Border Collie - Play!

Border Collie - Play! - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

Another summery painting! As I look out into my garden - or yard as my American friends will insist on calling it :) - the view is stunning at this time of year. The blossom on the plum tree is over but the tree is now in full leaf. The pear tree (a wall trained tree) still has some blossom left but the old Bramley apple tree is magnificent, covered in pink blossom as is the ornamental cherry - beautiful and the wall trained apple too! Add some flowering shrubs into the mix, together with some spring flowers and the result is just superb - even the sun has made an appearance! No wonder then that I am enjoying painting 'summer' paintings.

Once this painting is sold the donation of 10% from the profits will be going to Noah's Bark pet rescue

SOLD

If you would like any further information please email me at info@azpaintings.com

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

My thanks to kate.gardiner at Flickr for providing the reference photograph

Labrador Expression

Labrador Expression - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

As well as summer mode, I seem to be in Labrador mode at the moment! There's no particular reason for this; in the instance above, I thought the dog had such a sweet, appealing expression, that I just had to paint him. 

I check in on facebook more or less daily as I have quite a few friends on there and it's nice to see what's going on with them. However, some of my contacts on fb are very involved with dog rescue, and frequently I am reduced to tears by what I see - indeed I tend to try and glance quickly at their posts, as, if their stories are too awful, I don't read them. Yes, I know, this is something to be ashamed of - and I am - but perhaps we who care, need to do what we can. I cannot cope with the shocking details of cruelty meted out by my fellow man, but I can help raise funds to help the efforts of the rescuers and this I do as well as I am able.

The donation from this painting once sold is again going to Save The Dalmatians - they are in real need of funds and so I am concentrating on them at the moment, although I will move on to some other charities soon.

SOLD

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

My thanks to jespahjoy at Flickr for the reference photograph

A Question

I wonder if I might ask my followers and anyone else interested a question? It is regarding whether to allow uncensored comments on my blog. 

As a general rule, I am not hugely in favour of censorship. I have put my settings for this blog so that anyone can make comments on any of my posts but I am having a problem with comments which are merely advertising. Most of these, although not exclusively, are Chinese and advertise porn or drugs or some just other forms of advertising. I am notified through my email when these are posted, and so I come here as soon as I can and delete them but I am thinking perhaps I should change my settings so that no comments can be posted until I approve them. Frankly it goes against my principles but perhaps I am being silly and I would very much like to hear what you all have to say.

Labrador Beach

Labrador Beach - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

Our lovely sunny weather has been continuing although it is still very chilly in the evenings. It has been making me long for the hot, sunny days of summer and this seems to continually be reflected in my paintings!

As a breed Labrador Retrievers love the water and need very little excuse to take the plunge. The dog in this painting is having a whale (sorry for the pun!) of a time and is keeping cool while playing on the beach and in the sea.

Once sold, I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to Save The Dalmatians

SOLD

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

My thanks to alexhealing at Flickr for the reference photograph

Jack Russell Terrier In The Shade

Jack Russell Terrier In The Shade - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

I think my next painting should be of an airoplane as I am beginning to miss seeing them in the sky since the volcano erupted in Iceland and spread its ash over the UK! We have been having lovely sunny days since the eruption and when I look up into the clear blue skies, it's hard to believe there is ash in the atmosphere. 

At the moment, with all the trees gaining their leaves and flowers seemingly to grow by several inches daily I feel in the mood to paint 'summery' paintings. The dog shown here is resting away from the sun in the cool shade and looks very comfortable indeed!

Once sold, I will make a donation of 10% to Save The Dalmatians

SOLD

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


My thanks to Salvadonica, Chianti, Tuscany at Flickr for the reference photograph

Happy Birthday Hazel!

Happy Birthday Hazel - 11 today! 

Here is my Hazel having just received her birthday toy - a squeaky, fluffy lamb. She's having a lovely day with extra walks, extra special food and as usual, lots of love. Many happy returns sweetheart.

Golden Against Wisconsin Sky

Golden Against Wisconsin Sky - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

One of the advantages of being involved in the work that I do is the number of lovely people I meet - albeit mostly indirectly through the internet. I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise, but it has done really, that collectors of dog art are such a lovely bunch of people.

The dog above is owned by the enormously talented professional photographer Lisa Husar at teamhusar.com who kindly gave me permission to use her lovely photograph of Bear (her golden retriever not a bear!!) - thank you Lisa :)

Once sold, I will be donating 10% of the profits to Save The Dalmatians

SOLD

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

Back In Black

Back In Black - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

There is no doubt to my mind that, just as in humans, there are some dogs who are more photogenic than others. I have used the dog featured today in a previous painting - A Black Dog. His owner MarilynJane at Flickr has kindly allowed his photo to be used as reference and it has been a pleasure to paint this grand fellow once more.

Once sold I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to Noah's Bark whose work is probably best followed on their facebook page  

SOLD

For further information please email me at info@azpaintings.com

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

Border Collie Beach

Border Collie Beach - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

After a long, cold spring I feel more and more that I want to paint summer scenes and so while painting, enjoy the feeling of the sunshine warming me! I decided to paint this border collie running through the surf on a glorious summer day beside a sea of azure blue - ah lovely!

As with many of my paintings, once sold I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to charity. On this occasion I will be donating to Old Dog Haven (http://olddoghaven.org). I always feel so dreadfully sad for elderly dogs who lose their homes, often incredibly just because their owners can no longer be bothered with them. Those of us who have been blessed to own elderly dogs know of the very special bond which develops and it is a priviledge to be able to help in the efforts of these rescuers.

SOLD

If you would like further information please email me at info@azpaintings.com

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

My thanks to Kyknoord at Flickr for the reference photograph

Stripes - Dalmatian Fashion

Stripes - Dalmatian Fashion - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

The challenge on Daily Painters International Art Gallery this time was "Stripes" - the painting could be about and featuring any subject, but it had to be striped. Well, obviously I immediately thought of a Dalmatian!! 

The model for this painting is once again my own Angel and actually in this painting she was sitting at the top of the stairs sunbathing. As I think may be obvious from the painting, we have a blind on the window overlooking the stairs and it is the shadow from this which is falling on her. The actual painting is slightly warmer in tone but I've not yet been able to get an accurate photo - if I manage to get a better one I will post it. Taking accurate photos of my paintings is the bane of my life!

SOLD

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

A Black Dog

A Black Dog - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

My third labrador in almost as many days! I decided to paint another lab as the other two sold very quickly and I was hoping to get a labrador on ebay for auction. However, since I have heard from a previous customer that they are interesting in possibly purchasing a labrador painting, I'm not sure how long this one will last - time will tell!

SOLD

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

My thanks to MarilynJane at Flickr for the reference photograph

Yellow Labrador

Yellow Labrador - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

As the last labrador I put on ebay only lasted an hour or so, being changed to a 'buy it now' listing on request, I decided that I would make my next listing a lab again. The last labrador was a black, so this one is a yellow! I like the attitude of this dog - resting but watchful. 

I will put it on ebay later today as I am now going to take my own dogs out for a walk as the rain has stopped and the weather looks almost bright!

.........Back online now and the painting is listed on ebay - if you would like to bid, or see further details, please click here

SOLD

The donation from the profits of this painting will be 10% towards Old Dog Haven

If you would like further information please email me at info@azpaintings.com

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

Black Labrador

Black Labrador - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

It's been a while since I painted a black labrador and so here is one - no champion this time, just a dog with a lovely face and expression.

When this painting is sold I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to Noah's Bark to help them in their efforts at finding homes for unwanted dogs. Probably the best place to see what they do is their facebook page here - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Noahs-Bark-Animal-Rescue/139298188002?ref=ts

This painting is offered at auction with no reserve! please click here to bid (or just to see details)

On request this was changed to buy it now

SOLD

This painting is straight off the easel and will need to dry for several days before shipping but since the auction is a 7 day listing, this should work out just about right!!

for more information please email me at info@azpaintings.com 

or visit my website - www.azpaintings.com

My thanks to bacondog at Flickr for kindly making the reference photo available

Boxer dog - Ch Sulez Blackmagic

Boxer - Ch Sulez Blackmagic

20" x 16" watercolour on Saunders Wateford NOT paper

Another head study, this time of a beautiful boxer bitch, Ch Sulez Blackmagic. Magic has won more awards than I have time to list! Needless to say she is the top winning brindle boxer in UK history. This another dog who I have painted that I  have had the pleasure of meeting. For those who wonder about the temperaments of show dogs, I would just like to let you know that this bitch on meeting me, tried to climb on my lap to kiss me. I would have let her but she was rather big and I was trying to paint at the same time! She was a real sweetheart but on this occasion she just had to make do with having a fuss made of her instead!

To commission a pet portrait please email me at info@azpaintings.com for more information or visit www.azpaintings.com

Cairn Terrier - Multi Champion Glenmore's Top Gun

Multi Ch Glenmore's Top Gun - Cairn Terrier

20" x 16" watercolour on Saunders Waterford NOT paper

I thought that it might be nice to feature a head study for today's painting. This little terrier was bred and lives in Germany although he came to live in the UK for about a year while he was campaigned to his UK Champion title. This was one of the many dogs I have painted that I have had the pleasure to meet.

To commission a pet portrait please email me at info@azpaintings.com or visit my website www.azpaintings.com

Stretching Watercolor Paper - Step By Step

I've been asked several times if I could explain clearly how to stretch watercolour paper and so here are several photos showing my (reasonably foolproof) method of stretching 140lb Saunders Waterford NOT watercolour paper.

This is my board - it is made of ¼" plywood and I use each side alternately so that by warping slightly in different directions each time, it remains flat. By the way, the tape around the edges is just where I haven't bothered to remove it after I had cut out my previous painting - I generally leave it a few times before removing it all.

Here is my roll of gummed tape and the stips cut from it. Cut this tape before you handle your paper so that your hands are totally dry as you don't want any of the glue removed from it. Make sure to make them slightly longer than the edges of your paper.

I take my paper (I normally work on a half full sheet) and soak it in a clean bath (no traces of cleaners or other chemicals) for approximately 15 minutes. I've been known to forget it and leave it in there for more than an hour and I've never suffered adverse consequences!

Remove the paper from the bath with clean hands, holding it along one edge and let the excess water drip off. Take it to your board and lay it down.

With clean kitchen roll - just a couple of sheets - remove the excess water. Just lightly run your hand over the back of the kitchen roll - no heavy handedness.

Then just lighly run the kitchen roll down the edges of the paper.

 Now wet half of a piece of tape. The reason for leaving half of it dry is as it absorbs the water from your paper, if it is already wet, it becomes too wet and won't stick. Do just completely wet the very ends of the tape though as they will extend further than your paper and won't otherwise stick down.

 This photo shows one piece of tape stuck down. Run the back of your nail up and down it and you will see it start to adhere to your paper - do this until it is smooth.

And the final result ... a lovely taut, clean piece of paper just waiting to be painted on!  :)

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and if you have any questions, just leave a comment or email me at info@azpaintings.com

Ch Monalou Nelly Pledge - Bernese Mountain Dog Breed Record Holder

Bernese Mountain Dog - Ch Monalou Nelly Pledge
20" x 16" watercolour on Saunders Waterford NOT watercolour paper

As I explained in my last post, I can't at the moment reveal the painting I am working on as it is to be a gift.

The painting I am showing today was also a gift to her owner, Michelle Gurney, from a group of her friends, as a celebration of the fact that this bitch is the all time Breed Record Holder in the UK. I think even those who don't know what a show quality Bernese Mountain Dog should look like, will be able to see what a beautiful bitch she is.

To commission a pet portrait please email me at info@azpaintings.com for more information 

or visit www.azpaintings.com

Dalmatians - Ch Sophtspot Sugar Daddy at Dvojica & Ch Dvojica Voodoo

Dalmatians - Ch Sophtspot Sugar Daddy at Dvojica & Ch Dvojica Voodoo

(watercolour on Saunders Waterford NOT paper) 

 

At the moment I am painting a commission which is a gift and therefore I can't share it here, so I thought instead that I would post a past commission of mine. 

The two Dalmatians above are owned by Mark Dunnachie, owner/breeder of Dvojica Dalmatians, and as well as being very successful show dogs are also much loved and spoilt family pets - which is of course what all Dalmatians should be. Both dogs have won extremely well and become UK Champions, with Ch Dvojica Voodoo - Magic as she is known to her friends - doing a phenomenal amount of winning and becoming the top winning Dalmatian in UK history (she is the one on the right as you look at the painting). It was a pleasure painting these two dogs and I know that Mark has been delighted with his painting :)

If you should wish to commission a portrait of your dog - or other pet - please email me at info@azpaintings.com for more information or visit www.azpaintings.com

Pug Beach

Pug Beach - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

As I am painting today, the sun in shining and the daffodils are finally blooming. We've had a very late spring this year and the weather has been cold and miserable. However, today - today is a day when summer doesn't seem too very far away, when days stretch out into evening and the sun doesn't set until late; when the scents of flowers fill the air and the world seems a perfect place.

I had started this painting some while ago but simply couldn't bring myself to finish it in the dark days of winter, but today I couldn't stop myself from finishing it!! I would like to be on this beach right now and maybe throw a stick into the ocean for the little pug to fetch - he seems to want to swim!

10% donation to Old Dog Haven once this painting is sold. If you have a moment, do visit their website and see all the wonderful things they do - and maybe I could twist your arm to make a small (or big of course!) donation to help them in their efforts.

Available at auction - click here to bid - no reserve!

SOLD

I have only just taken this painting off the easel and so it will need to dry for several days before it can be shipped

If you have any questions please email me at info@azpaintings.com or visit my website www.azpaintings.com

My thanks to Mary R Vogt at Morguefile for making the photograph of her pug available for use as reference.

Ready To Play

Ready To Play - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

This photograph was posted by Hank's owner, Rachel, a fellow artist on the boards at Wet Canvas. He is a beagle/terrier cross and was just so pretty - or I suppose I should say handsome - that I had to paint him!

Anne
info@azpaintings.com

My thanks to Rachel at Wet Canvas for providing the reference photograph

German Shepherd Dog commission in watercolour

Ch. Jasueter Silber Yacco - watercolour 20" x 16"

This is a commission I finished a few weeks ago and I thought you might like to see it; I would say a German Shepherd face and expression at its best - honest and true.  It is a watercolour painted on Saunders Waterford NOT paper - my favourite paper to use. My watercolour paints are Winsor and Newton as are my oils - quality paints in my opinion. I do feel that when you are painting it is foolish to use anything less than top quality materials. When you think of the enormous amount of hours it takes to create a painting such as this one, it seems crazy to use less than the best materials. It is the same with brushes. I never use anything other than sable brushes for my watercolours. I admit I have tried cheaper nylon mixes, but have never used them in an actual painting as I have found them useless - despite what all the advertisements would have you believe! 

I did take several photographs some while ago detailing the process of stretching watercolour paper as I know this poses a problem for quite a few people - nothing more irritating that having a lovely piece of watercolour paper buckling in all directions when a water wash is applied to it! I have filed the photos away somewhere and at the moment have no idea where! If there is a demand, I will hunt them out and show them here to try and help all you aspiring watercolourists! :)

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

This is another dog rescued by Eileen, the woman who rescued the dog in the painting "In A Dog's Eyes".

Indie was a puppy rescued from a the Metro Animal Services shelter in Louisville, KY, where Eileen says that most animals are euthanized. She was shy, stressed and scared. Another puppy in the kennel who looked just like Indie was adopted but returned to the shelter a few months later and was going to be euthanized. Eileen pleaded her case and got her out to an adoption event at Petsmart where she was adopted by a wonderful family.

   

Eileen herself adopted Indie and Indie is a sweet natured, happy girl now - full of fun and love.

The title of this painting, from the song of the same name, came to me while I was painting it and I feel it is particularly apt for all those dogs in shelters who are in danger of losing their lives while waiting for their own special family.

When this painting is sold, I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to an animal rescue charity. I haven't decided which one yet as I'm wondering whether a pitbull rescue might be appropriate as Indie is one of this breed and I know they have a difficult time finding homes in view of their reputation. I will let the purchaser know which charity will be the recipient and also post it here.  Following some research, I've decided the charity which will benefit from any donation from the sale of this painting will be Bad Rap Pitbull Rescue.

SOLD

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

For more information please email me at info@azpaintings.com or visit www.azpaintings.com

My thanks to outlier dogs at flickr for making this photo available for use as a reference

The Love Bug

 

The Love Bug - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

This painting was completed as part of the Daily Painters International Art Gallery February challenge where we were given 3 photos and were told to incorporate at least two of them into a finished painting. I decided to incorporate all three and they were - obviously the car!, the 'love' sign and some lego blocks (which can just be seen on the poster in my painting).

Perhaps you were on the road in the sixties, when love and flower power were in the air - if so, I hope this painting will take you back there for a while and revive some happy memories ...............

Once this painting is sold I will make a donation of 10% to Save the Dalmatians. I chose this charity on this occasion as I had originally planned to paint a Dalmatian with the features from two of the photos, but thought that for once it might be nice to paint something without a dog in it - not for long though as I'm painting a dog right now - well, not at the same time as I type of course!!

SOLD

Please email info@azpaintings.com to purchase

If you have any questions please email me at the above address or visit www.azpaintings.com

French Bulldog (Frenchie)

 

French Bulldog (Frenchie) - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

I painted this little fellow as part of the February Dog Breed Project held by Wet Canvas - the site for artists. His photograph was kindly supplied by his owner Lori Zebiere, a fellow artist.

When this painting is sold, I will make a donation of 10% from the profits to Save The Dalmatians - and so it will be a breed apparently not originating in France, helping a breed said not to originate in Dalmatia!! :)

SOLD

In A Dog's Eyes

In A Dog's Eyes - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

I don't understand how one can look into the eyes of a dog such as this and not reach out to help it - here is this dog's story.

Rex was on the euthanasia list at the Metro Louisville Animal Shelter, just because he's mainly black and not the kind of dog who gets adopted quickly. A woman called Eileen, who has rescued many dogs, became attached to him, and when he started getting very stressed in the shelter environment and it looked like he was in danger of euthanasia again, she championed him. That decision led to a confrontation with the animal care manager that resulted in Eileen adopting Rex herself and then finding him a wonderful home in Connecticut and making the 14 hour drive with him to take him to his new home.

Rex is doing great in his new home, where he lives with a work-at-home dad, mum who works and goes to school, a boy in first grade, and another dog, a Corgi named Baron. He's living the good life now - all thanks to one woman's determination.

A 10% donation will be made to Noah's Bark pet rescue once this painting is sold

SOLD

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

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

With thanks to outlier dogs at flickr for the reference photograph and information