Whippet painting is coming together

Here are two photos of todays progress. The top photo shows where I was around noon, worked on the blanket and pillows, then had to take a break. Went back to after lunch and added the binding to the blanket and got a lot of one dog blocked in. He needs more detailing but got the basics down. The color in the bottom photo is more accurate than the top one.
I did miss one day of working on this piece..... went out in the field and did a couple small plein air landscapes.

More on my work in progress

I got a lot done today and finally reached a stopping point. The sofa was a battle and I am not quite done with it. Had to change the grey shade of the wall behind it slightly and worked on the painting and frame, as well as the pillows. I am trying to take my time on the background and get it right before I do too much on the dogs, but hopefully tomorrow I will get some done on the two whippets as well. Now it is off to mow the yard... so hot but it needs to be done.

I hope to spend most of today working on this painting, I did get a little done on it yesterday and the progress is shown here. I am working on the background. Got the wall done in shades of grey made with several different colors for a lively appearance, and started working on the painting hanging in the background also. Here's hoping for a productive day today! I am dreading the pattern in the fabric of the silk sofa..... but it will be a challenge.

Work in progress

I would like to share my progress on a new oil painting I have just started. I am sure it will go through many stages of the uglies as I work on it, but hopefully it will turn out well in the end... so come along with me for the ride with all it's ups and downs.

My reference is a photo I took a number of years ago, but it is still as fresh in my mind as the day I took it. The subject is two whippets relaxing in an interior, there is natural lighting which is coming from a window that is not in the picture. I have changed the composition slightly from the photo to make a better painting. First, I drew on tracing paper, and then took it to the local copy shop to enlarge my drawing to fit on the 20 x 24" canvas I will be working on. I then transfered the drawing to my canvas with graphite paper. Next I redrew the entire composition with a lot more detail directly on the canvas and spayed it with workable fixative. That is what you see in the first photograph. My next step was a thin coat of acrylic paint to tone the canvas. I used raw sienna. In the last photo, I have lightly done an underpainting in shades of grey to give it a little volume and to help visualize how the lights and darks will work. Of course it will be much bolder when the actual painting begins.

Two miniatures, just off the easel

Unfortunately, I won't be going to "Greyhounds Reach The Beach", greyhound gathering in Dewey Beach, Delaware this year. So I am working on a series of whippet paintings for the big whippet show I will be attending in the spring. My miniatures have been very popular and I also have several ideas for large pieces.

Here are two whippet miniatures that I just finished this week. The headstudy is 5 x 7", oil on canvas and the other of a whippet with one foot on a rock is 8 x 10", oil on a canvas panel.

Other news: All 4 of the greyhound paintings in the previous post have been SOLD. Many thanks to their new owners.

New print release

First, the top two greyhound pieces below, the blue fawn with the ocean and the pen and ink drawing have been SOLD. Thank you.

I have just completed a new painting that is available as a limited edition print. It is titled Gypsy Fantasy and features a beautiful Gypsy Vanner horse. I am in love with this breed of horse and plan to do more artwork with Gypsy horses in the near future. This print is 10 x 14" and comes matted in an off white 16 x 20" mat, it is a limited edition of 100 and is signed and numbered.

Last night I was able to go to the Equine Extravaganza show at the Raleigh NC fairgrounds. It was thoroughly enjoyable and our front row seats were amazing. Many of the horse acts just took my breath away with their beauty.

This time it's greyhounds

I have several greyhound paintings and a pen and ink that have been sitting around my studio a bit.....

so I am offering them now.

The blue fawn headstudy with the ocean in the background is oil on canvas board and measures 11 x 14" and I am offering it now for $150. I used this painting on notecards that I took to Dewey Beach last year. (By the way, the weather was lovely last year, the first time in a long time)

The pen and ink drawing has an image size of about 6 x 10" and is on illustration board. I used it for Christmas cards many moons ago and a buyer would be able to do the same or just frame it as is. It is $50. The other two headstudies, a fawn and a black are in watercolor on arches paper. As you can see the colors are very vivid and they have a lot of detail. Each is 9 x 13" and would make a good pair, but I will sell individually for $85 each.