Summer cards

I've  been busy creating summer cards and pug cards.  I am also trying to think about my blogging platform.  I need to integrate my blog and my web site more closely so I drive traffic to my web site so that my rating goes up in Google results...

 

Any way, check my web site this week (tomorrow, perhaps). Click on Art Work and then card designs, to see closeups of the new cards.  They will also be available as cards on Etsy. 

Cooper, looking up

My dog (whose painting is almost done) is a pitbull mix.  We have joined Seattle Walkabulls, where we have met lots of responsible and fun walkers, square-headed and human.  We have walked with Lillian, who is the trainer at Northwest Boxer Rescue. She asked me whether I wouold be willing to show at their fundraiser, but I was busy that day. But, she offered to display some of my work and postcards there anyway. 

Since I haven't painted any boxers, I asked for pictures that I could use. I got lots of great shots, but I decided to paint Cooper.  And, this was one of the easiest subjects to paint.  I think it was because Lililian gave me 200 dpi pnotos, which give me enough detail to work with.  Plus, Cooper is so expressive and photogenic. 

I used this painting in my new postcards that should arrive this week and in an ad by the Puget Sound Pet Business Owners. I will order cards based on this painting, too, and they will be available in my Etsy shop within the week. 

Crusher, revisited

You may remember the portrait I did around Christmas of Crusher, the mini poodle. Well, he was ordered by a lovely man whose wife is the house color authority :). (I can relate as I am as well.) Because all my commissions come with a "I'll work on it until you like it" philosophy, I received the portrait back to change the color of the background and to lengthen the ears.

 I received other reference photos and chose one where Crusher had more of a direct stare rather than looking up. (The looking up is what led me to paint the ears shorter.) I changed the background color to a green-brown-grayish background. 

I am now waiting for approval. I have no problems posting it again, with another background color if it helps them to love the painting. 

Speckled chicken

How funky is your chicken?  This chicken is pretty funky, done in  blues, oranges, whites and a little yellow.

My some of my originals are now hanging at Ideal Pet Stop in Seattle. Kirstin, the store manager, was saying how nice it would be if I could paint a chicken, since they carry chicken feed, bedding, etc.  I was fortunate to walk through Georgetown and see some interesting looking chickens.... 

And here she is, my first chicken! 

She is for sale. $125 on my shop on |https://www.etsy.com/listing/124466801/11-x-14-speckled-chicken|Etsy| (or I can invoice you directly through PayPal).

Black cat with yellow background

Somehow, over the years, I've become more realistic in my artwork (emphasis on more). Perhaps it is the nature of commissions.  After all, the buyer wants something that LOOKS like his beloved animal.

Howeverr, there are times when I don't want the black cat to look like the black cat in the photo.  The angles or the background somehow say exaggerate or distort this animal.  I end up with a painting for sale and start again on the commission, but that first paiting has something that speaks to me loudly.

I think I needed to have some fun when I started painting this cat.  I added bright circus colors and played with the tail.

Unlike most of my paintings by the time they make it to this blog, this painting is for sale. Email me for details or visit my Etsy site. 

Ear blanket

Yes, I could crop this picture to better reflect what you see if you buy the card, but I actually like the edges.

This little kitty uses his friend's ear as his security blanket.
 
For me, this painting is about security and friendship.  How nice to be such good friends that you know you'll be protected. That you can snuggle in to a warm place even in an open field. 

We all want that safe place. Some of us find numerous safe places in expected and unexpected locations.  And, some of us never find it.

A card based upon this painting is available at Ideal Pet Stop and at my Etsy store. 

Cat as a hat

Thanks to Dr. Seuss, you've heard of the cat in the hat, but you may never have heard or seen a cat AS a hat. 

 

This acrylic and marker painting shows that scenario -- an orange tabby lying across a golden dog's forehead.  The dog doesn't even look irritated!  You know who rules this household.

 

In all my cat-caring adventures, I have never had the privilege of sharing my abode with an orange kitty! Nor with sibling kitties. I digress though.  This blog is supposed to be about paintings and my meanderings about them. 

 

Indirectly, this painting is about love and how we accommadate those we live with.  In a perfect world, we accommodate each other.  

 

This design is available as a card from Ideal Pet Stop in Seattle and through my Etsy shop.