Art of the Dog: Dawn Secord: Illustrating a new book featuring Easy Company and the dog, Draftee

Monday, May 29, 2023

Illustrating a new book featuring Easy Company and the dog, Draftee

I was not going to announce this yet, but hearing AMC (cable channel) is running a marathon on the American war drama series, Band of Brothers, on Memorial Day, prompted me to do so.

The series created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks is based on the real life "Easy Company".  Easy Company had a medic named "Doc Roe" and his grandson is publishing books based on Easy Company during their training and following them through their participation in World War II.   I've been hired to illustrate a children's picture book by Doc Roe's grandson, Chris Langlois.   It is an exciting project.   The children's picture book has Easy Company rescuing a young dog during a historic training mission in Georgia in 1942.  The dog would be named "Draftee".  

Thank you to Mr. Langlois for the honor of illustrating your book.   It has been an amazing journey thus far.  I can't wait to see the project finished.  The following photos are promo items created for the book.

For more information on Chris Langlois and his grandfather, Doc Roe, follow him on Facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/DocRoePublishing

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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

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