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.

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....

Kobe

This is Kobe, Multi BISS GCH Jadestar Ride Em' Cowboy.

I've known Kobe for a number of years and have watched him mature into a beautiful dog.  Not only is he lovely on the outside, he is a dream of a dog with a gentle kind heart.

When his owners approached me to paint him, I was thrilled.  We met up at a dog show and I took a number of photos of him.   The photos which were my primary reference photos were taken in the shade.  He'd really been squinting in the sun therefore, we moved him to get some shots of him in a cooler area.   We didn't want him to become too warm and start panting.  

Three photos were used to create this painting.  One was his primary reference pose, another was for his eye shape (where he was fully relaxed and not squinting at all) and lastly a photo taken from him sitting in the direct sun for his coat coloring.

Kobe lives in Arizona.  His people family wanted a southwestern background.   I have a ton of photos in my reference library from all my trips between California and visiting my family in Texas....so, reference photos of Arizona were plentiful.

Thank you to Kobe's family for having me painting him.   It was a wonderful experience and I'll keep a place in my heart for this wonderful dog!

 

Australian Shepherd Painting

This is a painting recently finished that was a surprise Christmas gift. Turbo, is a rescue Australian Shepherd. Years ago Turbo was in a shelter with no family. He'd been there for several months which was unusual for the staff to keep an animal that long. Some very kind people came along and found that he was slated to end his stay the next day. They couldn't allow that to happen and Turbo went home with them.

Turbo is now 12 + years old and having health problems. When his owner, Lori, came to me to paint him as a Christmas gift for her husband, my heart melted. Lori sent me a number of photos of Turbo. The one that made me take a deep breath was the one of him years ago laying on a bed with the most adorable blonde haired child. That child came to my home tonight with her parents (now a lovely young woman and a college graduate) to pick up the painting.

What a wonderful life this family has given Turbo and what a precious gift of love he has given them in return. It was an honor to paint him for them. Merry Christmas to the Robertsons!

Book signing in San Diego - would love to see you there!

Our book, Show Dogs Escape to the Seashore, has been well received and won several awards.

Marsha has been awarded:

• The Mom's Choice Award for Excellence

There is one illustration of a cat in the book.   To our humor and delight, the cat illustration is currently our award winning illustration.

• Certificate of Excellence by the Cat Writers' Association, Inc.
• Best Cat Illustration of the Year 2014 (Single Illustration category) by the Cat Writer's Association, Inc.

In addition, Show Dogs Escape to the Seashore has been nominated in three separate categories for the prestigious Maxwell Medal by the Dog Writers Association of America.  The categories are:

• Best Single Illustration (in all genre)
• Best Series of Illustrations (in all genre)
• Best Children's Book

Winners will be announced in New York City at the annual Dog Writers banquet - the Hotel Pennsylvania on Feb 15, 2015

  

Books are available for sale on the book's website at  

http://www.showdogsescape.com

If you are interested in one of the original illustrations, please let me know.  A number of them have been sold.  Please email me if you have a question concerning the originals - they are not yet on the book's website.

dawnsecordart@gmail.com

The next public book signing will be in San Diego, California at the landmark Hotel Del Coronado.

• 1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA, 92118, telephone 619-435-6611
• Signing will be from 11 am - 3 pm on Saturday, December 20th.  The location will either be in the signature room on the mail floor or outside the Blue Octopus Toy Store.   Would love to see you there!
  
  
  

Golden Retriever Painting

This painting has been a while in the making.  I'd photographed the dogs over a year ago and their owners were going back and forth on which photos would best represent their furry family members.

The oldest one, Blonde, is the image on the top.  Misty, is on the left, and Cruiser is bottom right.   During this decision making process, the family lost their beloved Blonde.   She was a veteran dog in her senior years.  The loss hit the family hard and put the painting on hold.   No matter how long we have our dogs - no matter how old they live - their time with us is never enough.

Once Blonde's family was ready to tackle the project, it was discussed that the family didn't want Blonde and Misty shown as old as they were.   So, one major goal was to paint the dogs looking younger.   Secondly, the day had been quite windy when the photos were taken and the dogs were all squinting.   I used other reference photos to give me a clear idea of how each dog held their eyelids when the wind was not gusting.   The painting reflects the dogs with calm expressions and no squinting.

Below are photos of the finished painting as well as some of the reference photos for the painting.

It was so special to paint the dogs for this lovely family and I hope the painting brings smiles to their faces each time they look at it.

Coonie - Australian Cattle Dog

Coonie was a very special girl.   Her owner, Tracy, was explaining their relationship to me and how close they were.  During the conversation I said to her, "Coonie sounds like she was your velcro dog."  We are very fortunate when we have that special relationship with a dog - where they are so close to you it is almost like you are one.   Jewel was my velcro dog. 

Tracy and I understood each other.   The loss of a velcro dog is heart wrenching.   No words are needed, you just understand.

There were only two reference photos for Coonie's portrait.  One was measurably more clear in detail than the other.   The better of the two photos had a view which was looking almost straight down on Coonie.  This was an angle I'd not painted.   The reference photo was over exposed so the colors on Coonie were a bit washed out.  The second photo was the one I used to capture the correct coloring of Coonie.

Tracy and her husband are "horse people" and we decided we would add some equine related objects to Coonie's portrait.   They took a number of photos of items in their horse arena.   It took me days to decide which item or items would be used in the painting.

The boots are placed strategically so the viewer understands we are looking down on the dog.   Their height and shading add a feeling of dimension.  The headstall is flat with the brow band raised so again, you understand the view point is down.  The detail in the headstall was minimized so that item does not steal the focal point which belongs to Coonie.  The reins were placed under Coonie's front paws to assist in achieving the view of looking down on the subjects.

If you look closely into Coonie's eyes you can see Tracy taking the photo of her.   That is generally the most important part of my paintings - the eyes (unless the painting features a sleeping animal etc).   A great deal of time was spent on Coonie's eyes.   If the eyes are not right, the painting won't be right.

It is always so special to paint a persons animals.  Thank you to Tracy for the choosing me to paint her special velcro girl.

Bloopers on puppy Bling...

Tomorrow is St Patty's day and I always try to take photos of my Irish Setters with a little fun holiday gear on them.  This year we have a pup in the mix.   Bling just turned 5 months old and we've been working on her obedience training with a friend and her lab puppy for two weeks now. 

My husband ran an errand so I grabbed my camera and took the dogs outside.   I tried a practice run and Bling stayed in place - though she chose to lay down rather than sit.   Hum... why not throw the holiday stuff on the dogs and see what happens.

Bling was a bit distracted by bird shadows on the deck and a kitty cat walking by.   To my surprise, she held her sit stay (except when the cat came along).   The other three, Monet, Faith and Drew are all pretty used to me posing them for my paintings.  

If you look at each photo, the older dogs hold their poses for me the entire time regardless what Bling is doing.   It was pretty funny.   This entire session took about three minutes.   For a five month old Irish Setter pup, 3 minutes is an eternity.   Hope you enjoy the photos!

Irish Setter Art on Outside Flags

"ROCKETS RED GLARE”

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

go to my website link above if you are interested in purchasing this flag or mini print.

Our New Venture:

This artwork is on actual outside flags!
The flags measure 2’ x 3’...and have an upper hem for the pole as well as two security grommets.
$25.00 plus shipping


New “Mini” Print

5” x 7”
Printed in Full Color
Limited Edition of 195
Available on the website
Framed: $35.00
Unframed: $15.00

Plus shipping on both prints and flags

(sales tax for CA residents)

Thank you to my husband, Rich, for thinking of the flag!

Hogan - Larger than Life Oil Painting

This is Hogan.   Recently, a "mini" pastel painting was also created of him.   

Hogan is no longer with us.   As I mentioned in the post about his pastel painting, he was a very special dog and I was fortunate to have spent some time with him over the past few years.

His larger than life oil painting is 3 feet x 4 feet.    These paintings are always great fun to do.   

The attached photos show the process from the beginning to the end.   In the very beginning, a pencil sketch is loosely rendered on the canvas.   At that point, all I am worried about is perspective.  Once the sketch is completed, black oil paint is applied over the sketch to secure the initial drawing.    The purpose for this is to make sure I don't lose my sketch when the under painting is applied.

The under painting is then applied and covers the entire surface of the canvas.   Once that dries, layers of color are applied.   Each painting is different.   Sometimes, I block in the larger dark areas (which was done with this painting).  Sometimes, I just start applying color and don't block in spaces.   It really depends on the lights and darks in the reference photos.

Ample drying time is allowed before the next layer is applied.   This process is continued until I feel the painting is done.   There is no specific time frame in which a painting is completed.  It is done when it feels right.  My biggest concern are the eyes.   It is extremely important that the eyes of my subject draw in the viewer and make a connection. 

Saki - A very special dog

This is Saki. She is 11 years old and has been the best friend of a young man for that many years. Two weeks ago this young man went off to college for the first time.

His father had contacted me many many months ago and asked me to paint Saki. His goal was for the portrait to be completed by the time his son went off to college so his son could have the painting of Saki to take with him. What a heart breaking situation.

The painting of Saki is now off at a college somewhere, hopefully reminding a special young man of his very special friend. That young man also has a very special father.

To see more of my paintings, please go to my website at http://www.dawnsecord.com