German Shepherd and Jack Russell pet portrait commission

The German Shepherd and Jack Russell pet portrait is now finished. I'm just about to add 3 layers of varnish ready for the client to give as a birthday present later this week.

If you would like to view the painting process stage by stage, you can see it by clicking HERE.

Information on how to commission your own painting.

German Shepherd and Jack Russell custom portrait painting

This pet portrait has been commissioned as a birthday present for the joint owner. Several seperate photos have been supplied by email and I have printed them out and selected the ones I feel will work best if I group the 'chums' as if sitting together. The German Shepherd has a wonderful noble demeaner and the Jack Russell appears to be laughing.


I'm using a 10x12 inch stretched canvas and began by making a drawing in pencil. If you would like to see progress of this painting, you're welcome to come back and take another look as work progresses over the next few days.


In session 2 I began by loosely adding a light wash to both animals. I then roughly blocked in a background. The colour of the background, as with everything else, will evolve as the painting progresses.


Session 3: Beginning to add more layers. Long way to go.

Session 4: More layers added and starting to gradually build up colour depth and detail.


Session 5: Worked on the German Shepherd and background, adding depth and shadows. In case you're wondering about the spooky 'blank' eyes..... painting eyes is my favourite part of a portrait project and I like to leave them as a treat for myself as long as possible. I feel it's time for the eyes will get some attention during the next session.

Session 6: More layers ... and today we have eyes!


Session 7: Worked on adding detail and texture to the German Shepherd. Lots of work to do on the little Jack Russell next time.


Session 8: Added shading and texture to the Jack Russell and cleaned up her profile. More detail on the German Shepherd also, softening some of the fur texture and adding detail overall. Before I go any further, now is a good time to get feedback from the client, so that any amendments can be made before fine detail added.


Session 9: Lots of progress and changes on the Jack Russell. In consultation with the client it was agreed to bring the ears forward and she does look so much better as a result. More layers and refining.

Here are a couple of shots H took of the house martin family.

Two chicks hatched and finally flew the nest earlier this week. We're hoping the nest will be re-used for another hatching. But our dogs and cats we suspect are hoping NOT ... as they've been somewhat restricted of late as we tried not to disturb the babies.

LONG-HAIRED DACHSHUND original portrait painting

Long-haired Dachshund

Acrylic on canvas

by Bee Skelton

12 x 12 inch (30 x 30 cms approx)
SOLD

Long-haired Dachshund - portrait painting work in progress 4

Still a ways to go. In the next session I will sort out the background and then I can begin pulling it all together.

Long-haired Dachhund - Portrait painting work in progress 3

Long-haired Dachshund - Portrait painting, work in progress 2.

In this second session, I went a bit further with establishing the tones, but still not far enough. I normally leave eye detail until quite near the end, but I became fascinated with Ambrosius expression and couldn't stop. More warm colour and contrast to be added to his coat etc next time.

Don't you just love 'em :)

It isn't just painting that makes me happy. My darling H is just one big SOFTY and I love him for it :)

Regular visitors will remember house martins began nest building at the house around the beginning of April. Wishing to lend them a hand, H built them a very posh 'mod des res' (see top left of pic), which they promptly ignored and continued with their own adjacent. We think they are first time builders, as it's a bit minimal ... more a like a verandah than a house.

Nevertheless, two lively chicks are now keeping mum and dad on the go all day, stuffing food down their necks. As a result they are growing rapidly and looking ever more vulnerable in the tiny nest.

H is so concerned that he has cobbled a 'safety net' just in case they fall out. My car with sunbed matresses taped to the roof ... not pretty but hopefully functional :)

Long-haired Dachshund - Portrait Commission. Work in progress 1.

Meet Ambrosius; he's a much loved long-haired Dachshund and his portrait has been commissioned as a gift for a member of his family.

Originally the portrait was to be head and shoulders, but I realised on this 12 x 12in canvas, that without anything else to relate to, the scale gave the impression that Ambrosius was a BIG dog. I really felt the need to show all of him, particularly those characteristic little legs. Fortunately the client agreed.

Apparently, Ambrosious has a 'cheeky' personality, so chose this composition where his face is pushing forward and his body recedes.

Regular visitors will recognise the first stages of the process, where I roughly block in the background and loosely fix what goes where. In the next session I'll begin to add layers as I develop the palette and tonal values. A long way to go.

GRACIE portrait painting Work in Progress 3

SOLD

Gracie has come alive now her eyes are in place.

Now on way to Gracie's owner in Kansas City, USA. Click here to see completed painting at Studio Bee Gallery.

GRACIE portrait painting Work in Progress 2

Today I began introducing some warm tones into Gracie the Boxer's coat. Whilst from her photo she appears to be white, I want to show some subtle shading which will become more refined as the portrait progresses. I just love painting the wrinkles and jowels .... isn't she gorgeous! A looong way to go. And definitely the background will change ... I'm now thinking something quite dark and dramatic. More progress tomorrow :)

GRACIE portrait painting Work in Progress 1

As usual with a first Work in Progress image, all you can see is the rough blocking in of a background and loose brush strokes, just to fix what goes where.

In the next session I'll begin to build up the many layers of detail and what will need to be very subtle colouring as Gracie, I think she's a Boxer, is mostly white. The background too will go through many changes before completion. Regular visitors will notice this is one of my less scary initial background colours ... I felt Gracie's noble demeanor needed something a little serious ... just for now at any rate :)

MORPHING

It was H who first noticed, what appeared to be a caterpillar crawling out of a piece of twig on the terrace. On closer inspection we realised that his intention was not to leave his 'tree house' but to creep along the tiles taking it with him. We got to wondering whether we were witnessing one of natures miracles and that in fact this tiny creature was in the process of creating some kind of elaborate chrysalis. A few hours later the little chap had crept approximately 10metres and then had the energy to crawl up the side of a brick where he is now firmly attached.

We would dearly love to see him complete the metamorphsis and appear as the butterfly/moth he's intending to become. It would be too much of a fluke to expect to be around at the magic moment ... but who knows. If anyone reading this knows how long the process is likely to take ... I'd be grateful to hear from you.

CYPRUS POODLE portrait

I painted this little poppet yesterday. She's called 'Honey' and came to stay while her Mum was away. It's on stretched canvas and may be the last acrylic I will use for a little while.

I'm looking forward to trying some of the quick drying Winsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd oil paints and this morning I'm picking up a stack of cut-to-size masonite hardboard to work some still lifes. I love the smooth surface and chunkiness of the MDF I've been using recently. But many of my paintings get shipped abroad and the weight of it sadly bumps up the shipping costs :(

Commissioned Portrait painting TWO DOGS Final Version

ALLEY & CHIP

25cm x 35 cm

(10in x 14in approx)

Acrylic painting on canvas.

SOLD

Commissioned Portrait TWO DOGS Work in Progress 3

Hmmm ... not sure whether the tail will stay or not.

Commissioned Portrait TWO DOGS Work in Progress 2

Today I worked mainly on Chip the choccie lab. I wish I'd had time to fix his top lips before the light went. He looks very weird at this stage. But atleast I know what the first thing I'll be doing in the morning. Will try to keep my hands off it tonight as I don't work well in artificial light ..... but those jowels are irritating the hell out of me!

Portrait Commission TWO DOGS Work in Progress 1

First stage of a new double portrait. The pale dog appears to have such a sad expression ... he even has worry wrinkles.

CHICKEN OUT

Please take a look at the CHICKEN OUT counting banner below right. The banner is linked to the campaign database, and as each person joins the bell rings and the count goes up.

Last night people viewing UK television might have seen a programme by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall concerning the appalling way 95% of chickens are reared to provide cheap meat for the supermarkets. Whilst I don't live in the UK at the present time, I suspect these methods are used in many countries. I will be seeking out free range chicken in future. Go to the link, take a look yourself ... or watch the next programme tonight. It will make you think.

Don't you just love it when ....

.... someone appreciates your work and takes extra trouble to tell you so :)

I received a lovely email this morning from a gentleman in England, who recently bought one of my original art cards (ACEO). He attached this image showing it framed with others in his growing collection.

ACEO stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals. They are tiny pieces of art in any style or medium, but always size 2 1/2 ins x 3 1/2 ins. They are highly collectable and often traded or sold by collectors. It's the perfect way to own original art at an affordable price.