Wylie - Rescued from Afghanistan

Back in May, I attended a local dog show and got chatting to people about their dogs etc.
One dog I met though is special, and his name is Wylie.

Not long ago life for him was very different than it is now, he was fighting for his life in Afghanistan after being attacked and brutalised by local Afghans on more than one occasion.

He was taken in and rescued by Nowzad, a charity set up in Afghanistan and Iraq to rescue and rehabilitate dogs and cats living on the streets. These animals are often befriended by soldiers serving out there. After some TLC and medical care, and when well enough, they are often sent to the home of that soldier.

Nowzad is continually holding events to raise money to reunite a soldier and his new friend.

Nowzad rescued Wylie, gave him the surgery he needed to help mend his poor body. His injuries were many; he had had his ears, tail and penis cut off. He was stabbed and finally thrown under a moving car in an attempt to kill him.

Needless to say, he survived and has been adopted here in the UK. Living in the Somerset countryside with other dogs, cats and horses. He is much loved, and very happy.

Here is a painting of how he looks today.

Wylie Rescued in Afghanistan
Pastel on Clairefontaine Pastelmat
Size 10"x8"
This painting is SOLD

Stretched Canvas Prints, Fine Art Prints and Greeting Cards of Wylie can be purchased here

If you are interested in learning about Nowzad and the work they do, you can visit their facebook page

A pastel pet portrait this size is £80 ($130 US). If you would like me to paint a pet portrait for you, please contact me.

A New Addition to the Family

This is SIERRA, she is a Labrador cross Great Pyrenees and she is a new addition to my clients family.
Previously, she owned three Golden Retrievers, only one of which is still living. In fact I painted digital hand painted portraits of all three of them a while back. You can see those paintings here. Bailey is the only one left and so now he has a new friend in Sierra.

Her owner is still getting used to her, as she has always had retrievers in the past and Sierra's traits are very different. As her mum says "The vet calls her a Great Pyrenees Mix. I haven't quite figured out if she's more Lab or Great Pyrenees. She swims like a labrador and protects her territory like a Great Pyrenees. The spots on her ears are supposedly the trait of the Great Pyrenees in her."

I think it is amazing that different breeds of dog behave so differently, and it must feel strange when you have always had one particular breed and then you take on another.

A friend of mine, for years bred and trained German Shepherd dogs, until she, through ill health, couldn't  continue with this. When her last German Shepherd died, she had to have another dog, but one that didn't demand so much from her physically. So she opted for a Cocker Spaniel. He is now four years old and my friend still can't get over just how different he is. She learns something new almost everyday.

Anyway, back to Sierra.
This is the photo I used as a reference with the insert showing the crop that I used to paint the portrait. I softened the edges and lightened the image so that I could see the details. I sent this to my client before I proceeded, as I wanted to be sure that she was happy with what I was going to do. She chose the greeny/blue background.

Original  Photo with insert

Sierra's portrait is painted with artist quality soft pastels and pastel pencils for the fine detail.

Sierra - A Labrador/Great Pyrenees Dog
Pastel on Clairefontaine Pastelmat
Size 10"x8"

If you would like me to paint your pet's portrait, all you need do is email me some clear sharp photos and we will go from there. I go out of my way to create a pet portrait with your ideas and wishes included.  Any questions either before or during the time I am painting are most welcome.

NB: If you are not sure if your photos are suitable, please send them to me anyway. I will let you know when I have evaluated them.

A 10"x8" portrait in pastel like this is yours for £80 ($130 US)

A Lasting Memento

This is Freckle. She was the love of her owners life, a companion and friend.
She was her alarm clock in the morning, waking her with a gentle stroke from her paw and her soft, contented purr. She was there when she got home from work; glad that mum was home, she would rub herself around her mum's legs, purring and meowing with joy.

She was not an old cat when she became ill, and her mum did everything she could to try and save her but sadly, Freckle died.

I painted this portrait of Freckle shortly after she passed away. Her mum contacted me and sent me several pictures asking if I could use them or a pet portrait.

They were lovely photos and I used two of them to come up with this painting.
Freckle's picture now hangs on the wall in her owners home and, as she has said, "it's like she is still here. I look at her painting all the time and I can remember her, how she was."

This painting will be treasured and will serve as a lasting memento to a long lost friend.

If you have lost a pet and would like me to paint a pet portrait for you, all you need do is contact me and send me some photos to work from. If you have any questions, please just ask.

Freckle a Black and White Cat
Pastel on Mi-Teintes Pastel Paper
Size 10"x8"
This painting is SOLD

Buster - A Domestic Long Haired Cat Chilling in the Flowerbed

Where is your cat's favourite place for 'chilling out'?
I had two cats each of them complete opposites. One would get in to any box, carrier bag or open drawer or even in the fruit bowl! The other didn't hide away like that but would sit just about anywhere, where she could have a conversation with me. I am really good at speaking 'cat'.
But, both would curl up in the garden under the shrubs when I was out in the garden.  One had her favourite place half way up the garden, which was quite steep. From there she could see everything going on.  It was also a good place to watch the birds. However, she didn't catch any from there because they saw her and flew away before she got to them.
My friend's cat sits on the top of the shed, he stays there for hours in all weathers, watching over his estate.

Anyway, this little kittie is enjoying the sunshine out in the garden in his favourite spot amongst the  flowers.

I thought I would paint this as it is a little different from my usual style. I hope you like it, it was fun to paint.

Buster a Domestic Longhair Cat
Pastel on Mi-Teintes Touch Paper
Size 7"x9"
Mounted on a Cream on Cream Mountboard.
Signed and Dated by me, the artist.
This painting is FOR SALE

If you would like to purchase this painting, please contact me

Amber

I love painting pet portraits and usually I paint a head only portrait. This one is a little different. I loved the whole pose of Amber so decided to paint all of her along with her surroundings.

If you would like a painting of your pet, all I need is a clear sharp photo of your pet which you can send me by email.

Terrier Crossbreed Painting
Soft Pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix
Size 10"x8"
FOR SALE
Mounted with a Double Cream on Cream Mountboard
Signed by me the Artist.

My German Shepherd Dog Honey Pastel Painting

This is Honey my own dog. I have painted many pet portraits for others, but hadn't one of my own dog. My husband said I had to paint her and here she is.

If you would like a pastel painting of your dog like this please contact me

German Shepherd Dog
Original Pastel Painting on
Clairefontaine Pastelmat
Size 11"x14"

WOLF - Pastel Painting Work in Progress

A few weeks ago, I fancied painting another piece of wildlife art and I decided to paint this wolf. I thought you might like to see some work in progress pictures.

This is portrait is painted with soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat. The size is 11" x14"

DAY 1
I start with a line drawing which gives and outline of the shape and the shadows of the animal. Without accurate tones and shading, the painting would not look real. I thought too, it would be nice for you to see the reference photo I used for this painting.

I always start at the top and work from the left to the right and then downwards. This ensures that I do not have to rest my hand on areas that have already been painted which could dull the painting or even smudge it.

I start with an underpainting which is a block of colour on top of which I paint the detail. Here you can see the ear on the right of the picture has no detail painted yet.

Wolf Pastel Painting Day 1

DAY 2

Here you can see that I have made quite a lot of progress. They eyes are painted and a large area of fur painted. You can see quite clearly the rusty brown underpainting on the nose and between the eyes.

The eyes, they say, are the windows to the sole. They are the most important part of the portrait and a lot of time is spent painting them. Even though they look to be one colour, they are in fact painted in layers too. This is important to be able to achieve accurate shading of the eye and the correct colour of the iris.

Wolf Pastel Painting Day 2

DAY 3

A lot more completed today. I have had a few days break from work and have been able to sit in the garden, enjoying the sunshine to paint. It took some time to achieve the correct shapes of the shadows on the wolf's face, as some of the line detail had disappeared when I came to paint it. I am please with this though. 

Wolf Pastel Painting Day 3

FINISHED PAINTING
The final stage of this painting is one of the most difficult areas to paint, the fur under the chin and down on to the chest.

The fur here is very thick and layered. Necessary to keep this beautiful animal warm in long harsh winters.

Wolf Original Pastel Painting
Size 11"x14" on Clairefontaine Pastelmat
This painting is FOR SALE
Signed Fine Art Prints Available

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait like this either of your pet or a wild animal, or if you would like to purchase this painting or signed Fine Art Prints, please contact me.