Art of the Dog: Dawn Secord: springer spaniel

Showing posts with label springer spaniel. Show all posts

Monday, February 8, 2016

A painting of Vinnie - English Springer Spaniel

This is Vinnie. His owner lost him when he was 6 years old. It is always so emotional for me to paint a dog that passed at a young age. Having lost a young dog, I so understand the dreams and memories that will never come to be because time has cruelly been taken from you.

I asked her to share Vinnie's story and this is what she told me.

It's so difficult to loose a dog. They are our pets but they are more than that - they indeed are a piece of our hearts! Vinnie was one very special guy - he was my shadow, my constant companion; he truly felt he was there for me and to make me smile (and at times laugh hysterically!) and I lost him way too soon! As I have been trying to understand why my grief has been so deep, I realized he was the most emotionally aware dog I had ever met or even heard of!! He wanted to please me and make me happy at all times - I could never cry - he would climb up me and be such a joker kissing me and such that every single time, he would turn my tears around!

We did SO much together - not just dog shows and earning titles in so many venues, but Vinnie was a very talented therapy dog! An example of his deep awareness was reviled to me one day during one of our therapy dog visits. We visited with children and he loved his kids!! A mother approached us with her 2 daughters - the older one instantly got down on her knees to pet and play with Vinnie - the younger was afraid, and hid behind her mom. We could coax her out and Vinnie as usual, would present his head to say "Hi". She would shriek and jump behind mom. After a couple of times, with us assuring her he wouldn't hurt her - Vinnie fell board flat on the floor on his side!! Both mom & the girls were all asking what happened? What's wrong with him? And I truthfully did not know! He then lifted his eye to mine and as our eyes met, I knew! When I recovered, my response to them was that nothing at all was wrong with Vinnie - he laid down flat on his side so she would know he had no intention of harming her and that he wanted her to come and pet him. And she did - and mom shared with me she had such a fear of dogs he was the first dog she had ever petted!

I miss him dearly - but am thrilled to be able to have his most incredible portrait to keep forever.

Thank you for having me paint Vinnie for you Veronica. He was so special.

Reference Photos

Click here to see commission information

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

Friday, May 9, 2014

Show Dogs Escape to the Seashore Illustrated by Dawn Secord, Artist

Those who know me well know I've been illustrating a children's book for the past three years. The author of the book is AKC judge and dog writer, Marsha Hall Brown. It is exciting to be able to say....the book is finished and published. It has been a wonderful journey working with Mrs. Brown.

Show Dogs Escape to the Seashore is a great story of learning that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence, that competitors can be friends and teamwork accomplishes more than going solo.

The website is under construction and will sell a collector's issue of the book (autographed by author and illustrator

along with a dust jacket and book mark), the original illustrations, prints and posters. http://www.showdogsescape.

For now, the book is available from Barnes & Noble and at Amazon. com

Follow the book on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Show-Dogs-Escape/635951903145270 and Twitter https://twitter.com/ShowDogsEscape

Friday, October 15, 2010

English Springer Spaniel

I'm trying to constantly add new images of my art to the Dawn Secord cafepress store before we get to the holidays.

Today the English Springer Spaniel was added to the store and will be available on a number of gift items.

To see the gift items available go to http://www.cafepress.com/dawnsecord

Check back now and then to see what new images of my artwork are available.

Have a great day!

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!