Prince Of The Glen - red deer stag in Scotland oil painting

Prince Of The Glen - 6" x 6" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

I was tempted to entitle this painting In The Velvet as the antlers on this stag are covered in 'velvet' which is the name given to the short soft hair which covers the antlers when they are growing, however Prince Of The Glen won out!

It was offered for sale earlier today but has now been sold.

Ticket To Ride - oil painting of little bird in stirrups

Ticket To Ride - 5" x 7" oil on hardboard/masonite

This painting came about as a result of a challenge on the artists' reference page in facebook which I thought it might be fun to enter. Those of you old enough to know, and maybe those not old enough (!) will know the Beatles' song from which the title comes.

SOLD

This painting is still wet and will need a week or two to dry before it can be shipped

Burnt The Fire - tiger oil painting

Burnt The Fire - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

I'm rather enjoying this foray into wildlife and think I will paint a lot more of it. I love the expression in this tiger's eyes and the whole painting was a pleasure to paint. I hope you get pleasure from it too.

To those who have asked, the title of the painting comes from the same poem as Burning Bright: The Tiger by William Blake. This is an excerpt:

Tiger, tiger, burning bright    
In the forests of the night,    
What immortal hand or eye    
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?    

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?   
What the hand dare seize the fire?

SOLD

Hunter's Moon - wolf and moon original oil

Hunter's Moon - 6" x 6" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

I am a great admirer of the wolf - not surprising really I suppose, given my love of dogs. Whilst I will admit I can't watch them on tv when they are hunting, well at the kill to be more accurate, I love watching their interaction with each other, their great affection for other members of the pack and nurturing care of their youngsters.

I understand that wolves were much revered in Native American culture and were credited in teaching them about the importance of family and how to hunt and forage for food. Other tribes also believed they were spiritual beings and my aim in this painting was to depict a 'spiritual being'.

Burning Bright

Burning Bright - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

There is no question that the markings on some of the big cats are simply breathtaking and a real joy, and challenge(!), to paint realistically. It is only too easy to make them seem pasted on rather than an integral part of the coat and so it's important to blend them in with the other colours in the fur. 

It is of course the fantatic markings of the tiger which have made it prey to man's desire for unusual coats and rugs. This desire together with other pressures has led the tiger, the largest of the big cats, to become an endangered species - what a sad reflection on the human race.

This painting is straight off the easel and will need at least one or two weeks to dry before it can be shipped.

Bubbles

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

SOLD

Some of my facebook friends are very prolific photographers and take some really nice photos. The photograph on which this painting is based was taken by Dee Dee Lancelotta and features one of her Dalmatians named Romeo.

I enjoyed painting this bubbly picture and hope you enjoy it too!

Anne

A Rare Beauty

A Rare Beauty - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

I had intended posting this yesterday but ran out of time. It occurred to me while painting it that maybe I am somewhat captivated by all things spotted! This jaguar certainly has a lot of spots and was quite difficult to paint, given the small size of the work. Getting a reasonably accurate photo has proved even more difficult! I hope though that I have managed to achieve both aims fairly well and that you enjoy A Rare Beauty.

Little Harvest Mouse

Little Harvest Mouse - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

This is the second harvest mouse I have painted. They are such sweet little animals and we have a lot which live up on Merrow Downs - an area of grassland very near where I live. For those who might wonder, they only live in the countryside, not houses and I think they are absolutely lovely!

This painting is straight off the easel and will need to dry for several days before it can be shipped. Based on a photograph by whiskymac at flickr

Beauty In The Beast - White Lion Original Oil

Beauty In The Beast - 6" x 6" oil on hardboard/masonite

 close-up of the eyes

I fell in love with the photograph on which this painting is based and am very grateful to Sooper-Deviant at deviantART for allowing me to use it as reference for a painting. 

I think in this coming year I will be painting quite a few different subjects, including some little trinkets I own, which are very valuable to me although I believe of little intrinsic value; I'd like to share them though.

Anne

In Deep Thought (Labrador painting)

In Deep Thought - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

Well at last I am starting to recover from a horrible bout of 'flu and would like to thank those who sent good wishes.

Before I get working on commissions again, I thought I'd like to create a painting which would show one of the characteristics of dogs which I value very highly and this is their quality of spirit. I do believe that where dogs have lived in such very close proximity to humans for so very long a time, that they have developed a special quality of soul and are capable of a great depth of emotion which we do not normally associate with any other creatures than humans. I think the expression on this dog demonstrates this well.

Anne

Based on a photograph by Carlos94117 at flickr

Happy New Year (somewhat late!)

I'm sorry I wasn't here on New Year's Eve to wish you all the very best for the forthcoming year but unfortunately I was unwell and although I still am, at least I have recovered enough to wish everyone a belated but nevertheless very.....

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year

With best wishes Anne


 

Cavalier

7" x 5.75" oil on hardboard/masonite

My apologies for lack of posts but I've been busy with commissions. I'll try and post a few of them soon.

The little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is often mixed up with a slightly smaller dog called the King Charles Spaniel and yet the two are different, particularly in their head shape. If you'd like to see an example of a King Charles Spaniel, have a look here and you'll see what a King Charles looks like; you'll notice that the King Charles has much more of a snub nose than the Cavalier. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a very popular little dog in the UK and with its happy temperament and ever wagging tail, it's easy to see why.

SOLD

King of the Glen

King Of The Glen - 7" x 7 " Oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

This painting depicts a magnificent red deer stag. These deer are the largest deer species in the UK and are mostly found in Scotland although there are scattered populations elsewhere in the country.

(with thanks to photographer, Adam Stafford) and a nod to Landseer for background inspiration!

All You Need Is Love - prints available

All You Need Is Love

I am delighted to announce that prints of the above painting are now available to purchase in a variety of formats from Redbubble. To purchase click on the 'Prints' page of my website and then Open Edition Prints. 

I would like to thank Noël Zia Lee who took the photograph on which this painting is based for her kindness and generosity in allowing prints to be made available.

Rottweiler

Rottweiler - 5" x 7" oil on hardboard/masonite

I have just managed to get a better photograph of this painting (well remembered to do so to be honest) and thought I would tell you about the first time I got to know a rottweiler. It was many years ago, when we lived in London near Hyde Park. A couple who lived near us had two young rottweilers and the wife told me that her husband had wanted two guard dogs - they were rather wealthy! - but she had wanted two cuddly, pretty dogs and so they settled on rottweilers as being the perfect match. Well, I never discovered how they were at their guard duties, although I suspect very good, but as cuddly, pretty dogs they were perfect and certainly very friendly to those invited to their house, just wanting to play!

It's a shame rottweilers have developed a reputation for aggressiveness because although very strong, when they are properly brought up, they are lovely dogs.

Anne

Through The Window (Jack Russell original oil)

Through The Window - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

Well another reflection painting but this time involving a window rather than a floor. Yes I admit it, I am rather obsessive in nature and I am now addicted to reflection paintings! I will try and force myself not to keep painting them all the time, but it is quite hard to do so! 

'Through The Window' was fun to paint; I often have parts of a painting which I particularly like and in this painting, I love the way the sunlight captures the outline of the JRT (Jack Russell Terrier to non-dog people - although having said that I wonder how many non-dog people would read a blog like mine?)

Based on a photograph by me'nthedogs at Flickr

Yin Yang (Two Tigers Caressing)

Yin Yang - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

This painting took rather a long time to paint owing to the patterning of the stripes and the muscular bodies of the tigers - it needed a considerable amount of attention not to get lost amongst all those patterns! It reminds me so much of the Chinese Yin Yang symbol which I am sure you will all know but just in case you don't here is an example:

I've realised that although I know the symbol so well, I know very little of its meaning other than it represents the balance of nature and life. It will be intesting to do some research and learn more about it - I always enjoy learning something new.

I find this painting harmonious and very pleasingly balanced - I hope you do too!

This painting is straight off the easel and still very wet - it will need several days at least before it can be shipped.

Based on a photograph by Schristia at flickr.

Labrador Reflections (Yellow)

Labrador Reflections (Yellow)

SOLD

About This Painting:
Media: Oil
Size: 7 in X 5 in (17.8 cm X 12.7 cm)

Another 'reflections' painting as I do so enjoy painting them! This is the first in a series of 3 and I don't think you'll need to be a genius to guess that the other two will feature black and chocolate labradors.

Just one other small point; often yellow labradors are misnamed and called golden labradors. There is a very good reason why they should be described as 'yellow' and not 'golden' and that is to avoid any mix up with golden retrievers since of course the full title of a labrador is a labrador retriever and you can see how easily misunderstandings would occur if you had golden labrador retrievers and golden retrievers!

Whoops! I forgot to add that this painting is straight off the easel and so will need to dry for several days before it can be shipped and that it is based on a photograph by davco9200 at Flickr.

Anne

At The End Of My Tether

At The End Of My Tether - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

Well not only is this little dog at the end of its tether, I am almost at the end of mine, trying to get a decent photograph of the painting - yes, sorry I know, I can hear you saying - as usual!! Not being a photographer, I don't understand why some colours just seem to fade into the background and can only be brought out with photoshop. However, I have finally got this photograph quite close to the actual painting - something I do feel is very important when you're offering your work for sale. I would be terribly upset if someone received a painting and they weren't happy with it if for instance I had misled them with an inaccurate photo. Thankfully this has never yet happened - and fingers tightly crossed it never will!

I hope those of us who own dogs, never make them wait for us for too long and in fact the dog in the painting appears quite happy waiting for its owner's return, even if it is standing at the very extremity of its leash on the sun-dappled pavement. 

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


My thanks to Elsie esq. at Flickr for the reference photo on which this painting is based

Reservoir Dog - Mr Pink

Reservoir Dog - Mr Pink  -  7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

I smile everytime I think of the title of this painting and I imagine that most people will know that it is taken from the film Reservoir Dogs by Quentin Tarantino and that one of the characters in the film was Mr Pink. I love the photo used as the cover for the CD of the film music with the men walking in the bright overhead sunshine, giving them intense dark shadows - hence my 'dog' version recreated in this painting and of course the pink harness reveals which character is being played!

I must though admit now that I haven't actually watched Reservoir Dogs and never will - however good a film it is, I simply can't watch violent films - oh dear, I know, stupid but there it is!

Anne

With thanks to nickton at Flickr for the reference photograph

Going My Way - (Jack Russell Terrier)

Going My Way - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

I really like the pattern of the cobble stones in this painting and it was fun painting them. I'm thinking maybe I should start painting more things other than animals - I wonder.........?

Anne

My thanks to AleGranholm at Flickr for the reference photograph

Safe And Sound

Safe And Sound - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

There is no question in my mind that when you look into the eyes of a dog, you are looking into the eyes of a creature with a mind of great complexity; a personality, not a mere 'animal'. This is one of the reasons I am so obsessed with painting eyes correctly and perhaps the part I see most often incorrectly painted. 

There is a huge variation in the size and shape of the eyes of different dog breeds and within those breeds there are still quite large differences. It is vitally important if you want to paint dog portraits accurately, that you pay huge attention to the eyes and if the photograph you have doesn't show them clearly, you simply can't just copy the eyes of another dog. It would be like painting the eyes of one human if you didn't have a clear photo of the person you were painting.

Of course if you are painting a dog no longer alive and there are no clear photographs, you are in somewhat of a dilemma. Frankly, quite often the owner will not have a clear memory of the exact eye shape - although it's surprising if they don't remember the expression. Very often you will get clues from the shape of the head, particularly just above and below the eye. 

I can only urge dog portrait artists to see dogs! Go to dog shows where you will see large numbers of different breeds - look at them - really look at them and see them. Too often people look without seeing.

Well I think that's enough nagging for today! I hope you enjoy this little chihuahua.

Anne

Based on a photograph by Daniel Chan at Flickr

Thoughtful - Chocolate Labrador Retriever

Thoughtful - 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

Surely one of the hardest things about painting darker paintings in oils is getting an accurate photo of them! I have seen lots of different advice but I think that probably the only real answer is to have a proper lighting kit which is beyond those who aren't professional photographers. 

After about an hour I have managed to get a good representation of the original painting. It's been great fun to paint - I love the dog's thoughtful expression and of course one of my favourite pastimes - painting reflections!

Anne

With thanks to HeyRocker at Flickr for the reference photograph

Sitting Pretty - French Bulldog original oil

Sitting Pretty - French Bulldog 7" x 5" oil on hardboard/masonite

SOLD

I saw this photo and just fell in love with it; I adore the little dog's alert yet calm expression and very relaxed sitting position. 

It is strange with photographs - and paintings of course - how sometimes things which seem of little importance actually give the whole picture balance, harmony and interest. In this painting, whilst of course the French Bulldog is the main point of interest, the collar and lead add satisfying balance and a great deal of visual interest; who is on the other end of the lead? Or is the dog tied up? To me he is a dog tied up outside a shop while his owner pops in to buy a special little cake which he is going to share with his friend.

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

By thanks to Wrote at Flickr for releasing the photo on which this painting is based