Painting, Dogs, Aging

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Yorkie --- A Favorite Pup

Samantha - 12x16 - Oil on Canvas

This cute puppy is a favorite of my client. This is one of several paintings for her. She's planning a display of all her favorite dogs. She also fosters dogs and puppies despite some health challenges. One of the last emails mentioned picking up 6 six week old lab pups! Yikes! She's a better woman than I!! She's a joy to work with --- I'm so grateful for my clients. I get to do what I love - paint. And since I'm also a dog-lover it's a double win!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Black Dogs

Tess - 12x16 - Oil on Canvas

This painting was not my first solution for this client -- who also happened to be a dear friend. Initially we planned the tight headshot. But a tight headshot of a black dog--- it just wasn't very exciting. So I went back to the photos and decided to do this one. I see areas that I need to improve on but I'm so much happier with the final result than the first. Black dogs are a challenge regardless. Still learning about that!

Monday, June 9, 2014

CAPTAIN
Rest in Peace

For those of you who know and love me know that I am a horse lover. I lost my Captain this weekend. He was a gentleman and a scholar. Always kind, happy to see me --- only time I was inadvertently "dismounted" was when one of those nasty huge horseflies landed in the middle of his back. He knew way more than I'll ever know. Trained beautifully by Lisa Wagner. He's been a part of my life for the last decade. First as a lesson horse, then I leased him and when Lisa decided to sell him I couldn't let him go.

He passed away on Friday after a sudden illness that we are still trying to figure out. In the meantime, I feel like someone kicked me in the chest. My heart is broken. I was so blessed to have hime a part of my life --- so incredibly lucky. I'm hoping that he's out there in horsey heaven with a new frisky body enjoying himself. He gave me so much joy and was the realization of a hugs dream for me.

Thanks big guy... I'll never forget you!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Peekaboo the Kitty

Peekaboo - 12x16 - Oil/Canvas

This beautiful kitty was a present for a family from Dad after he passed. From the other photos she was quite a personality and true member of the family. Her owner said "We love it. It really captures her. When I glance at it it seems like she's sitting there. We appreciate it so much."

I appreciate it as well. Another great learning experience. Printed out the photo I was painting from and painted away. After feedback from the client I realized the photo's color was way off. Using my computer monitor more when I paint from photos. Hoping to set a permanent monitor to paint from consistently. Another lesson!

All the best!!

www.petwhimsyportraits.com

www.robinwellner.com

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Photographing Your Paintings

Julie's Pup - 12x16 - Oil - 2014

This is actually one of my favorite paintings. But I rushed it and didn't verify that I had a decent photo before I shipped it off. And if you look at it closely it's a terrible photo. I now ---finally--- have a good setup for taking photographs. It's kind of a pain in the butt but worth it. I bought two lights with soft boxes on them from Ebay. The two were less than $100. I put them at about a 30-35 degree angle on each side of my painting. Then I put them up close to the ceiling and pointed at the ceiling so they bounce off the ceiling. And of course turn off all the other lights. Then I make sure my camera and painting are level --- with a level--- and my flash is turned off on the camera. Anyway that seems to give me consistently good results.

All the best! Hug your furry friends for me!!

www.petwhimsyportraits.com

Monday, May 26, 2014

Wrap Around Yellow Lab

Yellow Lab - 12x16 - Oil/Canvas

Painted sides of canvas

Hi! A gracious client said since you've discontinued your blog I didn't know if you were still painting! I've been trying to develop another blog and marketing for my other paintings -- people, landscapes, etc. I'm afraid I've neglected this one!
This beautiful Lab was the result of a wonderful photo. Unfortunately this fellow is up in Puppy Heaven now but hopefully his owner will get some solace from his beautiful face!! I posted a photo also of what the canvas looks like if I carry the painting around the edges.

http://www.petwhimsyportraits.com

Hope all is well with you and your furry friends!!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Buffalo

BUFFALO

30x40 Oil on Canvas

It's been a long time since I've posted. A tumultuous year of changes. Spending as much time as I can working on my people paintings - tho this does not show that. I decided to give myself this year to explore that. Painting people was where I began and then went down a little different road with pet portraits. I love painting period, so the pet portraits was not a detour. More opportunity to paint. I know I've said this before but it truly seems the more I learn, the more I need to learn!!

This Buffalo was done for a friend who's a massage therapist and the Buffalo is her totem. Seems a symbol of tremendous power to me. I undercoated the whole canvas with a metallic copper acrylic paint, then did a wash of the blue-green before I painted the buffalo. It was one of those paintings that felt inspired. LOVE it when that happens.