Here are the two little 'Bananas in Pyjamas' as I like to think of them. Harold and Maude hail from Vancouver and are seen here showing off some of their winter finery. They are siblings and are both adoptees from a dachshund rescue facility. Their Mum, Jen, describes them like this : "Harold (the curly one on the left) is friendly and loves people but not a huge cuddler. Maude (on the right) is princess sassy pants and picks fights with everyone...but is a dream little cuddler that burrows anywhere she can. She has been known to look across the street from our apartment and growl at the innocent people waiting for the bus...little spaz! Out waking they just to push each other off the sidewalk which is very comical given that they are half a dog high and a dog and a half long!"
They sound like cute little characters, well deserving of being immortalized by watercolour portraiture.
They sound like cute little characters, well deserving of being immortalized by watercolour portraiture.
Master Harold and Miss Maude
The Process
The process of painting these two little scallywags is pretty much how I approach all the dog portraits. A bare minimum pencil sketch guiding me to the important placement of features and details is the start. I then pick a few colours that stand out for me and wash them in to begin giving the dogs some form. These base layers are often completely covered by subsequent layers, of which there are many. Then it's a case of building colour and shades with a number of washes of paint, usually drying between each. sometimes the paint is wet-in-wet, and sometimes wet on dry paper. I always try to have a combination of hard and soft edges. Losing an edge into the background or into another shape softens the overall look. The most detail is given to the eyes and nose where the real life and character shine through. The background shades and drips come in at any point, some near the beginning and some at the end. They're actually quite important in the painting because I use them for overall balance of colours and activity. They also help draw the viewer's eye all around the picture and I think makes it a bit more exciting and lively.
The process of painting these two little scallywags is pretty much how I approach all the dog portraits. A bare minimum pencil sketch guiding me to the important placement of features and details is the start. I then pick a few colours that stand out for me and wash them in to begin giving the dogs some form. These base layers are often completely covered by subsequent layers, of which there are many. Then it's a case of building colour and shades with a number of washes of paint, usually drying between each. sometimes the paint is wet-in-wet, and sometimes wet on dry paper. I always try to have a combination of hard and soft edges. Losing an edge into the background or into another shape softens the overall look. The most detail is given to the eyes and nose where the real life and character shine through. The background shades and drips come in at any point, some near the beginning and some at the end. They're actually quite important in the painting because I use them for overall balance of colours and activity. They also help draw the viewer's eye all around the picture and I think makes it a bit more exciting and lively.
Puppies in Progress
'Every Dog has it's Day', and these two have now had theirs. That was fun.
Now to hunt for the next beauties.
Cheers,
Now to hunt for the next beauties.
Cheers,
