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Beorn in carbonite graphite

I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my graphite drawing skills. I’m still not quite where I want to be, but each drawing makes me just a little better… and a little wiser. I’m trying to be more bold with my edges. The drawings I see from other artists who give tonal shapes sharper edges always look so much better than murky fades. Attempting sharp edges doesn’t always work for me in the …

Charming Chuy

Chuy feature image

This is smilin’ Chuy. Like most little dogs, he makes up for a lack of physical stature by means of a massive personality. I love this portrait! Let me tell you why. First off, you can’t look at Smilin’ Chuy without smiling back. I think I captured his happy nature with this portrait. Secondly, in terms of technique, I love the sense of depth I created by carefully placing dark areas next to lighter areas. …

Hobee

Hobee feature image

It’s been a while since I posted a portrait (or anything else). I’ve got quite the backlog of portraits to show. Let’s start with one of my favorites. This is Hobee. Not much to say about this happy fella, except that I really like the way the bright blue background sets off the orangey tone of his head. I added some electric orange tones on his cheeks that create a nice glowing effect, making the …

Thinking of Boris

Boris feature image

My yearly tribute to Boris, our big black Mastador who passed in 2019, this time featuring a new graphite portrait of the big guy.

Dreamer & Izzy

Dreamer Izzy feature image

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything, let alone a pet portrait. To be honest, after Christmas portrait orders fell off a cliff and haven’t bounced back yet. I think the economy is forcing people to cut back on the frills. At any rate, here is one of my absolute favorite Christmas portraits from last year. This is Dreamer and Izzy. The owner sent me a bunch of very good photos to use …

Harvey in snow

Harvey feature image

Harvey was a local commission as a birthday gift.

Milo

Milo Feature Image

This portrait of Milo shows how important the eyes are to a portrait. Get ’em right and you’re golden. Get ’em wrong and you’ll never be satisfied with the painting.

Max With a Stick

max with a stick

Max is a happy puppy with a stick. This is a portrait commission from early 2021.

Snow Wrestling with Beorn and Jasper

The fight for dominance is fierce as these two evenly matched puppies battle for alpha status in a snowy cage match. Two enter. Two leave, but with biscuit treats.