Art Dog Blog

Otto The Shepherd

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Working on this sweet puppy today. I have a lot more work to do.

New Jack Russell Portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:09:00 +0000

"Tyson" (See All Proofs)
34x54 inches

The orange ground above was the client pick.
A very good choice I think.

This happy little fellow is Tyson. He is a very large 34 x 54 inch portrait. We will be printing & stretching this guy later tonight. It will take us most of tomorrow afternoon to package him up. I love doing these larger prints. They are really impressive big. They can be a challenge to package up as we have to build a special sized box and we really bubble the heck out of them to protect them in transit. They are worth the extra care and work, I can't wait to see him stretched.

Learning how to say no

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Today I received a very nice e-mail from a terrific non profit group that wanted to know if I was interested in helping them with a logo design. When I first started this business 11 years ago I thought I really had to say yes to every request that came across my desk from a non profit. It seemed to me that if I was truly going to be devoted to my 4-legged subjects that it would be wrong to not help small orgs even when I may not be the best person for the task at hand.

The reality is that logo design work is hard. Getting it right is hard for seasoned graphic designers and twice as hard for a fine artist like myself. Many times people think they want a terrific animal image or wonderful furry mascot incorporated into their logo. A pro will be able to explain to them the realities of how many places that logo will need to look good. Is it simple and clean enough to work on a business card, web banner, small magazine ad, and so on. A good logo really needs to say a lot with what looks like very little effort.

Anyway if you are an artist reading this I know at some point someone has or will ask you to illustrate a children's book for them, create a logo, or design a website. It can be very hard to explain to people that you may not be the best person for the job, but it is important that you learn how to do that sooner than later. Below is my e-mail letter. It was very hard to write as I hate saying no, but it is better than creating a logo that I know would not be the best solution for them.

"Thank you so much for the kind words about my work. Unfortunately I will have to pass on the logo work. Creating logos stresses me out beyond words. A logo is such a crucial and important part of any business or organization. It is very hard to get it just right. In the last 11 years I have reworked my own logo 3 or 4 times. I just honestly do not feel that logos are the sort of design work that I am good at. I would encourage you to try to find a local designer, not an artist, but a graphic designer that you can meet with in person. A skilled graphic designer will be able to create something for you that will look good in print, on the web, and in a variety of formats.

Best of luck and thank you again for your interest in my work."

Art Paw Featured at Daily Candy!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Thanks to the folks over at The Dallas Daily Candy for featuring us yesterday. Our daily traffic doubled yesterday with over 2500 visitors. DailyCandy is a free daily e-mail newsletter and website, an insider’s guide to what’s hot, new, and undiscovered — from fashion and style to gadgets and travel.

Mosaic Monday/ Stepping Stones

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Dog Breed Stepping Stones By Karen White
Purchase your favorite breed over at Etsy.

Found these adorable stepping stones over at Etsy. They are a steal at only $30 each. It would be very cool to order half a dozen in a variety of breeds for the garden. These are created from recycled tile and Karen even creates memorial stones on request.

Happy 4rth of July weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:52:00 +0000

Big Tommy Says have a safe and fun weekend!

Recent Pet Portrait Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:10:00 +0000

"Beast" ( See All Proofs)

"Alex" ( See All Proofs)

"Foster" ( See All Proofs)

Mavis ( See All Proofs)

We had to remove Mavis' Bee costume, per client request.

June was a pretty busy month. It looks like we did around 19 pet portrait proofs. These are a few projects that we are shipping this week. I have 2 more projects from last month still on the board and then I will be caught up. I am starting to get excited about Christmas already. I plan to start my Christmas in July promotions next week. Not sure what sort of discounts or offers I will be doing, but be sure and watch the blog for updates. I plan to do something special for repeat clients.

Not Just Another Pretty Voice

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:53:00 +0000

I have always preferred gritty, raw throated singers, but for you Ms. Robinson I will make an exception.

For years I have enjoyed the smooth and polished vocals of Sharon Robinson as the back up singer for Leonard Cohen. When I saw her live this year, every smooth and polished word she sang served to add depth and richness to Leonard's sandpaper chops.

Robinson is a talented writer and has collaborated on several of Cohen's songs. With her recent solo release of "Everybody Knows" she delivers a cool and quenching performance. Strong and sensual, Ms. Robinson's voice is the perfect answer to a hot summer evening. There are too many great tracks on this CD to list, but if you are someone that downloads individual tracks you must grab "Alexandra Leaving". Long time Cohen fans will swear they are hearing this song for the very first time. New listeners will discover a poet of great talent, and yea she happens to have a very pretty voice.

Where is my magic keyboard button?

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Kedron ( See All Proofs)

This very handsome Springer Spaniel is Kedron. Is that a cool name or what? This artwork is coming along well. I think I have done a pretty decent job of painting in a lot of missing detail and texture. Now I just need to find my magic button on the keyboard that will erase the scarf and fill in the gaping hole with hair.

Taking off hats, shirts, and scarves is one of the most common requests I get. I have seen many portrait artists, both digital and traditional that have strict photo guidelines that encourage folks to not send in these types of photos. The reason is simple, it is pretty hard to fill in hair that you can not see. How is it supposed to fall? Is it curly or straight? In this case I will spend a few hours pouring over photos on-line of similar dogs to try to mimic what that chest "might" look like. I don't mind a challenge, I just always hope folks understand that my keyboard looks just like theirs, not like the sample below ... that is just me having some fun by creating a dream keyboard ... with special dog art commands. I do wish Apple would get busy and create that.

I am having fun here and teasing a bit. As frustrating as challenging photos can often be I have to remind myself of what I tell my assistants: " you learn twice as much from hard photographs as you do from perfect snapshots". Ok, I am signing off to go study chest hair now.

Mosaic Monday/ Blue Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Blue Dog
Originally uploaded by siriusmosaics

I think I have blogged Lynn's work before. She does many realistic style doggy mosaics, and yet this fun and rather playful find in her Flickr stream made me smile this morning, love those Tennis balls. Below is an image of a Hybrid Husky she has been working on. You can see more of Sirius Mosaics over at flickr.

Water Dogs Cooling me off!

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Grendall ( see all proofs)

I recently finalized proofs for Grendall and today I spoke with another client that will be sending me photos to work on of her pups in the water. I can honestly say that working on water dogs seems to have a cooling effect on my psyche. If anybody else would like me to work on a custom pet portrait project this summer of their pet in the water, just order by phone and I will offer you free shipping. This is a blog promo offer and you must have a wet pet to qualify.

New Horse Art

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:18:00 +0000

"Cecil" ( see all proofs)

This is Cecil. I love doing horses. Cecil is no longer around and so we had only vintage snapshots to work with. In all of the photographs this guy's eyes were down and not showing much. In order to paint in some sparkle I went on-line and searched "horse eye" over at flickr to see just what a horse's eye should look like. The process was tricky as there were many wide open eyes that I could have mimicked and yet I was afraid to open the eye too much and risk it not looking like Cecil. I decided instead to paint in some eyelashes and paint in a highlight dot for sparkle. The result is subtle and effective, see image below.

Shipping many pet portraits

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:24:00 +0000

"Soren" ( see all proofs)

Catching my breath from a busy ship week. We got 6 portraits down to fedex today including Soren's print above. A few more will ship tomorrow. New clients pleases sit tight as we finish up early June's commissions. We are having a pretty busy summer. I hope to get back to some other projects soon and focus ahead to the holidays.

Mosaic Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:03:00 +0000

"Average Blue Dog on an Abstracted Day"
by Dayna Hydrick

Check out the clever animal mosaics over at the Whacky Funster's website. The blue dog above is my favorite.

New Sottish Terrier Art

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Mac The Scottie Dog (see all proofs)

I love all of my four legged clients and yet I have to admit that there are few things that enjoy as much as working on a Scottish Terrier. In thinking back over the last 11 years I am sad to report that Scotties have not been one of the breeds that we have see a lot of here at Art Paw ( our own 3 Scotts are the exception). I think this is largely due to the fact that there are just not that many Scotties around. Scotties are indeed a pretty uncommon breed.

About The Art:
I love the original photo here. Mr. Mac is looking rather sheepish with his square patch of white paint on his rump. I thought his eyes looking up from underneath those shaggy brows looked very sweet and innocent. The top image is a last minute composition experiment that I liked a lot. While it is a pity to loose any of those proud Scottie ears the close asymmetrical crop is pretty dynamic.

Mosaic Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Gala
Originally uploaded by martinbrownart

This stunning pup was found on Flickr. Original mosaic art by Martin Brown.

New Golden Doodle Art

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:02:00 +0000

"Dublin" ( See All Proofs)

This colorful Golden Doodle is Dublin. Dublin the Darling Doodle Dog. Wow that was fun to say out loud. Is everyone having a good Thursday? I can not get over how fast the weeks keep slipping away from me.

Dogs Rule In Somerset Gallery Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:27:00 +0000

Above right My Page with Miss Pixel in a scarf.

The other day I received a complimentary copy if this month's issue of Somerset Studio and was delighted to see a great article on a collaborative project I was involved in last year with a group of very talented dog artists. The Dogs Rule Project was a lot of fun and there is a new project in the works that Jill is working on with a Party Animals theme. If you have not checked out any of the Somerset publications you need to pick up a copy. They are eye candy and inspiration for artists.

Mosaic Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:16:00 +0000

"Glass Octopus & Squid Sketches"

above: Blank tiles papered and ready for glass.

I am back in class and working on mosaics again. I decided to do a bunch of small glass sketches. I consider these "sketches" due to their small size and the speed in which I am working. These little tiles are 5 x 5 inches and I have 2 basic designs that I am trying with different color combos. Some of my favorite color combinations may be worked into a larger piece and the yellow & brown tile squid is already being added to a larger piece by itself.

When you work in mosaics and when you are new to mosaics like I am you often start a piece with no clear idea of how things will look in the end. How will the glass colors work together and what color of grout will be best? By working small I can easily take risks without fear of putting several weeks in a piece only to be disappointed by an unfortunate grout color choice. In this case I was surprised to find that I actually liked the subtle brown, blue and gold more than the bold orange & green. The design on the burgundy & yellow octopus (bottom right on top pic) is my least favorite and I probably would choose not to create this design larger.

Next On The List: Photography! I have got to spend some time with my camera and figure out a good way to photograph mosaics. My best girlfriend has a nice lighting booth she has designed to shoot jewelry. I may borrow that for my smaller works. With mosaics you do not want to eliminate all reflections as this will flatten them some, however you do want to minimize the light reflections and gain control over them.

Movie review Wendy & Lucy

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:47:00 +0000

I never cry at movies. With that said, I must admit this afternoon's movie really got under my skin, and I needed a few tissues after watching Wendy and Lucy. It is a small quite movie that will make you think about how easy it is to become homeless. It is also a movie about love and sacrifice. If you are a fan of independent movies with a slower and often quieter pace then this is a movie for you. There is very little dialogue and nothing blows up, but still a great movie.

Kitty cat artwork

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:48:00 +0000

These felines were tough. It is always a challenge to fit multiple pets in one portrait. In this situation we had 3 cats shot from 3 different angles. I love the tabby in the box.

Petrichor

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:39:00 +0000

I gave my husband a word the other day. He crafted a poem around it. It is a cool word and a lovely poem. The word is Petrichor. From Wikipedia: Petrichor (from Greek petros, "stone" + ichor "blood of the gods") is the word for the scent of rain on dry earth. I wonder if there is a word for the scent of wet dog after a good rain?

My muse murmurs a word in the dark,

a bug in my ear, caught crawling

through pages, or snatched

from the airwaves, scribbled on scrap,

an atomic surprise just lying in wait.

She's saved it for a stormy night,

or a morning like this,

where the black blood of gods

runs roughshod through gutters,

out to the garden,

down the windows in rivers,

over-topping the birdbath,

to quench the parched maples.

Later, after sunrise, I'll be tempted, I know,

to walk barefoot and shirtless,

take a roll through the grass

while steaming from the cup

that I leave on the porch,

a redolent french roast,

plays counterpoint perfume

to a mushrooming

petrichor mélange.

Smiling Dog Portraits

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:01:00 +0000

"Bocephus" (see all proofs)

"Cleo" (see all proofs)

Summer time often mean happy smiling pup portraits. This month I have had several shots sent in with wide happy grins. I always encourage folks to run around with their pups before getting the camera out. It will make your pooch relax a bit and if they get heated up you can not help but get a good open mouth smile.

Golden Doodle Art

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:35:00 +0000

"Kyia" ( see all proofs)

This sweet Golden Doodle is Kia. Her original image was a tad low in resolution and yet I think the artwork turned out fun. The smile on this blond baby makes the portrait shine. I really like the asymmetrical crop however I also proofed with a more traditional centered version. Later in the week I have a music cd to review and more art to post.

Bear's Little Sister Nita

noreply@blogger.com (Rebecca) — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:39:00 +0000

"Nita" ( See all Proofs)

Nothing makes me happier than a stunning photograph to play with. This little girl is Bear's new little sister. We did Bear years ago, and then we did another portrait of Bear and then another. Now we have a new Golden Retriever from the Husar household to play with. Nita is just as cute as can be. We love this original photo. When shooting your own pup remember that sticks, balls, and fluffy toys can add a fun and playful mood to your portrait.

Lisa e-mailed me this info about her sweet new puppy:
"Our new golden girl was born on Jan. 5th and came home with us for good at the end of February. Continuing with the ursine theme, we named her Nita, which means “little bear” in the Choctaw Indian language. As you might guess, she is a little bundle of energy, curiosity and mischief, and has been keeping me quite busy lately. It took big brother Bear a while to adjust to losing his “only child” status, but now he is on-board and is doing really well."