Hi! Wanted to share my pet paintings (pics)

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#1
Hi! I'm new here and just wanted to share with you all what I do.

I love to paint pets. Dogs, cats, lizards, even frogs.
Here are a few I've done recently.


Can you tell I've got a thing for bulldogs?

I just finished this portrait of Kiba.


I'm working on a Cairn Terrier right now. And I just got a commission to paint two American Staffordshire Terrier mixes - in their Halloween costumes.
That will be fun! :D

Hope you enjoyed looking!
Monika

If you want you can check out my website:
Pet Portraits
 
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#5
Really nice site, emc! Beautiful work. It would be great to see a short biography of the artist on the site. You have some good links there, too.

I wonder just how many different talents are represented here at Chazhound?
 
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#6
Nice site. Love your birds EMC! I love seeing other artist's work. Do you eBay? There is a great group of self-representing artists on eBay. Check out the artist discussion forum on eBay and that's where you'll find them. :)
 
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#9
Hello ThePetPainter, welcome to Chazhound Forums!

Wonderful Bulldogs! Be sure to list your site in our Dog Directory
under the Pet Art category and to put a link in your signature
on your profile for more exposure. You too EMC, your stuff is great!

Chazhound
 

MEG126

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#10
GREAT paintings!! both of you!! is this just a hobby for you, or are you thinking of pursuing a career? do you draw from pictures and personalize for people? or just draw?? just wondering! you're both really talented!!
 

MEG126

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#11
whoops sorry the last picture hadn't downloaded when i replied! i think it's really neat to see the picture and then your artwork of it. i can't draw worth a darn but i looove taking pictures. they're nothing too great but i'm planning on minoring in photography in college. anyways... keep up the good work!!
 
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#12
Thanks Meg! For me it is a career. I usually work from photos of pets. Quite often I have painted pets who have already crossed the rainbow bridge and a photo is all the I have to work from. You are welcome to visit my website: Click here to visit

Here is the latest commission I'm working on. It's for a local vet. This is the picture he wanted me to make a painting from:


And here is the initial sketch I did based on the photo. In the sketch, I left the witch's costume white (Makes the stars easier to see) - but I will be painting it in black later.


Right now I am in the process of painting it. I should have some photos to post in a few more days. If you want to see how I do a painting from start to finish check out my 'The painting process' page on my website.

Cheers! :D
Monika
 
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#13
Hi everyone!

Here is where I am at today. I started painting on this 5 days ago. For those of you who are wondering 'where's the color?' : I usually begin my paintings with a two color (black & white, or brown & white) underpainting. Since I use oil paints - most of them are transparent - so I can put the color on top of the underpainting and it will show through. It makes for a little more work for me, but it helps me establish the correct light/dark values without the color confusing the issue.



And here is a closer view of the dog on the right.


Tomorrow I will begin the head/neck of the dog on the left. In a day or two I should have the whole underpainting finished. Then I'll start laying down the color. Last thing I do is add the final details - like the highlights in the eyes, or whiskers.

Hope you enjoyed looking. :eek:
Monika
 
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#15
After a good day's work:


( Forgot to mention, this is a somewhat big painting: 20"x24". )

And a close up of Wrinkles:


Tonight, I will show Dr. Ratnoff how far I am on his painting. Once I get his approval we are ready for the next stage.

Tomorrow, I will begin adding thin glazes of color to the painting. Then, the final touches.

Once again, hope everyone has fun watching this painting come together.

Smiles,
Monika
 
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#18
It is actually a very old technique used by the oil painting masters during the Renaissance period - they would do a two or three color underpainting and then put thin 'glazes' of color on after it had dried. The colors used could be brown/white or blue/white or black/white.

This technique is different from 'alla prima'. Alla prima involves putting the paint on the canvas and finishing the painting in one session. That way of painting is more popular with the impressionist painters - it doesn't suit portraiture work (IMHO).

As for how I learned: Not quite sure I could name any one way... Got my basic art education through osmosis: I grew up with a mother who had attended art school, but decided to marry and have children instead of a career. For years I worked in watercolor, pastels, and acrylic paints - but something always was lacking in what I wanted to do with my medium. Then I tried oil paints last year. Many books, videos, and a few classes later - here I am. And haven't looked back since.

:)
Monika
 
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#19
It's wonderful to that you are able to make your "work" something you love. You are very fortunate; most people end up caught in the trap of merely tolerating or even enduring their work.
 
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#20
Wow! Thank you everyone for your replies!

I'm still waiting to hear back from Dr. Ratnoff before I continue on his painting, so I started my next portrait. This one is an older Irish setter named Casey. Such a sweet old dear. She is twelve and has cancer. Since the owner is local, I went and took photos. Then I made a composite in photoshop.



So here's the rough pencil sketch I made on the canvas.


One closer photo of just her head pose:



I will be working on both paintings next week and will post updates as soon as possible.

Thanks for looking!
Monika

Come take a look at my website and see more paintings
The Pet Painter
 

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