A sweet Irish setter painting I finished a few days ago

This is a painting I did of a dog I knew many, many years ago.  Her name was Sean, and she belonged to a dear friend of mine.  I've always thought she was a beautiful dog, and I have intended to paint her for years -- and finally got around to it.  She was a real sweetie.

A custom painting I finished recently -- a Weimaraner puppy in his "SpiderMax" suit

This is Max in his "SpiderMax" costume.  He's a weimaraner pup who likes to dress up!  It's a custom painting I finished very recently and hadn't had time to upload until now.  Obviously, he's sold already!  He's a beautiful puppy, I must say.

A Wire-haired Fox Terrier acrylic painting

I finished this adorable guy last evening and think he came out pretty well.  He's a wirehaired fox terrier, and I had gotten a lot of requests for one.  A customer sent me a photo to work from, so, Dear Customer of Portland Saturday Market, here is your fox terrier.  I hope you like it.  Both the original and prints are available at either my Etsy or Artfire shops.  The original is 8x10 inches and is painted on a gessoed mdf surface, one of my favorite surfaces to paint on.

Today I'm working on Riley, the golden retriever, a custom painting.  It should be an enjoyable painting to work on as I have myself had a golden retriever and know their general personalities and head structure.

Painting dogs (and any other portrait painting, but especially dogs because of the varied hair covering) can be quite difficult:  I need to know not only the underlying skull and skin structure of not only the specific dog but specific information about the particular breed of dog being painted, but I need to know the length of hair, how it lies on the head (and body in many instances), and even the general personality of the breed and as much information as I can get about the personality of the individual dog, too.

Most of my paintings are done from photos submitted to me by either custom customers or from customers from whom I've requested photos because I would like to paint their specific dog which they've either shown me photos or which they have had with them when I meet them usually at the market.  (Wow, that's a really convoluted sentence!)  Anyway, I usually don't get to meet the dog (or other animal) personally and have to rely on descriptions of personality, etc., and photos from customers.  And sometimes I actually do take the photos of the animal myself if I get to meet him/her in person.  But I've found that my customers often can get better photos of their pet than I can because they can get photos of them in their everyday lives or playing with a favorite toy, etc., something I can't usually get.

My Little Sweetie, Harry Barker

I realized that I had never uploaded a painting I did of my little sweetie, a pomeranian.  So, Everyone, I present you Harry Barker!!  He's for the most part a sweetheart -- except, well, when he's not:   For instance, when he's barking nonstop at imaginary intruders, I want to muzzle him.  But he's usually a well-behaved little guy, who realizes that his most important job in the world, besides staying by my side or in my lap constantly, is to alert the whole household if there's any (I mean ANY) potential danger out and about.

He's a little large for a pom, weighing in at between 13 and 16 pounds, the weight variance depending on whether or not I've been too liberal with the treats or keeping him on a tighter regimen.  And he's the hairiest pom I've ever seen.  He's really just a little hairball, moving around with only his feet showing, so he almost looks as if he's a rolling hairball!

Okay, now back to the studio to finish a custom Australian shepherd I'm finishing up.  Yes, this is another Aussie, my fifth in just the past couple of months.  They're beautiful but oh so difficult to paint -- and every one is different, too, with very different colors and markings.  It should be finished today, and I'll upload it tomorrow.

The rest of today my family and I, including my precious little almost-three-year-old granddaughter, are going to the pumpkin patch and corn maze -- and, of course, the farm store! on Sauvie Island, on the Columbia River, just outside Portland.  It should be a fun day -- and, horray, the weather is going to cooperate!

A Dachshund Painting I think I failed to post

 This is a fun painting I did a few months ago and I'm pretty sure forgot to post.  I call it "Doxie Field of Dreams."  It's an acrylic painting on a 24x30" (3/4"-deep sides, no staples) of a black-and-tan dachshund seemingly flying over a grassy field.  Actually, the dachshund wasn't really flying (really!!) but was moving along at a really fast clip and was caught by the camera as all four feet were off the ground.  A happier dog I haven't seen in a very long time, and I think it well reflects the vivacity and energy of this small dog breed.

The original (as well as prints) are available at my Etsy shop (see the tab at the top of this page, or click here to go directly to my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/DottieDracos.  I also have the original at the Portland Saturday Market if you live in or are visiting the area and want to see it "up close and personal."  Do be sure to let me know if you're coming to the market to see it because I'm taking a little time off from the market over the next few weeks, and I would want to be sure to be there so you could see it.  The prints, both 8x10 and 11x14, have been slightly cropped to accomodate the different size ratio.  Here's an example of the print:

Australian Cattle Dog "Mr. Redneck"

This is Mr. "Redneck."  I painted him for a customer a few days ago.  She said he's more popular than she is and that he has one of the best personalities she's ever seen.  I can see that personality not only in this painting but in the other photographs she sent to me.

I am currently working on a different painting -- it's not a dog!!  But it is a horse.  My daughter, who is a dressage rider, asked me to accompany her and my little granddaughter to the barn where she rides a few days ago, and I did lots of sketches and took some really great photos.  This painting is coming out of these sketches and photos.  It should be done in a couple more days, and the original will be available on my website.

Basset Hound Puppy Sitting in Field

I really enjoyed doing this painting.  It took me way, way, way too long to paint, but I enjoyed it so much that I took my time.  Some paintings are like that.

Once again, I need to try to paint a little faster - I do have bills to pay, unfortunately - but sometimes I do enjoy really slowing down and savoring each blob of paint I add and work into just the right place.

This painting is an acrylic painting on 11x14x3/4" stretched canvas.  The sides have no staples and are painted the same color as the green and blue background, so it can be hung either unframed or framed, as you wish.

Pit Bull Puppy Painting

This is a painting of a little pit bull puppy that I just finished yesterday.  It looks just like one I used to have, named Edwin.  This little guy's name is Charlie, and he's one of the paintings I've done for someone who knows that I don't like to do custom, commissioned paintings but that I will paint your dog for you, but I get to make all the decisions -- and I charge less.  Otherwise, it's just like a commissioned painting, but the pressure for me has been lightened, not removed, just lightened.  I don't guarantee to paint every photo submitted to me, but I do my very best to do so.  

The person whose dog this is chose to purchase the painting, but there is no obligation to purchase anything at all from me.  I just need good images of dogs to paint, and I don't have the time to go out and find dogs to photograph and paint on my own all the time.  So it's a win-win situation for all of us.

Hope you like this one.  I think pit bulls are such beautiful dogs.  Headstrong, yes.  Mean, no more than any other dog I've ever had -- which in my case is never, never, never.   You've heard it a million times, and it's true:  Mean or bad dogs come from mean or bad owners.  And the reverse is true, too.

Bichon Frise Portrait 20 of 30 Daily Paintings

This is a little bichon frise painting I did for a regular customer recently.  I said I wasn't going to do any more custom work, but she was a multiple repeat customer, so I couldn't say no.  Plus, she was getting for a relative who had recently lost the dog, so that made it even more important that I do it for her.

It always makes me so sad to do a painting of a dog that is gone.  Even with the still-around portraits I do, I become very emotionally invested in painting the dog's (or other animal's) portrait.  When I know the dog is gone, it makes doing the painting much more emotionally difficult.  It's such a shame that our best four-legged friends live such short lives compared to ours.

Border Collie on Red No. 8 in my Daily Paintings

This is another of my daily paintings that I just finished. It's a black-and-white border collie, acrylic on watercolor paper, with a white border for framing.

I've fallen a few days behind now because I've been working on some larger paintings. Yes, I know I should stick to smaller ones when I'm doing daily paintings -- but I'm being a bit looser with the term since I'm making my own rules.  I am painting daily, and I'm working harder than I ever have with painting, so I don't feel so bad about it.  I'll still do thirty, but it may take me a few days longer than I had anticipated.

Anyway, this the 8th one, 22 to go.

American Eskimo on Light Blue, No. 9 of my 30 Daily Paintings

This is an acrylic painting on an 8x10x3/4" canvas, sides painted light blue also, of an American Eskimo dog.  It's the ninth in my 30-day daily painting series and is for sale for $50 at my website, http://www.dottiedracos.com.

Okay, back to my easel now.  I have a large one coming either tomorrow or the next day, a beautiful either pit bull or American bulldog.

Oops! I missed posting my Daily Paintings #4 and 5

 Oops!  Here are my daily paintings No. 4 and No. 5.  I've been so busy painting that I haven't taken care of posting as I should have.

The fourth one is the white German shepherd on light blue.  It was a really difficult one, but I think I finally got it (except for that ear on the right, which I'll be fixing tomorrow and re-posting afterward).  The original of this one has already sold as it was a request by a customer, whom I told, as usual, that I don't do custom commissioned paintings, but I do accept photo submissions that I may or may not paint; and if I do, they have first dibs at purchasing it, which this customer did.  (I always do my very, very best to paint every submission I get, by the way.)

The fifth painting is the border collie at left, and is the first of several border collies I'll be doing, also from photos that were submitted to me by a customer.

Border Collie on Green, Number 6 in Daily Painting Series

This is the sixth painting in my 30-day/30-paintings daily personal challenge.  It's another border collie (and there will be more border collies to come as another person has submitted photos to me of his border collies), and this one is on a green background.  Also, this one has erect ears.  I read up on their ears, and AKC, the ruler of all things pure dog, says that the ears can be either erect, as these are, fully hanging down, or partially hanging down.  So, there you have it on border collie ears.

I'm finally beginning to see a bit of progress in my paintings - horray!  This intensive work schedule for me is so far quite grueling, gut I'm so happy that I feel I'm finally beginning to benefit from it.  I don't want to say too much, though, because although I'm not superstitious, I don't want to jinx things -- just joking.  But I don't want to get overconfident and in a way mess myself up, either.

Let's just let it stay at I feel I'm beginning to feel as if I'm making some progress in what I'm trying to achieve with this project.

As with all these project originals, this one is for sale at my website, http://www.dottiedracos.com, either as a print or as the original painting.

Okay, I've got to get my motor running again! My personal challenge.

I've been in quite a slump for several months now.  Too many things happened over the past few months; and even though life is pretty much "back to normal," my painting has really be affected - negatively, I'm afraid.

I finally decided to do a lot of studying, which is what I've been doing with every spare moment lately, including watching a lot painting demos.  But I'm still even kind of afraid to paint now.

So I've made a big decision, for me at least.  I've decided to do my own little daily painting exercise.  Here it is:  From yesterday for the next approximately 34 days (I'm taking one day off each week), I'm going to do a painting every day and post it here -- and elsewhere 'cause I've got to make a living at the same time!  I'll be numbering each painting (that's the first one off to the left here, the little beagle with the red ball in its mouth), which I finished yesterday.

Tomorrow I'll list the one I did today, which is another Oregon-based one, of a robin in the woods.  And, yay!  I saw a robin yesterday.  I know spring is just around the corner now.  And my neighbor's daffodils are blooming like crazy, too; another great sign.  Yes, I know, this is Oregon, and it's only a trick.  But I'm going to pretend it really is almost here.  And then glorious summer! I can hardly wait!  I've even already started my summer garden indoors.  Hope they survive until I can get them in the ground!

Oh, back to my challenge:  This is a challenge just for myself, by the way, to see if I can do it -- and if it gets me going again.  I think it will.  I heard someone say just the other day (what sparked my plan to do this, by the way):  He said that a painter gains a lot more knowledge, skill, etc.,  to spend 30 hours doing 30 paintings than thirty hours on a single painting.  Well, I can't do my paintings in an hour each because, well, that's just not my nature.  But I have set a two-hour limit for each one  (so far, I've almost been able to stay within two hours and I hope to get it inside two hours by the end of my challenge.)  So wish me luck and good painting!

By the way, all my paintings and prints are going to be on my website, http://www.dottiedracos.com, if you want to purchase one of them.

Chocolate Miniature Pinscher

Here's a minpin painting I just finished for a friend.  His name is Kaiser, and he's a chocolate and tan miniature pinscher.  I'm pretty satisfied with it, but the photos I had to work from were not very clear, but they were all that were available as Kaiser has passed on.

I'm now working on a painting of a sheep - yes, a sheep.  I'm still trying from time to time to include some farm animals in my repertoire, and I took a trip to several farms around Tillamook, on the Oregon Coast and climbed down embankments and risked getting shocked by hot fences to get photos of these critters, so by golly, I'm going to do some paintings of them.  It was a fun trip, though.  I had no idea that cows and sheep were so varied in their appearances -- it's a whole new educational direction for me.  I'll post it in a few days.

German shorthaired pointer

This is a German shorthaired pointer painting I finished last week.  It's an acrylic painting on an 11x14x3/4" canvas, staples on the back only, and is ready either to frame or to hang as-is (the sides are painted the same color as the background).

German shorthaired pointers are such beautiful dogs to me.  I find the physical shape of dogs to be interesting and beautiful, and GSP's, like all shorthaired dogs, allow me to focus on the form beneath the hair rather than the hair, which often obscures that form.

The most wonderful dog I have ever had (I still can't look at photos of him after almost six years following his death) was a German shorthaired pointer and most likely some kind of hound.  He was the most intelligent, friendliest, most most most beautiful dog I've ever had the fortune to spend a part of my life with.  His name was Dune, and his adoption was quite unique.  I was at an art show, standing in line to buy a cup of coffee, when I saw this most beautiful ever dog, standing in front of me with a young man.  I had to comment on his beauty to the young man, and I jokingly said that if he ever didn't want to keep him (and who wouldn't want to keep such a beautiful dog!!!), that I would take him in a second.  The man thanked me, and we both went our separate ways.

Later in the day, I was still at the show, and the young man approached me with tears in his eyes and asked me if I was serious about my comment in the coffee line.  I was shocked, but I said of course I was.  He explained that he was a college student, living in a small apartment, and that Dune (that's the name he had given him) was a bit more than he could handle in his present situation.  Anyway, you can guess the rest of the story.

Dune and I took a bit of time to bond because he really missed the young man, who contacted me to see how he was doing but thought it best that he not see him again (I agreed with that).  But eventually, we became inseparable.  He even traveled with me when I had to go away on business.  He was a perfect gentleman in the city and a lovable clown in the country, where I lived at the time.  He was admired by all who saw him; and on more than one occasion, but many perfect strangers offered to buy him from me for huge sums of money!

I lost him most awfully.  A few years ago, he and I had traveled together to visit my mother, who unbeknownst to me, had late-stage lung cancer and didn't want me to know until I was with her.  On my arrival, I immediately took over her full-time care, actually living in the hospital with her for her last month and a half of life.  My brother kept my precious Dune in a pen in his yard as he worked full-time and was visiting our mother the rest of the time.

I went to see Dune as often as I could, and it broke my heart to see him because he was so depressed at not being with me for the first time ever.  Well, I lost my mother; and during the funeral arrangements for her, my precious Dune died (from what I don't know) - without me, feeling I'm sure completely abandoned, lost, and all alone.  I've never gotten over it, to have lost them both within such a short period of time.  Well, to this day, my sadness is unspeakable, and this is the first time I've ever written about what happened.  He was ten years old, in excellent health when this nightmare started.  Rest in peace, Mother and Dune.

Papillon and Dachshund little paintings finally finished

This is the long-overdue painting I did of a tri-colored papillon.  I don't know why I had so much trouble with this little one, but at least I finally finished it.  It's an 8x10" acrylic painting on heavy paper, so it'll need to be framed and probably matted.  I'll have it for sale on my website, http://www.dottiedracos.com. 

I'm making final preparations for my trip back to the USA, which is really hard to do because I want to be able to work from both locations since I intend to live part-time in each place at least for the time being.  It's turned out to be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated to ship items from Denmark to the USA, and I've even been losing all profit - and even going into the hole - from many of the prints I've been shipping from here.  I'll figure it all out, though.  And my ceramic pieces that I'll be making in the US, they absolutely have to be shipped from the US for American customers because of their weight and the cost of shipping internationally.  What I've arranged there is to complete the pieces while I'm there and then leave them with a family member to ship as they are ordered.  So there will be a rather limited supply of them.

Weimaraner in Red Pickup Truck - Oops, I forgot to post this painting!

This is a painting I finished last week and forgot to post!  It's a weimaraner belonging to a friend/customer of mine, who loves her weimer!  I did a commissioned painting for her of this same dog, the one where she's lying down, with one paw out front, looking wistfully at the viewer.  It's not too far back in my posts if you haven't seen it.

Anyway, this was a lot of fun because of the red truck and the glass and the reflections.  I hadn't had any experience with such things, so I learned a lot from it.  Hope you like it.  Unlike most of my paintings, it's in acrylics as usual, but it's on a heavy watercolor paper, which I wasn't crazy about painting on, to be honest about it.  First of all, it ate my poor hand up; it's really scratchy, which surprised me.  Also, not being a watercolorist, I didn't realize how much watercolor paper soaks up any moisture.  I like rich, saturated color, so I really had to lay the paint on - over and over and over!  I'm finally happy with it, though.  But I won't use watercolor paper again with anything but watercolors, if I should ever decide to give them a try.

The Most Recent Commissioned Painting which I did before Leaving USA

This is a painting I finished right before I was leaving for Denmark.  These are Tasie and Tierre, relaxing on the grass.  One is an American Eskimo, and the other is a Rottweiler, both females. 

It was a pleasure to paint them, and I am so glad to report that the mom of these two was very happy with her two pups' portrait.

I have one more commissioned painting I will be doing, of two adorable terriers.  Unfortunately, I still have to wait for my shipment from the US to get to all my paints, brushes, and canvas to be able to get to work on them.  I started their painting before I left for Denmark, but I just wasn't happy with the way it was going.  So, with the mom's permission, I asked for time to re-start the entire painting from a different point of view.  That situation rarely happens with me; but when it does, I cannot be happy with what I think would have been a less-than-ideal painting, so I completely start anew!  I'll share the results just as soon as I get the painting done.

Weimaraner Commissioned Painting Finally Completed!

I've done something different this time with my commissioned painting posts:  I'm showing you both the painting and the photo from which I worked.  As you can see, I worked fairly directly from the photo but had to adjust the color a bit based on other photos I had of this beautiful dog. 

This was a really challenging painting for me, and it took me weeks to complete.  She's a beauty, I think.  Her name is Zoey.