Australia Day and Next Project

We have had a National holiday here for Australia Day this week. We spent it out on our boat with friends and had an absolutely awesome day! I am just putting the finishing touches to Cap'n Jack and Mr Sheffield and my next project is a portrait in pastel of two very cute little dogs Smoeky and Twinkles. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Mr Sheffield WIP 2

Here is an update of Mr Sheffield. He looks a little sad but this is only how he looks in the photo and he is actually quite a happy personality. I still have to finish the chest fur on both cats to my satisfaction; maybe add whiskers (sometimes these are better left out); and play with anything else I am not entirely happy with until I consider it is finished. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Mr Sheffield WIP 1

Here is a WIP of Mr Sheffield. The pastel at this stage is still very thin and I will be adding more layers as I refine various areas of the pastel. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Happy New Year and Back to the Easel!

Hope you all had a great Christmas and that the New Year brings good health and prosperity to you all! I have had a wonderful break (cruising around on our boat 'pictured above' which we have just had repainted) and it is now time to return to the studio. I have The Red Boyz to complete then I will be doing a two dog portrait followed by a horse and rider. These are all pastel and in addition I will be slotting in an oil painting of a very cute little pug dog. It is very hot here at the moment so I will be starting early each day at the easel to beat the heat. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Cap'n Jack WIP

Here is Cap'n Jack nearly finished. I just want to alter colours' add contrasts and whiskers and then I am ready to start on Mr Sheffield. I am a little slow a t the moment because of various committments to have finished before Christmas. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Cap'n Jack WIP

Here is the latest. The colours in the fur are both many and subtle so it is slow painstaking work to get the patterns just right! Photograph is a bit darker than real life. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Red Boyz-Cap'n Jack

Here is the begining of Cap'n Jack. Undercolour is going on and rather than sketching the complete outline first I am working from the eyes outwards. Please ignore the dark undercolours and the scratchy scribbles and be assured that it all turns out in the end. There is alot of detail and refining to happen yet. And of course the rest of his body and that of Mr Sheffield. The photograph is a little dark because it is cloudy up here. It is going to look stunning on this Terracotta colour! If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Itching to start a new pastel portrait!!

Cap'n Jack

Mr Sheffield

I am just tiding up a few loose ends on the Ollie portrait before I move on to my next pastel portrait which is of two absolutely stunning red persians Cap'n Jack and Mr Sheffield. I did a portrait of Jeremiah last year for the same client. Can't wait to get started on all that wonderful red fur!! If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Frisky!

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Frisky our very special friend and companion passed away on Saturday. He was 11 years old and became ill suddenly due to kidney failure. He had not touched food or water for days when the vet and I decided that it would be kindest to euthanise him. Heart wrenching is an understatement. Frisky was extraordinary; having lots of character he would sit at the top of the driveway waiting for us to come home just as a dog would; he played games like hide and seek with my husband; and he was very affectionate and loving, curling up with us to watch TV and sleeping on our bed during the night. He is a huge loss.

On a brighter note my husband and I sailed in a race to raise money for breast cancer awareness yesterday and had a much needed very happy day! I think my next work will be cyclists inspired by the Tour de France which we watch every year without fail. If you enjoyed this post please consider becoming a follower of my blog. See the Followers section down the right side of my blog. You may like to add me to you own blog. If So my link is www.portraitsthatbite.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Graphite and Charcoal Cat

Here is the drawing I have been working on today. I still have alot of work to do on the light fur below the chin so I have cropped some of this area off! This is the same cat as the one in my website pet portrait portfolio "Jeremiah".

Charcoal Cat

On the home page of my website you are invited to 'Tell-a pet-loving-friend' about my website to be eligble to win a charcoal portrait of your pet!

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3


Step 2


Step 1


Here are steps 1 to 5 of the drawing.

Charcoal cat!

I have been inspired by other artists to do a charcoal and graphite portrait of a cat. I am really excited by my progress and I am photographing it stage by stage to show you. Here is the reference photo I am working from. I will post the first drawing stages soon.