BOTTOM'S UP: "Mmm, Good Stick! (Abbey)," 8" x 10" and "Bleached Blonde (Abbey)," 6" x 8." Both portraits of a Yellow Labrador Retriever done in acrylic on canvasboard, both headed to a new home. It's super easy to commission a pet portrait of your own - inquiries may always come to me.
Sometimes I get so caught up in the actual painting process that I lose sight of consciously striving for that physical likeness. It's tougher for me to gauge this when I'm working from compellingly gorgeous photos of a dog I've never met.
That was the case today - I started with the smaller landscape, and became absorbed by all the lavenders, oranges and blues in the shadow of Abbey's neck and shoulder. I love the atmosphere in the painting, but the painting itself seemed more about the setting and not as much about the personality of the dog. I wasn't certain this was what my client wanted.
That's ok, I thought - I'll try the stick on the beach composition, where the focal point IS her face, and I'll really concentrate on nailing it and keeping Abbey forefront. A few hours later, when I emerged from the juicy brushwork and layers of inviting paint, I realized I had done it again - been painting for an extended amount of time without once measuring my drawing or checking for a likeness. Thankfully I hadn't gone far off track, and was able to reel Abbey in with a little concentration.
My client loved the paintings so much that she has opted to take them both, and for that I sincerely thank her.
I'll be back tomorrow with another endearing face.
Thanks, as always, for your time following my paintings and sharing them with your friends and family,
Kim
LOVE these two Kim!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTHanks, SHelia! THat means a lot, coming from you!!
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