Today begins Week #47 of my 2009 weekly graphite portrait giveaway! Each week, one winner will be selected to receive one 5×7 graphite (pencil) drawing from their photograph.

Do you know someone who would appreciate a free portrait of their pet? Share my contest with them – there are still a few weeks left in the year before my year-long giveaway ends!

Last week’s call for entries gave me quite a selection! Your heartfelt stories and photos are the reason that I’ve continued on this journey all year. I can’t believe there are only 7 weeks (7 drawings!) remaining in 2009!!

Thank you ALL for sharing! Once again, a tough choice, so if your entry did not win, I encourage you to enter again! (Tip: you can repeat your entry and photo!)

Jessica’s Chihuhua, Cano, was last weeks winner.

This is Cano who was our 3yr old Chihuahua and a true firecracker. He was mauled by a 90lb dog just a few weeks ago and our house has been so quiet since. I remember running to my door when I’d come home from work because he was always so happy to see me it looked as if his head was going to explode with excitement. I miss his little nails clicking on the hardwood floors when he was running to me or when it was time to eat. He loved my boyfriend more than me especially when it was bedtime, Cano always seemed to wiggle between us and get really mean when I would try and snuggle closer but that just made me love him more because he had some much personality for such a little body. I treasure this picture of him because it’s really the only good one we have of him, he was busy hiding in laundry baskets because he was camera shy.

Jessica — I pray that Cano’s portrait will bring peace to your hearts and give life to all the wonderful memories you have of him! Thank you for sharing him with me!

WEEK 47 : CALL FOR ENTRIES
Theme: PERSON OR ANIMAL (single subject person, dog, cat or any other critter!)
Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2009 (around 5pm CST)
To Enter: Leave a comment as your entry (your chances are greatly improved if you share something about your subject), include a link to your photo (a photo that you have full permission to use). If you do not have a photo uploaded online, please indicate that you are e-mailing the photo and e-mail the photo to: gallery *at* intricateart dot-com. Your entry must be left below, or it will not be considered.

Note: *G* Rating only

A note on framing for portrait winners: I recommend
Nielsen Bainbridge Archival Gallery Frames

available through Dick Blick.

Sox & BJ (below) are framed using this frame:

Each Monday, I post the weekly Call for Entries along with the previous weeks completed portrait (above). I may change the subject theme each week, or leave the theme open, so please pay close attention to the details in each announcement.

Entries will be accepted through Friday afternoon around 5PM CST, at which time I will close comments and select one winner from the entries received. I’ll publish the completed winning portrait with the following week’s Giveaway announcement. If you’re a fan on Facebook, you might just get a sneak peek at the winning portrait before I publish it here!

Qualified entries will include a valid e-mail address, and the comment should include one link to a photograph owned/taken by the entrant. If you do not have a place to upload photos to link one, you can e-mail it to gallery *at* intricateart dot-com. Your entry, however, should be included in the comment section below, with your story – should you choose to include one.

The Selection Process: In case you’re curious, I’ll share my little artsy process in selecting the winner. First – I do not read any entries at all during the week. I do not read them because I don’t want anyone’s entries to have any more time than any others to settle in my creative brain. At the end of the week, I close comments. When I sit down to go through all of the entries, I read the story first, and open the photo link in a new window. When I finish reading, I flip over to the photo and my initial reaction is what I go by.

If your entry is not chosen, you may enter again. I encourage you to include a short story with your entry.

Once you have won a portrait, I ask that you refrain from multiple entries, to give others an opportunity to win one as well.

Your challenge? To inspire me! Choose your photo wisely – I will select a winner based on how the photo and/or story moves me.

Good luck!!

 Send this to a friend!

Put this button on your blog to remind yourself to enter each week!
Link it to:
http://intricateart.com/browse/blog/getting-creative/graphite-portrait-giveaway/

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

Custom Portrait Winner & Call for Entries : Week #47 (11/16-11/20)

I’ve just completed this gorgeous memorial portrait of Effee, a very sweet greyhound who is unfortunately no longer with us.

(update: swapped out images for a daylight photo.)

My schedule got a little wonky there and I lost some time so I’m a little bit behind but working steadily to get caught up again! I still have a week or so available before Christmas so if you’re wanting to gift a portrait to a friend or family member, please do get in touch (use my contact form or quote request form in the menu above), I’d love to paint for you!

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

Effee : Greyhound Portrait Completed

Today begins Week #46 of my 2009 weekly graphite portrait giveaway! Each week, one winner will be selected to receive one 5×7 graphite (pencil) drawing from their photograph.

Do you know someone who would appreciate a free portrait of their pet? Share my contest with them – there are still a few weeks left in the year before my year-long giveaway ends!

Last week’s call for entries brought several amazing animals and touching stories! Thank you ALL for sharing, I would choose them all if I could, but since I can’t – I encourage you to enter again! (Tip: you can repeat your entry and photo!)

I selected Susan Gross’ Chinese Crested Powderpuff, Tyke, as last weeks winner. His cute little tongue and big, watery eyes did me in, for sure.

I have only had Tyke for a short time; however, I am just in love with this happy, energetic “old man.” He is such a sweet, funny little dog. Tyke loves everyone he meets, and his cute little face makes everyone smile. Wherever I go with Tyke, I make sure to let people know about the importance of adopting from rescue – especially the senior pets. I understood when I adopted Tyke that his time with us may be limited; however I believe each day with him is a gift.

What a cutie, Susan! Thanks for sharing him and he thanks you, too, for rescuing him and giving him a loving forever home!

WEEK 46 : CALL FOR ENTRIES
Theme: ANIMALS (single subject – dog, cat or any other critter!)
Deadline: Friday, November 13, 2009 (around 5pm CST)
To Enter: Leave a comment as your entry (your chances are greatly improved if you share something about your subject), include a link to your photo. If you do not have a photo uploaded online, please indicate that you are e-mailing the photo and e-mail the photo to: gallery *at* intricateart dot-com. Your entry must be left below, or it will not be considered.

Note: *G* Rating only

A note on framing for portrait winners: I recommend
Nielsen Bainbridge Archival Gallery Frames

available through Dick Blick.

Sox & BJ (below) are framed using this frame:

Each Monday, I post the weekly Call for Entries along with the previous weeks completed portrait (above). I may change the subject theme each week, or leave the theme open, so please pay close attention to the details in each announcement.

Entries will be accepted through Friday afternoon around 5PM CST, at which time I will close comments and select one winner from the entries received. I’ll publish the completed winning portrait with the following week’s Giveaway announcement. If you’re a fan on Facebook, you might just get a sneak peek at the winning portrait before I publish it here!

Qualified entries will include a valid e-mail address, and the comment should include one link to a photograph owned/taken by the entrant. If you do not have a place to upload photos to link one, you can e-mail it to gallery *at* intricateart dot-com. Your entry, however, should be included in the comment section below, with your story – should you choose to include one.

The Selection Process: In case you’re curious, I’ll share my little artsy process in selecting the winner. First – I do not read any entries at all during the week. I do not read them because I don’t want anyone’s entries to have any more time than any others to settle in my creative brain. At the end of the week, I close comments. When I sit down to go through all of the entries, I read the story first, and open the photo link in a new window. When I finish reading, I flip over to the photo and my initial reaction is what I go by.

If your entry is not chosen, you may enter again. I encourage you to include a short story with your entry.

Once you have won a portrait, I ask that you refrain from multiple entries, to give others an opportunity to win one as well.

Your challenge? To inspire me! Choose your photo wisely – I will select a winner based on how the photo and/or story moves me.

Good luck!!

 Send this to a friend!

Put this button on your blog to remind yourself to enter each week!
Link it to:
http://intricateart.com/browse/blog/getting-creative/graphite-portrait-giveaway/

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

Custom Portrait Winner & Call for Entries : Week #46 (11/9-11/13)

I’ve just completed Stacie and Foo Foo (aka A Girl and Her Bunny) – what a sweet portrait this turned out to be, with the bunny love and the feelings I get when I look at this precious moment!

Of course I gave my own Dusty bunny some love while I painted, too, and she also helped as a reference when I painted Foo Foo’s nose. It’s always good to have a live model on hand. (Need to remember this for future paintings of loveable furry things that I do not have in my family yet.)

It’s been a while since I painted a person in oils, and funny thing – I used the exact palette I always use. Natural skin tones can be achieved with just five colors – yellow ochre, magenta, white and sap green for the majority and the deepest shadows, lashes & brows were done using raw umber tinted with magenta. I’ll be painting a couple more humans here in the next few weeks, so I’ll get plenty more skin time very soon!

Enjoy, and have a great weekend! I hope you’re healthy and keeping your snouts and hooves clean!

(snort, snort… swine flu… get it? We’ve got it!)

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

A Girl and Her Bunny : Completed Portrait

I’ve completed Stacie & Foo Foo’s portrait under-painting today, working in the base skin tone and shadows for further refinement in the next painting session.

I went at it a little earlier than I should have, my background wasn’t quite dry so I retouched that as well once I finished. I’ve got it sitting under the fan to expedite drying time so that I can finish this portrait yet this week.

Enjoy!

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

A Girl and Her Bunny : WIP #3

There were no submissions Last week. All in good timing, as usual, as I was tending to my feverish little one this weekend.

Do you know someone who would appreciate a free portrait of their pet? Share my contest with them – there are still a few weeks left in the year before my year-long giveaway ends!

WEEK 45 : CALL FOR ENTRIES
Theme: ANIMALS (single subject – dog, cat or any other critter!)
Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2009 (around 5pm CST)
To Enter: Leave a comment as your entry (your chances are greatly improved if you share something about your subject), include a link to your photo. If you do not have a photo uploaded online, please indicate that you are e-mailing the photo and e-mail the photo to: gallery *at* intricateart dot-com. Your entry must be left below, or it will not be considered.

Note: *G* Rating only

A note on framing for portrait winners: I recommend
Nielsen Bainbridge Archival Gallery Frames

available through Dick Blick.

Sox & BJ (below) are framed using this frame:

Each Monday, I post the weekly Call for Entries along with the previous weeks completed portrait (above). I may change the subject theme each week, or leave the theme open, so please pay close attention to the details in each announcement.

Entries will be accepted through Friday afternoon around 5PM CST, at which time I will close comments and select one winner from the entries received. I’ll publish the completed winning portrait with the following week’s Giveaway announcement. If you’re a fan on Facebook, you might just get a sneak peek at the winning portrait before I publish it here!

Qualified entries will include a valid e-mail address, and the comment should include one link to a photograph owned/taken by the entrant. If you do not have a place to upload photos to link one, you can e-mail it to gallery *at* intricateart dot-com. Your entry, however, should be included in the comment section below, with your story – should you choose to include one.

The Selection Process: In case you’re curious, I’ll share my little artsy process in selecting the winner. First – I do not read any entries at all during the week. I do not read them because I don’t want anyone’s entries to have any more time than any others to settle in my creative brain. At the end of the week, I close comments. When I sit down to go through all of the entries, I read the story first, and open the photo link in a new window. When I finish reading, I flip over to the photo and my initial reaction is what I go by.

If your entry is not chosen, you may enter again. I encourage you to include a short story with your entry.

Once you have won a portrait, I ask that you refrain from multiple entries, to give others an opportunity to win one as well.

Your challenge? To inspire me! Choose your photo wisely – I will select a winner based on how the photo and/or story moves me.

Good luck!!

 Send this to a friend!

Put this button on your blog to remind yourself to enter each week!
Link it to:
http://intricateart.com/browse/blog/getting-creative/graphite-portrait-giveaway/

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

Custom Portrait Call for Entries : Week #45 (11/2-11/6)

Front view

Side view

I’ve got the background and sides painted on Stacie & Foo Foo’s portrait, now this will have a day or two to dry and I’ll get the rest of the under painting completed and update again with another progress shot.

Enjoy!

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

A Girl and Her Bunny : WIP #2

This is a sketch on canvas of Stacie and Foo Foo – I’ll be starting their portrait this afternoon in oils. The gallery wrapped canvas size is 8″ x 8″ so it’s a nice size and will be so cute!

Bunny kisses are THE BEST KIND!

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

A Girl and Her Bunny : WIP #1

This post is from Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature.

Sophie : Toddler Portrait Session