Pet Portrait is Next Artwork

Today I began work on a pet portrait for a lady. The doggie was her friends dear pet, and he passed away. As a gift to the owner my customer wants a portrait of the dog with a "rainbow bridge" and entrance behind the pet.

This is the sweet doggie, a Golden Retriever, named Alley. Haven't quite decided if I will use pencil or watercolor or some combination of media. One thing is sure, this cutie will be a pleasure to draw and paint!

Is this sweet doggie smiling at us or what!?

This is my beginning pencil drawing.

Sorry my camera worked like a mirror,

 making the wording backwards! 

Please check back for more views of my progress!

If he'd been mine, I'd want a portrait to remember him by too!

Progress today. 

This evening I finished the portrait.

I used pencil, colored pencil, watercolor pencil and acrylic paint.
Ready to send the picture of the finished painting to the customer.

Made some additional tweaks, and cut new double matt.
He's on his way to Canada!

On to the next paintings.
Two floral paintings, 8 x 10s. Have photos of the flowers to pick from so should be able to begin working next week. That's all my commissions for now.

No Art on Paper Yet - Another Mural

This past week end we visited our daughter and her husband about three hours north of us. Our daughter has been talking to me about a message board, because, friends gave her a can of chalk board paint. It wasn't inspiring to me at first. But then, she asked again while we were visiting. I looked around her kitchen, and there it was. She had some curtains, the border had three different chefs with diamonds in black and white under that. 

First I said, "We ought to make the board with the black and white border like on the bottom of the curtains. 

"OK.", she said.

And then insanity took over and I said, "OH, Susie we could make the entire board one of the chefs!" 

"OK!.", she said.

"The chef could be black for the board and I could just leave white to draw the picture."

 "OK.", she said, a bit confused.

So there it was a simple request turned into a biggie, and a marathon painting project!
It was fun, however, and I hope it makes Susie and Bobby smile and that they can actually use it.
Also, hope the cork and dry erase board we nailed up never wears out the.Because shhhh, don't tell, I didn't paint under it.

The chalk board paint was thick and difficult to control. Straight lines were hardest. It was difficult to get enough paint on the brush to make smooth strokes. Straight lines work best when the paint is not too thick, not too thin, and allows the brush to be loaded with enough paint to let the painter make long steady strokes. 

Good Start!

Completed Mural

It was such fun to paint this, and to do it for my sweet daughter! Spent about 15 hours on it. That was a nice chunk of the time we had with our daughter and son-in-law. Wore myself out! Last night I slept for about 23 hours!

They have two dogs. The one that is still a puppy, was very curious about what this was and what I was doing. I asked him if he was watching closely so he can paint the next mural for them! 

I'm ready to do another one! Really, I guess I'll concentrate on a couple of florals in 8 x 10 for one lady, and pet portrait for another. 

What, me use paper or canvas to paint on? Hump!

This summer I'm not using my usual surface to paint on!

A neighbor and friend asked me to paint a picture on the old boards from the house she was raised in! Had I known how rought the wood was I might not have said yes. Well, I propably would have, as it's exciting to challenge myself!

This is it:

"The Old Home Place"

Here are details:

Sunflower with butterfly common in this area.

 Sunflowers, Queen Anne's Lace and Chicory
with a Monarch butterfly.

 Weather vane, on the roof, glass paned window, and crows.
Crows are camouflage over holes in the board.

Scenery behind barn and lean-to addition to barn.

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After that was finished a man my husband knows from the Honor Guard in our county (they go to the funerals of veterans when asked and give a 21 gun salute and play taps on the bugle), told him he needed a painting done of the American flag.
It was to be in the Veterans Memorial Park, Greeneville, TN. My husband being proud of me told him I could do it and gave him the address to this blog. It seems he like my work as he asked me to paint the flag. I made him a price (that only really covers the paints, but, it is a worthy project) and he agreed.

This painting is on a cement block wall, painted with oil based paints suitable for weathering the outdoors, and possible vandles.

The paints when just out of the can, go on a bit transparent and they are so thin they run easily! It's mid summer so as it gets hot the oil evaporates and the paints thicken up. This is great for a few minutes and then....they won't even spread. I add thinner or mineral spirits to get them back to that in-between stage to be able to use them. As I work at this I keep thinking, "I am such a crazy artsy old woman for even attempting this project!"

Story of a Mural

My Assistant and Husband, Charles

 He taped off the square, primed it 

and painted it witha white undercoating
before I started painting.

 This was July 2nd, all but the lettering was ready in time for the 4th.

 This is the pavillion it's in.

Almost finished.

Finished work.

The Park.

Main memorial.

There are six large stones with the names of the service men and women from Greene County TN, who died in the wars beginning with WWI and ending with Afghanistan.

Inside the circle.

"We will never forget your service or sacrifice."

*****************
Soon, I'll go back to paintings on canvas or paper!
Have some flowers to paint and a pet portrait.
May make some cards soon as well.
It's all Happy Work to me!

Janet Toney