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Gallery Pieces Featuring Dogs
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ACE
Memorial portrait of a sweet pittie with his favorite Nerf football toys
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ELLIE
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel commission. The client did not want me to use the background in the reference photo, so I gave Ellie a soft green surface to lay on that sets off her beautiful color nicely.
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RAIDER
This commission is of a champion scent dog, a Clumber Spaniel. If you look closely, you can see the calluses on his nose - a testament that Raider's amazing nose is put to great use in field trial competitions.
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APOLLO
Memorial portrait of a Great Dane who was a loving family companion and babysitter
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DOT THE MINI DACHSHUND
This feisty little dog was commissioned as a Christmas gift.
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BELGIAN MALINOIS
14"x11"
This Malinois with the piercing eyes features a striking blend of brushstrokes - from the fine sharp detail around the face and shining eyes, to the softly blended strokes of the neck fur.
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TRIXIE & JOSIE
This painting was created using two separate reference photos. To achieve the desired composition, I reversed the image of Trixie the tan dog (who has perfectly symmetrical markings, otherwise, this technique wouldn't have worked!) I added shadows to her neck and behind her ear so both dogs would have the same light source. The background was intentionally soft and muted so as not to compete with Trixie's delicate coat colors, and it makes Josie's black and white fur really 'pop'.
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SHAGGY DOG
11"x14"
This sweet girl sports a wire-haired coat and a beard. I wanted to depict this accurately, but also make sure her beautiful amber eyes showed through the thick eyebrow fur.
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PRINCESS ANDREA
Another Cavalier King Charles Spaniel commission, this one in a beautiful tri-color coat pattern. I replaced the cluttered background in the reference photo with a fancy drapery befitting of her 'royal' status.
CAROL'S BABIES
This is another commissioned painting using separate reference photos for each dog. With separate photos, it can be a challenge to get them in the same painting with matching light sources, and the correct sizes relative to each other. I put a lot of thought into where to put the tiny Yorkie puppy, so she wouldn't get 'lost' among the two bigger dogs.
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CORGI SMILES
14"x18"
Who doesn't love a Corgi? This cutie is showing off the signature Corgi smile - a mixture of sweetness and mischief. Detail is tightened up on the face, and the body is painted with loose soft strokes to depict the soft thickness of the Corgi coat.
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BUSTER
This memorial portrait was done using a reference photo where the dog was posing in front of a Christmas tree, wearing an enormous red bow on his chest. The client requested the bow be eliminated. Using additional photos of Buster, I was able to determine what his fur might look like behind the big bow. I gave him a fluffy white chest minus big bow, and replaced the wire tree with a nice eggplant colored background.
CRYSTAL
This lovely white German Shephard was standing in a stream when the photo was snapped. I kept the basic colors of the background, but softened it to focus detail on the dog. The light shines through her ear, making it almost translucent. I was able to capture the subtle greenish/blue colors on her coat where the sunlight bounced off the water and reflected on her white fur.
JACKSON
This beautiful boy was sadly lost in an accident in the prime of his life. The client only had a few photos of him. Their preferred reference photo was quite blurry, but with a couple of additional photos, I was able to nail down his eyes and get the color of his fur accurately. The lack of a super-sharp photo meant that this painting was done in a much softer, loose style, yet still represents the dog accurately.
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SABRINA & TEDDY
A memorial portrait using two separate photos of the dogs. Sabrina was a senior dog with cataracts, so in the reference photo, her eyes were glowing yellow spot-lights instead of brown eyes. With additional reference photos I was able to determine the actual color of her eyes and depict her accurately. I created a custom background with shades of blue - the color requested by the client. Note the shadows under the dogs to give them 'weight'.
LUCY
Memorial commission of a lovely border collie. The reference photo provided by the client was so excellent, this painting was completed in record time.
SIMBA
This is another Clumber Spaniel commission. In the photo, Simba was walking down a slope into a stream. The client asked if I could 'make him hunt'. I bent one front leg, gave his tail (Which was completely hidden in the reference photo) some fluffy fur to suggest movement, and added a quail. Instead of a rocky creek, I put them in a field with some blurred brush and trees in the background - more suitable for a Clumber flushing a quail.
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RICKI AFTER THE HUNT
This German wire-haired pointer was a commission for the bird hunter in her family. In the reference photo, dog and bird were on the tailgate of a pickup. I removed the truck and put them in the field where the action is! I did a lot of research to get the colors and details for the pheasant. The client asked me to 'improve the bird so it is worthy of a champion birddog'. So Ricki is now posing with a trophy pheasant she can be proud of!
THE WELCOMING COMMITTEE
Another example of a painting done using multiple photos. I took several pictures of each dog, making sure the light-source was the same for each photo. I also took a few with all the dogs, so I could accurately depict their relative sizes. I played around with the positions of each dog in the painting until I found a composition I was happy with.
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BOY MEETS GIRL
From my 'Outdoor Cafe' series, this fun and whimsical painting tells a story of contrasts. She with her elegant dress and expensive glass of wine, sitting with her fancy diamond-collared poodle. He with his casual attire, can of beer, and rambunctious golden retriever in tow. The people see only their differences and let an opportunity pass. Their dogs, however, ignore the differences and see only the chance to get acquainted!
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BOY MEETS GIRL PART 2
20"x16"
The second in my 'Outdoor Cafe' series, this is another fun and whimsical story of contrasts. The couple, very much into the moment, would be happy to linger for hours. Their four-legged companions, however, are obviously tired of all this human romance and are ready to wrap up the evening and go home. Plenty of detail here: from the lace on the hem of the girl's skirt to the fine rendering of the fur on both dogs. Even the chairs feature intricate designs. With the potted plants and flowering trees, and a hint of cobblestones and ochre-colored walls in the background, this painting has the feel of a European sidewalk cafe.
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SUNBATHERS
20"x16"
This sweetly amusing scene depicts two girls enjoying a day at the beach - the woman with her book, and the little Frenchie with her tennis ball. These two definitely have style, rocking their matching red sunglasses and nail polish.
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SEARCH & RESCUE
20"x16"
A painting from my 'Heroes & Patriotism' series. A yellow lab intently picks his way through the crumbling rubble of a collapsed building in search of survivors. Search and rescue dogs have saved countless lives during catastrophic events like 9/11. This painting honors these often un-sung heroes.
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LEAN ON ME
16"x20"
Another piece from my 'Heroes & Patriotism' series. With this painting I wanted to show the deep bond that exists between a soldier and his K-9 partner. The realities of war are never pretty. But the aftermath can be faced with strength and dignity if you have someone to lean on. This painting honors all those (both human and canine) who serve, and have served - at such great cost.
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IT'S A 'MAL' THING
24"x20"
Another piece from my 'Heroes & Patriotism' series. A Belgian Malinois sits all geared up and ready to go, as a Chinook helicopter stirs up the desert dust behind him. This piece honors our K-9 heroes who serve alongside our soldiers.
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BORN TO BE WILD
20"x24"
This biker and his best buddy sharing adventures as road warriers.
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ABBY
14"x18"
Portrait of my very own Abby, with her favorite toy. She was a rescue, and is the love of our lives.
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BOOMER
11"x14"
Commission for a duck hunter - his faithful partner Boomer, watching the sky as the ducks fly in.
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TERRY THE TERRIER
11"x14"
This sweet little guy was such fun to paint!
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MILLY
11"x14"
Milly's owner says this is her 'I want a treat' expression! Priceless!
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MAGGIE
11"x14"
This is the result when I get an exceptionally good photo to work with! Maggie turned out so great!
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MARLEY
11"x14"
Marley the West Highland Terrier - I had fun capturing her alert eyes, and the design on her purple collar!
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FRIDA FIONA
11"x14"
A sweet girl! I captured the scarred, torn irregular nostril that was the result of an injury she sustained during a rough time she experienced in the Arizona desert before she was rescued. It is part of her story, and therefore, part of who she is.
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GINGER
11"x14"
This Corgi's favorite place to play hide and seek is in her 'mom's flower garden!
TUCKER
11"x14"
I used beautiful warm subdued colors for the background to bring out Tucker's lovely subtle colors.
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SAVANNAH
18"x14"
A memorial portrait of a beloved companion. Her owners requested that I paint Savannah wearing a gorgeous silver and jeweled collar, which was not in the original photo.
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MAX
11"x14"
A handsome German Shepherd/Malinois mix. The style of this painting is much looser than I normally do, due to the quality of the photo. But it's a very nice look.
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LILLY & JESSIE
18"x14"
The different coat patterns for these two girls was a challenge, and this was done with two separate photos. I replaced the very busy patterned blanket with a muted purple, so it wouldn't compete with the striking coloration of their fur.
FERGUS
11"x14"
I have a very devoted following in the Clumber Spaniel Club! This is another commission from that wonderful group.
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