August (Doggust) month is for the dogs!

  

Hello. It’s Doggust 16 and over half way through this month of dogs! I’m taking on the create/draw one dog per day for this month on instagram challenge. That means 31 dogs total. Every day is a new dog prompt and I’m following it to some degree. Most people follow this and I’m bending it a bit with adding some different dogs that are not included in the list. Although all the dogs-and they are mostly wackadoodle looking dogs-I plan to draw with some spilling over into September. Oh well. Supposed to have fun with art and not be serious. The dog illustrations above are some faves using different mediums-acrylics, oil pastels, watercolors and ink. I can’t pick a favorite yet but I will say that some of these are created within a half hour or less and some took as much as three hours to complete. I don’t want to fuss too much over them and just draw loose and lovely. Creating every day is very freeing and therapeutic. Most of the dogs are from an original pet portrait session I’ve taken in the past but others I’ve borrowed reference photos from Pinterest. Also the process of learning dog anatomy is key. Dog bodies and fur are silly as much as they are beautiful. Like I said the dog breeds in this Doggust 2020 dog prompt are all pure breeds that look kinda funny. Love them all but, is it ok to admit that I’m more of a mutt-mongrel-mix kind of a person?

 

 

Happy birthday Leia!

For Leias birthday today I painted a portrait of our dear cat who passed away a few years back named Spooky. Spooky was adopted at five weeks which is a wee bit too early to leave momma. He was a stray from her auntie Lucy and the day he arrived at our house back in 1997 he was planted in the shirt pocket of her dad. Cute as a button. Who could say no to that? Through the years he was a big part of Leias life and almost treated like a brother. Well, he was a part of the family. Carted round in a toy doll carriage regularly and appeared at show and tell in grade school. Spooky lived a long 17 loving years with us. He is forever stamped in my memory bank and appears in the occasional dream. This painting captures his personality of a family cat. Happy birthday Leia. 

Mountain Dog Portrait

My painting marathon continues with this handsome mountain dog dude. I’m challenging myself to complete a bunch of animal paintings such as 💯 by the end of the year.  I’ve never taken something like this on but it’s so incredibly rewarding. I feel the more I complete a portrait the better they turn out. I see the progress and I’m learning new bits and pieces every day with using this amazingly sophisticated software called procreate. I haven’t really begun to utilize the tools properly. I do know there is so much more to learn and I am by no means near what I want to be as an artist but I feel good about where I’m at now and that the future goal of an art career is possible. I work. And then I walk the dog. And then I paint. That is my life.  

Dog portrait series!

I’m creating a series of dog portraits and then a series of cat portraits. This one of chihuahua ChiChi is a current favorite of mine. Abstract and expressive with pops of warm and cool colors. Love💗

From traditional to digital painting developing my style

Wet acrylic using procreate 300dpi 2020

Acrylic on board 12x12 2017

A month ago it was official. The world was experiencing a pandemic. The virus was infecting thousands and killing anyone in its path. Regardless if you are old or young. Black or white. The invisible enemy doesn’t give a shit. Toilet paper and hand sanitizer was sold out! (I found some) Most people in the world are able to telework and stay safe at home for weeks. And weeks. Fortunately most people infected have recovered. My awesome job has provided us with a 2 week paid sick vaycay. This is my second week at home in isolation and I believe my dog and cat love me more than the world now. Truly not sick of me. More time to play and cuddle and walk(safe distance)and just hang safely in my cozy pad. The time spent I’ve used towards honing my painting skills. I like traditional messy painting. But I love digital painting. So after a year of practice on the iPad Pro Ive been able to focus intensely and immerse myself completely. The style I’ve developed over the few years is the same yet more refined. Some days I just never know what I will paint in procreate or where it will take me. I’m pleased the beagle jojo took me on a lovely journey for the latest.