Chica, Pip and Sally are done!

I've finished, at last! This was a bit of a challenge! The photos could be better and bigger. Today I needed to decide how to link the dogs together. I didn't want to try to make them appear that they were in the same scene. The angles and lights are just too different. I did however want them to connect. I had a brainwave ( very rare! ) and decided to put a cushion with Chica the chihuahua. The cushion has included colours from all three dog portraiture's. Green from the grass in Pip, rust and blue from Sally and purple from Chica. Now to check that the person that asked me to do the commission is happy.........!

Been tweeking Pip, and getting on with Sally....

Well as said above, I've been tweeking, I really didn't like Pip's hind leg ( 2nd dog). I decided to change the pose slightly to soften the edges. I have worked into Sallys fur today worked on all the details. The lump between her front legs will be a ball. I need to decide on her background at the moment I'm thinking of graduating a tonal colour. The chihuahua I think I will hint the details of the sofa, most the photos I have she's on it, so I think it's was a typical pose!

I haven't really mentioned any technical arty stuff yet. I'm working initially with very soft pastel using pastelmat paper, then working into them with pastel pencils. Then to get strong final highlights I'm using soft pastels sharpened to a point.

Now to do Sally

I think Pip is nearly there now, I've finally got to do Sally. She's a golden retriever and black labrador. I think she's going to be hard, she's very black and glossy.

A moment of madness....

I had a rash moment today, I completely erased Pip's head! I'm not too sure if it was the right thing to do! It all looked slightly wonky. Now I think there's something about her eyes I don't like now. I'm having problems what to do with her nose. In the photo its very over exposed. I think she looks more like a girl dog now, less broad. The chihuahua is floating in mid-air until I decide what to do! I'm going to start the last dog as I need a break from Pip. She's a cross-breed again black lab and golden retriever.

Pip

I made a start on Pip today, I'm not a doggie expert but I think he's a border collie crossed with a spaniel. I stopped today as I could be sure of his colouring as all the photos I have had different colours. I've now been told he's dark brown and beige, similar to a Alsatian.

One done (nearly), two to go!

Here's how my chihuahua is looking, I'm going to move on to the other dogs now, then decide on the final tones and details. I've had to do lots of research to get the details, computers are a life-saver! I've brought down her leg, so you can see it, so her back appears flatter than the photo, also her tummy is more relaxed down. Next I'm working on Pip, the dog on the bottom left, it's a much better photo, so I'm hopeful it will be less challenging!

Doggie commission day 2

Well I made a start on this commission today, I spent a fair bit of time squinting at the photo of this chihuahua, its probably the worst photo I've ever worked from! Fortunately she's a thorough bred, so I've managed to get the basic form of a chihuahua's face from stock photos, then added her colouring and expression to it.