Art of the Dog: Dawn Secord: Payne

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Payne - from puppy to adult

This is Payne - he is an English Cocker Spaniel. If you've never met this breed, have to tell you, they are just adorable.

My husband I have been fortunate enough to travel with Payne and his family for a number of years.   This painting has been planned for quite some time, but his family was waiting for him to mature so that his painting could show him at different ages.

The photos used for the painting were taken in different lighting scenarios - one with back lighting, several inside with no natural lighting, and one ideal photo taken outside in good lighting.   The challenge was to get all his coloring correct and make all three images balanced in value.

Several times while painting, my mind was playing tricks on me and I'd really have to rework an area.    My mind would say, "If that was dark, and you want it light, then what should we do with the values in the shadows?"    Right brain left brain thing I think.    Our minds do not doubt a photograph. However, in a painting, if something is off ...lets say anatomically, but that anatomy is what the photo had, the human eye assumes the artist did something incorrectly. Even if the painting shows just what the photo did. For that reason, I'm very cautious in what reference photos I use.   There are often changes needed in the painting that are not in the photo.   Or things are left out of the painting that are in the photo.   Just depends on the dog, the photos and the lighting.   Painting from photos can be a lot more complicated than one may think.

http://www.dawnsecord.com/printsforsale.html

Thank you to Payne's family for having me paint your precious boy. He is like a big stuffed toy - but he gives kisses where a stuffy does not....

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Pastel Painting in Progress - French Bulldog

Here is a painting in progress. The pastel paintings are done very much in the same way an oil painting is done. I start with a base color. Usually I work with a precolored surface. With oil painting I would lay in a foundation color so the white canvas wouldn't show through. So this is the same basis. Since I am right handed I work from left to right unless it is a landscape or still life in which case the entire surface is worked uniformly. With pet portraits, so I don't damage an area that is completed, the surface is worked from left to right. While working an area of the subject I lay in mid tone values first - then work light to dark. With pastels an artist can "fill the tooth" of the surface so it is important not to over work any areas. Once the entire subject is painted I go back and reinforce the lightest lights and darkest darks. My greatest area of interest is the eyes. If the eyes aren't right the entire painting will look odd. If the painting is about a sleeping animal it is important to convey the comfort of the animal.

Oil Painting in Process

The following pictures show an Oil Painting in process. The first images show my beginning sketch. I use a common pencil, ruler and an eraser. Once the beginning sketch is satisfactory the sketch is secured with a layer of black oil paint. When the first layer is dried I apply a base color over the entire canvas. I love working on a burnt sienna foundation. There are paintings where I start just working directly on the white canvas and there is no base layer or foundation. It really depends on the painting. From the base foundation I start layering colors. It is a slow process due to drying time. This is where it really becomes fun. I should really make a recording of my husband saying, "You're done - stop messing with it!" Thanks for taking a peek. This painting is of a cat named Lynxy!