Art of the Dog: Dawn Secord: blue point siamese cat

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Best in Show at "The Cat Show" art exhibit

"The Cat Show" exhibit at Pinnell Gallery in Fallbrook, California opened today, June 6, 2015.

During the artists' reception, my painting, "Shades of Blue", was awarded Best in Show. So exciting!

Thank you to the Pinnell Gallery and the judges for this honor. After the reception, we came home and hugged my little model, kitty Cash.

Originally, there were three paintings ready for the show. One of the three paintings, "Come Fly with Me", sold before the show. Three paintings had been committed to the show so I had to scramble and create a new painting to take the place of the one that sold.

I had a number of reference photos of my bluepoint Siamese cat, Cash, from a few years ago. No painting is ever rushed, so I took my time with this third painting - which is titled, "Shades of Blue." This painting was one that really drew me in while it was being painted and I had to make myself stop when it was completed. Sometimes I keep fiddling when that is no longer

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

necessary. It is almost like a great book, one hates to get to the end because then the story is over. That is what happened with this painting. I could have kept painting!

Some things are just meant to be.

Thank you again to the gallery and judges.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Cash is ready for Thanksgiving!

I told Cash this evening that he had to stay out of the whipping cream for the pies that are being made for tomorrow. He gave me stink face.

Then, I told Cash he didn't get any turkey tomorrow. He has been begging too much and grabbing our forks with his paw. He is not pleased......

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!