Oil Painting in Process - lily pad landscape by Dawn Secord - Part 1

This is painting in progress.  It is being painted on a gallery wrapped frame.   I need to start working on the sides of the painting as well as the front.

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Ricky in Oil

This is Ricky. I'd painted him years ago in pastel. He is 18 years old now which is amazing. When I'd painted him back in 2003, we'd taken "rolls" of photos of him. That was back when we didn't use digital cameras like we do now, or at least I didn't!!

There was this photo taken of Ricky standing at the top of the steps. His front legs are very bowed. For his 2003 portrait (http://www.dawnsecord.com/Terrier.html) we wanted a more formal look. We had posed him in a leather chair and the painting came out great.

For this oil painting, which will be hanging in his owners veterinary clinic, they wanted a more whimsical painting. The photo of him standing at the top of the stairs was perfect to use as reference material. To complete the painting, we put his actual paw prints on the painting. So, yes, those paw prints at the bottom of the painting are directly from Ricky. The painting is 4 feet x 3 feet.

Black Dog Oil Painting Finished

The Black Dog oil painting is finished! It has been drying for a number of weeks and then varnished which required additional drying time.

As I write this the painting is being shipped cross country to the corporate collector. Can't wait to hear their response when the painting is received.

The painting measures two feet by three feet. Love doing the larger than life oil paintings. Check back - a larger than life oil painting of an Irish Setter is drying and waiting to be varnished. Will post photos soon.

Black Dog Oil Painting in Process

Here is the painting in process. I've used black oil paint to block in my sketch before I do the complete underpainting. Now to wait for the black paint to dry......

Large Oil Painting's Beginning Sketch

This sketch was done a number of weeks ago. I sat down on my studio floor with the photo on my lap top and created the sketch. This is the beginning of a two foot x three foot oil painting for a commercial account. The dog looks to be an Akita. Can't wait to get my brushes out!

Drew and Monet help in the studio

I'm just starting the sketch on a 3' x 3' close up of a tabby cat in oil. Our dogs are always in the studio with me and I have a big brush that I use to dust the eraser off the canvas with.

I put the brush in Drew's mouth and posed him next to the canvas. He spit the brush out a few times and then figured it was kinda fun to hold the brush. He decided the brush was his new toy and "I" couldn't have it. Monet had to see what all the fun was about and decided to get off the sofa and peek around the canvas.

Better get back to work and stop playing with the dogs!

Oil painting of Drew

I've been having a lot of fun playing with my oil paints. Between paintings I decided to take a break and do something outside of my regular activities.

It was Drew's birthday so I decided to do an oil painting of him. I have not painted a dog in oil since 1992 - 18 years - so it was kinda fun and kinda scary to see what would happen.

Here are the results. Painting in pastel has really allowed me to develop some skills that flowed over to my oil painting. It was interesting to see how many things were "changeable" with a wet medium. With pastel - there are only so many changes that can be made so it is important that each stroke be accurate. I absolutely love painting with a palette knife so all the reeds are done with the knife and not a brush.

Hope you like the painting - and Happy Birthday Drew!!

Plein Air Oil Painting - Laguna Beach, California

Here is one of the plein air paintings I did in Laguna. It was so much fun working in oil. I love doing landscapes in oil. Being outside at the beach was awesome. The weather was great, sun was out, and it was a perfect day to be painting.

The painting is not yet finished - hence still being attached to my Julian easel. There are a few tiny touches that I want to make that didn't get done while out on location. Check back in a few weeks for the finished piece!