Days 7 & 8

Yesterday I didn't have a lot of time but I managed to sit down and do a quick sketch.  I love the reference photo for this but it is tough to make it readable...

Today, I started this guy, still in progress but I might just start fresh... sometimes there's a mistake in the original drawing that can't be overlooked (or overpainted...). Anyway, I've got other things on my mind and so I'm not really giving my all.  it happens.

Day 6, Clover

"Good Morning Golden"

10" x 7"

watercolor

This is my Golden Retiever, Clover.  I love the head tilt he does, as if to say, "What? You don't want to bring me out in this 16 degree cold morning?"  Good thing he's cute!

Day 5, Sleeping Golden

"Sleeping Golden"

11" x 14"

watercolor

Day 4

5" x 7"

watercolor

Yesterday I experimented  some bigger paper and although I liked working bigger and on the easel,  I didn't like how abosrbant the paper was.  I was using a printmaking paper which was smooth (I don't like the watercolor paper texture of a Cold Press) and thicker, like a 140lb.  But it sucked up the watercolor so much that I had to layer and layer to build darks. Also I could move the paint around like I like.  So today I went back to my little sketckbook, and tomorrow I'll try some Hot Press watercolor paper...

Day 3 Cat Stevens

"Cat Stevens"

17" x13"

watercolor

This is another subject of a past commission that I thought I'd play around with some more...

More on this tomorrow!

Day 2, Potter

Potter

14" x 11"

watercolor

This is the very handsome Potter, a Vizsla from Colorada.  I did a commissioned portrait of him in December and wanted to try him in just black for my new series.  The client gave me a bunch of great photos to work from and it was hard to pick just one for the portrait, so this gives me the opportunity to experiment more.  

His coloring is such a pretty golden tan and the painting was for a six year old girl, so this palette was perfect, I just couldnt help wanting to try it in grayscale!

Happy 2016!

Finley

watercolor
14" x 11"

Happy 2016!

I am looking forward to the new year and starting new projects.  December was chockfull of painting for commissions (Yay!) but I didn't get a chance to post here in the blog. Now that things have quited down, I am committing to another 30 in 30 challenge, focusing on my black and white watercolors of dogs.  I will work im my sketckbook everyday as ususal, but I hope to do some larger works as part of a series.  I find that focusing on a project like this works well for me, so here goes...