Paintings With Soul

    "Ali," 5" x 7", commissioned dog portrait of a Belgian Malinois, done in acrylics on a museum quality panel. I don't get asked to paint these gorgeous dogs nearly enough - isn't her smile just amazing?   I'll  answer any questions you might have  about getting a smiling portrait of your own dog in your own home. Just let me know.   Again, this is my final week for commissions - I'm spending most of every day and a good chunk of the nights at the easel. All because I love sending paintings like Ali's out into the world.   Want a gift certificate? well then,  let me know !!   Fondly, Kim, who cannot read minds but is happy to make your portrait wishes come true ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com    

  "Parker," commissioned painted sketch of a most gorgeous and wonderful shepherd. The image is approximately 4" x 5" and roughly centered on an 10" x 8" piece of multimedia artists' board.    Now Parker is  Evey's  sister. Like most shepherds, she has a lot to say all of the time. Which might be how Evie learned to speak her mind, now that I think about it......   In progress pics of both  Evey  and Parker's portraits are on the studio Facebook page . They both were completed yesterday, so you may have to scroll through some updates to find them.   Thanks, as always, for looking at and sharing my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com PS I anticipate being booked through the holidays by the end of this weekend. If you are considering a portrait, please  speak up now  so that I can squeeze you in now or place your project on a cancellation wait list. And don't fret - all's not lost - I also do gift certificates, w...

"Mongo," 6" x 8", commissioned pet portrait of a mixed breed dog, acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (or so I think - I'm still waiting to hear back from my client). Inquiries may come  to me .   While I love all dogs, mixed breeds are especially fun to paint. Each has an endearing look, all the more special because they are one of a kind. So for these guys the painting process is serendipitous - I'll never do another similar piece (unless I paint the same dog again).   Guess it's also part of the whole "keeping it fresh" bit. Mongo is daily painting #718. If they were all of, say, Golden Retrievers, things would get a little dull in the studio. Not that I don't love those floppy, happy retriever smiles, but 718 of them would start to look all the same.   The mixed breeds bring variety, delight, and uniqueness to my easel. I hope they bring the same to your eyes.   Wishing you all a great weekend full of swishing tails and panting f...

"Hugo," 6" square, commissioned German Shepherd pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). There are a bunch of unspoken "rules" in art. I believe that rules are made to be broken (if any of my kids are reading this, I'm referring to Art Rules. I am NOT referring to household rules such as NOT leaving your laundry in your room till it crawls away on its own). This particular painting breaks the rule of symmetry - I've literally cut the canvas in 1/2. Typically artists are told to avoid a horizon line or other compositional element that splits the canvas in 1/2. But I did just that with Hugo. By keeping the background very simple, and using a duller, cooler version of the grays in Hugo's face, I got away with it. Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.turtledovedesigns.com

"Barnum," 5" x 7", German Shepherd dog portrait , acrylic on board, a very special birthday gift from one dog-a-day reader to another. Happy 40th Birthday, Elise! From Peg and your "babyson"! (And from me, too!! have a great day!) I'm currently booking dog-a-day portraits for November 2009 - including actual "day" bookings like Barnum's to commemmorate birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family. Enjoy the weekend - those in the path of Ike, please stay safe. Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com www.turtledovedesigns.com

"Catch the Wind (Sage)," 8" x 16", shepherd mix dog portrait , sale pending. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . I have a number of photos of Sage, and she's constantly in motion. Legs blurred, tongue slopping every which way, she's a dog of action. I wanted to capture that essence in her painting. Aiming her profile into an imagined wind and painting the background as though it was flowing into her were two tricks I employed. Loose and juicy brushwork compliments the sense of motion. Today is the last regular dog-a-day painting for a little bit. I've decided to take spring break with my kids this year. We won't be doing anything grander than raking the yard and walking the dog. But they will be delighted that my anthem "you may be off school, but it's still a work day for me" will be unsung in the coming week. Besides, you know me - I always manage to sneak into the studio and paint, even when I'm not officially...

FROM TOP: "Deeno", 5" x 7", mixed breed commissioned dog portrait , acrylic on canvasboard. "Mandy", 6" x 8", mixed breed commissioned dog portrait , acrylic on canvasboard. Both paintings will be headed to their new home along with yesterday's "Buddies." Thank you so much to my client for commissioning paintings of her four dogs, both past and present. REJOICE! There was sunshine and blue skies in Michigan today. My crocus are poking through and the snow is succombing to hints of green!! Yes, the yard is mostly a giant mud pie, but I think our thaw has begun. Or rather, I dare to think it has begun. I don't want to curse ourselves and wake up to another blanket of the white stuff! In celebration, I'll set up a spring time animal-based still life as soon as I finish Recommended Reading. I've posted two dogs today (and may follow up with a couple Tags, Toys & Treasures pieces later tonight) so that I may work uninter...

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 ...

"Shepherd Mix Pup," 6x12, puppy portrait in acrylic on canvasboard. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to the Oakland Pet Fund, dedicated to turning Oakland County ( http://www.oaklandpetfund.org/ ) into a euthanasia free community by 2010. This pup's tag said she was 2 years old, yet her scrawny build led one to believe she was much younger than that. She had an honest and earnest face, the sort of dog that devotes itself to its family. I hope that she finds one by the year's end. She was only one of dozens of dogs waiting to be adopted, and twice as many cats. It was so tough going into that shelter, knowing that we couldn't take them all home with us. Not even one. (Well, at least not last week.) You can view her and the other animals in waiting at www.oakgov.com/anmlctrl . . Adoption isn't the only way you can help out. Consider donating your time. Picking up an extra cat toy or two. Or donating old leashes, collars, and blankets. Toge...

"German Shepherd Study (Cujo)," 6" square, commissioned pet portrait, acrylic painting of a german shepherd on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Today's painting is another one packed with vibrant color. I am searching to find that perfect balance between color harmony and oversaturation. This piece works well in that regard - when I squint down at it, the values all read properly. And when I open my eyes back up, I can't help myself - I grin right back at Cujo. The Landscape 75 international show at the Richeson Gallery and School of Art in Wisconson has gone online - you can view my painting there, in some excellent company, at http://www.richeson75.com/ . It's not too hard to pick out which one came from my studio (although it IS NOT a dog!). I've been told that People's Choice voting will be online soon. Not that I'm suggesting anything...... I am also getting ready for my trip to the AKC/Eukanaba National Championship Dog Show la...

Yes, you read it right. Painting multiples makes it feel like a parade of sorts. There are all these faces streaming through the studio, and while it's a lot of fun, it's also taxing at times. I have depleted my Twix stash and have resorted to frozen peanut butter cookies. Finn doesn't seem to mind that at all - his favorite spot of late is curled up at my feet in the studio. He has mastered snatching cookie crumbs midair, from a deep sleep no less. Wish I had those sorts of reflexes! But I digress. Here are two of today's faces that I can share without spoiling any holiday surprises. Brother and sister, Sophie & Oliver. I like how the light emanates from Sophie's smile, and when her painting is set alongside Olivers, that glow seems to be what illuminates his face. They are just as nice a pairing in paint as they are in real life. "Sophie", 4x5, and "Oliver," 4x6, commissioned pet portraits in acrylic on canvasboard, both in a private collec...

Today you get a double header. “Scrappy,” duly named pomeranian-pekenese-tibetian spaniel mix, 4x5, commissioned pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!!) “Bobby,” shepherd mixed breed, 6x8, commissioned pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). The paint has been flowing easily today. Perhaps it’s the sunshine, so atypical of September in Michigan. Perhaps it’s the autumn color just starting to kiss the trees. Pehaps it’s the promise of a great weekend – Metamora’s Celebration of the Horse, and my Group Opening at Margot’s Gallery. Whatever it is, I like it. Hope you enjoy each of these paintings. I’m sort of in training for the holidays, when I’ve double booked the dog-a-days simply to meet the demand. I won’t always be posting each painting (some surprises might be ruined, and I also know that two paintings each day will fill some readers’ mailboxes too quickly), and I will try to squeeze in more non-commissioned pieces, ...

“Grady Bookends,” a pair of 6x8 portraits , depicting Grady, a shepherd mix, as a puppy, and then, as a senior. My client sent a moving story of her relationship with Grady, who blessed her family with 15 years of companionship. I connected immediately with her tale, having been blessed early in my life with 13 years of friendship with Beau (the Brittany I grew up with). Her bundle of photographs included both edges of Grady’s life, and I found myself remembering the journey Beau and I shared as I flipped through the pictures. I was overwhelmingly compelled to paint both the beginning and ending (although “ending” is too final of a word). Bless her heart, but despite expecting one painting, my client went with the creative flow, and opted to purchase both (although I gave her a heads up of what was to come, with the option of choosing just one, or neither, if they weren’t right). I intentionally set them up so that the viewer’s eyes wander between the two, and imagination fills in the ...

“Luke,” 6” x 12”, German Shepherd commissioned pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!). Luke is a rescue, and true to his breed, intense, alert, intelligent, independent, and full of attitude. Painting him at attention seemed like a good solid choice for just such a personality. (Although it’s rumored that Luke secretly thinks he is a mushy, lovey, lap dog.) I used a triad of color in Luke’s painting. Oranges, Greens, and Violets. The key to this combination is choosing colors that form an equilateral triangle from the color wheel. I also really focused on the subtlety of the neutrals that I used, holding off on touches of bolder color simply to pinpoint details and accent the focal point. Of course it also helped that Luke’s markings lent themselves perfectly to this, but I did also exercise some restraint! I also am very happy with the brushwork here. The outer edges of the canvasboard have only a layer or two of glaze, but the central portion/focal p...

Today you get 2 for 1. Consider it my Labor Day gift! First I'll give you "Spencer," a german shepherd portrait, sized 5x7. This is another commissioned pet portrait, and part of the same collection as yesterday's Peyton. As is "Remi," the second piece, depicting a rottie-bermese mountain dog mix. At 8x16, Remi's portrait is packed with detail and actually is one painting I wouldn't mind keeping for myself. (Sorry, Spencer) But she'll get wrapped and shipped off with her brothers next week. Those of you who perhaps have taken a life drawing class will laugh at this - but I feel like Remi is a nude stretched out with a drape and diffused lighting..... yeah, I'm a little twisted!! Both of these portraits I started earlier this week at the Michigan State Fair demo. Once I got them home, and was able to add white to my palette, all it took was a couple of hours and they were done. I wish all my readers a safe holiday weekend. Ours will be spent a...

“German Shepherd (Peyton),” 6x8, german shepherd pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, available for $120. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . In between being pulled in what seemed like a million other directions today, I managed to find enough time to finish off one of yesterday’s paintings. Here is Peyton, a perfect balance of complimentary colors and happy grin. I can also see, especially with this painting, that my brushwork has gotten more expressive, yet it still conveys a solid amount of detail. I am happy with this direction. Meanwhile, I had the most wonderful evening tonight at the opening for the 47th annual Thumb Show Exhibition. It was capped off perfectly with the announcement that my dog-a-day painting “Bulldog Study (Winston)” ( http://paintingadogaday.blogspot.com/search?q=winston ) had earned an honorable mention. If you get a chance to see this show (at the Starkweather Gallery in Romeo Michigan, through September 15th – call 586-752-5700 for more inf...

“Mr. Wiggles,” 6” x 8”, mixed breed pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, private collection (THANK YOU!!). Mr. Wiggles (so named because his butt and tail were in perpetual motion) was a Katrina survivor, rescued, rehabilitated, and adopted out to a new home by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. You got to read a little about their mission in yesterday’s post, but for those of you who haven’t yet had a chance to visit their site – here you go: http://www.bestfriends.org/ This is my favorite sort of painting – the lower most layers are pools of translucent glazes, bearing upper opaque layers of hatching and various cross marks. Actually, it’s a lot like my larger stretched canvases, now that I think about it. The detail isn’t as tight, but it carries a lot of the same sorts of surface treatment that the larger pieces do. Anyways, 20% of the purchase price of Mr. Wiggles’ painting will be returned to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, so that they may continue to do all those amazing things t...

English Shepherds are a new breed to me. They are a herding dog, with waves of glossy fur and those deep soulful eyes. And very quick learners. This is “Cheerio,” a little English Shepherd puppy, captured in all her puppy charm in a 4x6 painting. You’ll be seeing more of her as I pursue some other ideas in preparation for a larger, lifesize painting. As it is part of a larger project, this painting is not for sale yet, but I will start a list, if anyone is interested. Inquiries, as always, can come to me, ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. 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. sit. stay. enjoy the art. Founding member of the Canine Art Guild http://www.canineartguild.com/ the gateway to canine art on the web

Today our household sort of eased our way back into somewhat of a regular routine. The kids return to school tomorrow, and I am looking forward to a block of uninterrupted studio time. I have a couple blank canvases staring me down, and some new commissioned portraits to start chipping away at. I am eager to set up the easel and play with color again!! But meanwhile here’s today’s painting, “Sweet Dreams,” a 5x7 study of a german shepherd powernapping. Lots of loose brushwork and layered glazes, which, unfortunately, are still a little wet, and are reflecting the studio lights – hence the “speckled” look to the painting. Available for $60 to the first buyer – inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. 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. sit. stay. enjoy the art. Founding memb...

Shepherd study, 4x5, dog painting in acrylic on canvasboard. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com You might notice a brighter look to the blog today; I made a few design changes to the template so as to show the artwork off better. I also added a search feature - in the upper left corner there is an entry bos where you may type in a keyword (lab, terrier, available) and all applicable posts/paintings will be displayed. Hope this helps you to browse through as the dog-a-days increase in number! Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini www.turtledovedesigns.com distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings