored of the square format - I'm reaching for them more so than usual lately. And I've noticed I've begun breaking my compositions down into equal parts - I used to set things off-center most of the time. I'm also consciously choosing complimentary colors whenever possible - as I learn more about the subtleties of color harmony, I'm using compliments instead of saturation to amp things up. Shelly's painting has all three of these packed in!!   Thanks for all the great comments on yesterday's painting - I always enjoy hearing your thoughts. Did you know that you can comment directly on the blog itself? You are welcome to start conversations right here using Google's comment feature.   Thank you to all who have been shopping my etsy store  the past few ...

"I Smell It!", 6" x 12", depiction of a vizsla dog in the field, acrylic painting on board, $239. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Another version of Bart. This one reminded me of frosty mornings spent with my father, watching the dogs rustle up a bird or two. I'm been wallowing in memories lately - take a peek at my two newest gallery stretched linen pieces, derivatives of the "Tags, Toys & Treasures" series, which I've posted on my studio blog: http://www.ksantini.blogspot.com/ . Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family. Kim

"Pointer Closeup (Hershey)," 5" x 7", german shorthaired pointer dog portrait , $165. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. I've been a little crazed the last few days trying to clean up the mess left by a computer virus. It's not all yet done, but at least I now am semi-functional, which is quite a few steps up from yesterday. I was literally crippled without my laptop, and then I beat myself up for feeling that way. The knowledge of a valid backup did nothing to lessen the stress. I couldn't write checks, prep shipping labels, edit the dog-a-day book, update my ipod, follow watched items on ebay, google simple questions or even look up the weather. I admit it. I am a total computer addict. I need help. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family, Kim

"Demi," 6" x 8", chocolate lab PAWS service dog portrait, $199 to the first buyer. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . "Larkin," 4" x 6", black lab PAWS service dog portrait. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . I cannot imagine nurturing and loving a puppy for a full year, only to have to give him/her back. But that's what these foster families do. And they cannot wait to do it again, either. Overwhelmingly these individuals/families (even teens - Demi was raised by a teenager!) find comfort in knowing that "their dog" will make a significant difference in someone's life. They say their tearful goodbyes, and begin to look forward, toward the next one and another opportunity. Meanwhile, the foster parents are updated on the progress "their dog" makes in training, and often form friendships with the person who eventually receives "their dog" as a service dog. It's a gift that ...

"Gunny's Pout," 8" square, commissioned maltese pet portrait , acrylic on canvasboard. I haven't had much luck lately, connecting with clients ahead of posting to see if they do indeed want to purchase their paintings. I believe this one to be spoken for, but as always, if you are interested, send a note, and I'll get a wait list going. Thanks in advance! Emails may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . I've recently become enamored of the drape of long fur across a dogs' spine. Under various lighting situations, this "part" can be so interesting. It's the perfect foil for my brushes, too. That was just one of the areas that I loved working with in today's painting. Another bit I reveled in was the lack of value changes - it's all subtle shifts in color that shape Gunny's little body. And of course I concentrated the strongest color and largest value shifts right in his face, to underline the power of that pout. Hard to r...

Today has been unusually productive. I've gotten three stellar little paintings completed, all for the same client, and all as holiday gifts. This leaves me with only two dog-a-day paintings left pre-holiday, and those I am awaiting reference photos on. Oh, and I do have one other large canvas that I have been slowly working on - but he's not due till shortly after the holiday. Since October 1st I've completed 77 dog-a-day paintings, and 5 larger stretched canvases. That includes a week off for my brother's wedding, and another break for the AKC Eukanaba National Dog Show Championships earlier this month. I guess you could say I've been a little bit crazed. But this means that starting tomorrow I can actually kick back, take a deep breath, and maybe even get to meet a girlfriend or two for adult conversation and sustenance of some sort. Oh yeah, and I get to do Christmas shopping (and wrapping), start holiday baking (mmmm, homemade biscotti), and catch up on other ...

When I sat down to do today’s painting, I challenged myself to lay the paint down in shapes or plains. I started with a very loose generic shape with basic indications of the shadows and folds of skin, and worked upwards, making my marks gradually smaller and tighter. I intentionally left areas loose and not as defined as others – mostly to pull your eye directly into the dog’s gaze. I also stacked all the color right in his eyes. I enjoyed the challenge working in this fashion presented, and will play with the approach some more next week. And I have some wonderful faces lined up already, too – it promises to be fun! “In the Blind,” 6” x 12”, acrylic pet portrait on canvasboard, $90. All inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family. Happy Easter! Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingadogaday.com/ ...

While filming yesterday, I was asked about the lessons I learned in specific dog-a-day paintings (I had brought along about 15 of them). That got me to thinking this morning about my specific tasks/goals before I even picked up a paintbrush. I studied my reference photo, and decided to practice the following: I wanted to paint reflected light and color off a dark surface. I wanted to play with edges, using sharper ones near the focal point (his face), and softer, blurred edges in the remainder to the painting. Again to emphasize the focal point, I would place all the color and the strongest contrasts in the face. “Terrier Study”, 5x7, dog portrait in acrylic on canvasboard. Inquiries can come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Thanks, as always, for looking.And for sharing these paintings with friends and family, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingadogaday.com/ come. si...

Smoky tipped fur is fun to paint. Typically the shadows or deeper colors are at the roots of the fur. But when a dog has a thick coat of dark tipped fur, the rules are reversed. And I love getting to break the rules! Again, I used a different blue than my typical pthalo – this time indanthrone – which created some beautiful ochres and greens. I think it’s also fairly obvious that I enjoyed the brushwork, too. My original intent was to add falling snow, and tip his nose with some, but I felt like the surface was busy enough. I’ll save that idea for another painting….. “Shepherd Mix Puppy,” 5x7, acrylic pet portrait on canvasboard, $60. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Congratulations and thank you to new collector Brenda Dale for her purchase of yesterday’s boston profile. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family. The dog-a-day circle is growing, and I’m thoroughly enjoying getting to know my readers and their companions. Happ...

For the last 6 months or so I’ve been using pretty much the same 5 tubes of paint, give or take a daub here and there of something different. This is completely opposite the manner in which I used to work, with 30 different pots of paint scattered across my taboret. Classes and conversations with a number of other artists convinced me to pare things down, and get to know some of the old standby’s a little better. I’m not sure whey, but today I felt the need to switch up my palette, and swapped my regular blue and red for two new ones. I immediately felt a little outside my comfort zone – I didn’t realize how much I had taken my old friends Pthalo Blue and Cadmium Red for granted. But I thought Prussian Blue would give me an inkier edge to the black markings on today’s border collie, and it did. “Border Collie Study,” 4x6, acrylic dog portrait on canvasboard, $60. Please send all inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these d...

Today’s piece is a tribute of sorts to our faithful old companions. You know the ones. Their tails wag a bit more slowly than they used to, the hips no longer wiggling in synch. They groan a little when they scramble to their feet, but they are always willing to go for a walk. Their eyes are clouded and out of focus, yet they still follow your movements. Their chin rests a bit more heavily on your knee than before, but they find the same pleasure in a quiet ear rub. “Old Friend (Border Collie Study),” 8” x 8”, acrylic dog portrait on canvasboard. This painting isn’t for sale - I’ve offered it to a friend in the hopes that it captures the spirit of her much loved Maggie. And a big thank you to my father, who despite having a gazillion of my paintings already, now officially has a gazillion and one. He’s taken Cooper’s painting, the Brittany Spaniel study from last Friday, and added it to his collection. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends an...

It’s Friday and the sun is shining, both which influenced my choice of dog today. He had to be laughing. So here is Cooper, one of my father’s brittany’s, and a favorite model of mine. Cooper’s mask stretches right down to his muzzle, which always leads to nice violets and pinks in that area. And his wide blaze frames that backlit profile nicely. “Brittany Study II,” 5x7, dog portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $60. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. I’m always looking for new models to star in dog-a-day paintings. Digital photos can come to me ( ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com ). There’s a lot of events on my calendar in the coming months, and I was planning out entries this morning. I’ve had 3 dog-a-day paintings juried into various exhibitions already this year - I would love to showcase your dog in such a fashion! Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions at all. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these dog paintings with friends and famil...

I’m often asked where I find my models. Honestly, I see them every day, getting walked around town, playing at the Bark Park, patiently waiting in a car. I also try to go to various dog-friendly events, especially in the warmer months. Having a digital camera on hand makes it a lot easier when I do spy a potential muse….. although I have been caught without my camera and in desperation slipped a business card underneath someone’s windshield wipers. Today’s dog is Kermit, a terrier mix I met at an adoption fair last summer. I snapped probably 2 dozen pictures of his precocious face. His wirey little body and moustache seemed very humorous. He had a lot of spunk – you’ll see another version of Kermit next week, introducing himself to a great dane. I’m certain the real Kermit has wormed his way into someone special’s heart. Meanwhile, the painted version is a 4x6 canvasboard, and can be yours for $50 (that’s a lot less expensive than the real thing, and easier to clean up after, too!). In...

Several years ago I was asked to paint a double portrait, two collies, on the beach. It was a challenge for me, balancing the colors found in my objects with the same colors apparent in the background, and still achieving a sense of depth. What really sticks in my mind, though, were their blissfully happy faces, surrounded by heavy ruffs that swayed and lifted in the wind. That was the sense I was trying to capture in today’s painting, a tiny 4x5” canvasboard. One happy face, bathed in reflected light, with fur gently tousled by the wind. Done from memory, and really just a simple and fun exercise in mixing color – warm yellow hues on the left and wherever the sun might tip, and those same hues with a touch of blue for the shadows. “Collie Study,” 4x5, acrylic dog painting on canvasboard, $50. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family. Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com...