Blog Changes and Dalmatian Update

Well one guess and it was wrong! I do hope that it is working correctly in all browsers. Ah well now to reveal - I'm not sure how you write the sound 'dah dah' !

What I hope now happens when you click on a painting is that it opens on the same page as the blog, not a new page as previously. I used to have this for my old website galleries before I updated my website (www.azpaintings.com - not this blog) and it is something called 'Lightbox' devised by Lokesh Dhakar and is, to quote: "a JavaScript application used to display large images using modal dialogs". It is in very widespread use over the net as it is so useful and visually appealing. In one way it is very easy to implement on a blog and in another way, takes ages. The reason for this is that for it to work, a tiny bit of html code has to be removed from older photographs - the newer ones don't seem to have it and so are okay.

Anyway, for those who would like to implement the effect on their blog this is what you need to do:
(always save a copy of your template before you make any changes in case you can't make the new one work)

Login to Blogger Dashboard, go to Layout → Edit HTML and add the following code right before the </head> tag:

<link href="http://rilwis.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/blogger/lightbox.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

<script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript">script>

<script src="http://rilwis.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/blogger/lightbox.min.js" type="text/javascript">script>

(of course you need to save this)

If your photos on your blog are new, that's all there is to it. However, if they are older - and this was the vast majority of mine, then you need to edit the html code on each of them. Near the top of the post you will find a line which begins: '< a href ' If you find the code s1600, all is fine, but if it says s1600-h, you will need to delete the '-h' part of it.  (this will drive you to the edge of insanity by the way)

I found the above information from this blog deluxeblogtips.

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Now to the Dalmatian part of this posting, you may remember the rescue of a Dalmatian named Fletcher who was gravely ill with pneumonia. Well, I am more than delighted to say he is fully recovered and although it was very hard for his foster mum to let him go, he now has a forever home and his new owners are thrilled with him and he has apparently settled in very well.

Blog Changes

Well I have been very hard at work today on my blog and I wonder if anyone will be able to notice what the difference is? I have tested it on Internet Explorer and Firefox and I prefer the effect on Firefox - actually I much prefer to use Firefox anyway and hardly ever use IE these days.

I hope someone notices what I've done! I will tell you all anyway once hopefully there have been some guesses, and if anyone wants to do the same, I will tell you how.  :)

Saluki

 Saluki - Joop - 20" x 16" watercolour

After the short legged dachshunds, I thought today a rather longer legged hound might be fun. Unlike dachshunds, salukis hunt by sight not scent and they are both very elegant and very fast! It is said that as a breed they tend to be rather aloof with strangers, so I was somewhat surprised when I went to a saluki show a couple of years ago and was met with many wagging tails and affectionate greetings. I suppose some have that 'stand-offish' temperament but clearly a lot don't!

If you have any questions please email me at info@azpaintings.com

If you'd like to commission a painting, please click on Shop in the menu above and then Commissioning A Painting

Smooth Haired Dachshund

Ch Seatris Laced with Success - 20" x 16" watercolour

Well, after showing you all two different dachshund coats, I thought I'd make it a trilogy!!

The dog above is a Smooth Haired Dachshund - as of course it says in the title!

If you have any questions please email me at info@azpaintings.com

If you'd like to commission a painting, please click on Shop in the menu above and then Commissioning A Painting

Wirehaired Dachshund

Ch Kanix Hilda At Stargang - 20" x 16" watercolour

I thought it might be fun, following my posting of a Longhaired Dachshund, to show a dachshund with a different coat. I hope you can see that the coat on this dachshund is somewhat shorter and rougher than the previous one! It is a Miniature Wirehaired Dachshund for those unfamiliar with the breed.

As usual, if you have any questions, please email me at info@azpaintings.com

 

 

Rhodesian Ridgeback painting

Rhodesian Ridgeback - Ch Nyuki Takamali Shujaa of Morlingcourt
(20" x 16" watercolour)

While I'm busy with current commissions, I thought you might like to see some more of my past paintings - I hope you enjoy them! 

A commissioned portrait

If you have any questions, please email me at info@azpaintings.com

Dalmatian Commission

22" x 18" watercolour on Saunders Waterford NOT paper

This is a portrait I have been working on for a while and just recently completed. I can show it here now as the owners have seen it and are very happy with it. These two sweet girls have passed on through old age, having spent their lives as much loved pets. It was quite emotionally tough painting them - it always is hard painting dogs no longer around. It may be difficult for non-artists to understand this, and the rapport the artist builds up with his/her subject, even if only seen in a photograph (as most of mine are), but I am sure any pet portrait artists reading this will understand only too well. Nevertheless, it is a privilege to be able to pay tribute to much loved animals.

Anna and Misha

Email problems

During this week I have been informed of several emails to me being returned as undeliverable. I have now discovered that my 'quota' had been exceeded. However, apparently all it needed was for me to tick the box marked 'unlimited' for the problem to be resolved!

So, if you have written to me at info@azpaintings.com recently and had problems getting through, I do apologize and ask you to try again, as hopefully it is all sorted out now.

(Needless to say my daily Japanese spam email comment on this blog got through - still at least with the advice of my friends here, it now comes to me for moderation (ie delete) before it appears here!)

Dalmatian In The Sky

Dalmatian In The Sky - 10" x 8" oil on hardboard/masonite

This painting was inspired by the monthly challenge on the Daily Painters International Art Gallery blog, the theme of which for July was 'Illusion'. I must admit that I very nearly didn't prepare a painting this month, partly because I have been busy with commissions but also, I am ashamed to admit, because I simply couldn't think of an 'illusion' subject!

However, I am pleased to say that my brain finally (after a lot of bullying) produced an idea for a painting which I am showing today. As I hope is obvious, the Dalmatian is walking through shallow water in which the evening sky is reflected and my aim was to make the Dalmatian appear to be walking in the clouds - almost - but with the ripples on the water to tie it to reality and also maybe create some confusion in the viewer. After some tweaking (I really need someone on hand to stop me continually messing with finished paintings!) I am quite pleased with my 'illusion' painting and I hope you like it too :)

Once sold, I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to Save The Dalmatians. You may remember I told you about the rescue of Fletcher who was suffering from pneumonia and was very gravely ill. Following my last update I am absolutely delighted to tell you that he is now eating very well, slowly putting on weight and showing himself to be the most affectionate dog imaginable. As I said previously how he could ever have been abandoned is beyond understanding. Of course buying my painting will help Save the Dalmatians in their work, but if you don't fancy buying a painting, why not spare whatever change you have in your pockets as you read this and make a donation direct - it only takes a few minutes through paypal. Click here and you will go straight to Save The Dalmatians.

To view a short video of Fletcher (together with his foster mum's own 2 Dalmatians) - click here

SOLD

This painting is straight off the easel and will need to dry for several days before it can be shipped

If you have any questions, please email me at info@azpaintings.com

Happy 4th July

I would like to wish all my American friends a very

HAPPY 4TH JULY

Pomeranian

Pomeranian - 6" x 6" oil on hardboard/masonite

I'm still busy with commissions at the moment but just squeezed this little painting in - generally painted in the evenings while most people are relaxing or sleeping - well that's how it feels sometimes! Actually, if I am honest, I find it very difficult to just sit and watch tv and either like to have a crossword to puzzle over or a painting to work on. I love the pensive expression on this little dog and did toy with the idea of naming the painting 'Pensive Pomeranian' but thought better of it. 

The donation (10% once sold) from this painting is going to Save The Dalmatians. I have been following the progress of a dog named Fletcher, rescued from a shelter and suffering from pneumonia. A poor, painfully thin dog with no appetite and very ill indeed. However, the rescuer has taken him to the vet and Fletcher is on antibiotics and every sort of food which the rescuer can think of. The most recent update on him is that he is starting to eat on his own and gives his rescuer the most beautiful Dalmatian smiles. For those interested, I will let you know how he progresses. If you would like to help Save The Dalmatians direct, please visit their website where you can make a donation through paypal - it only takes a few minutes and every single dollar helps.

UPDATE: Fletcher is doing very well. He has now regained his appetite and is eating well and possibly just starting to put on a little weight. He is coughing much less and gives his rescuer the most wonderful smiles. He loves to lie on his back for tummy rubs and is a very affectionate boy. It is absolutely impossible to understand how he could have been abandoned. It looks as if he has a home waiting for him once he is fully recovered, although I think his rescuer is going to have a tough time letting him go!

  SOLD

If you have any questions, please email me at info@azpaintings.com

With thanks to RowdyKittens at Flickr for the reference photograph

An old Cherokee proverb

Well, not a painting, but this appealed so much to me I thought it would be nice to share it.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee replied, "The one you feed."

I'm thinking of starting a wolf painting soon as they are a species I hugely admire. I'm not sure at the moment whether to paint one of my small oils, or perhaps make it into a larger painting. I wonder?

If you have any comments, it's always lovely to read them or if you'd like to contact me privately about anything my email address is info@azpaintings.com.