The oil painting pet portrait of Maddie the blue heeler dog is nearly finished.

Wishing you all a very happy Easter holiday break! My husband and I are taking our boat out on the bay for a few days which should be wonderfully peaceful. I might try my hand at watercolour out there. So far I am not happy with my attempts at this medium. I have finished the pastel of the horse and rider but I will not be able to post a picture until August since this is when it is being given as a gift. The recipient is young and computer savy and we do not want to spoil the surprise!! I have been working on the oil pet portrait of Maddie the blue heeler today but I will post a picture late on Tuesday next week when I have more to show. I also plan on doing more work on the Bighorn Sheep but Maddie takes prioity unless I need drying time for the oil painting. I am wanting to enter a few competition/exhibitions and so I will be starting a pastel of boats soon using a reference photo I took in Tasmania last year. There is also a 'Fabulous Fakes' competition which I would be very excited to enter but the exhibition is at The Entrance in NSW and the painting has to be delivered in person so an entry from me may not be practical. I would love to attempt a copy of a Renoir who I think may be my favourite grand master. I love his use of colour!! And lastly we have put our plans on getting a puppy/ies on hold for the moment because the fencing was going to be very pricey and we are away on our boat allot. There are not many places in our sailing neighborhood where you can take a dog ashore for calls of nature!!

I am using pastel to portray a Bighorn Sheep which was photographed by fellow artist Gary Keimig.

See full post for a picture and more info.

Here is the latest update on Maddie. See full post for more details.

The Pet Portait of Maddie in oils is progressing well. Please see the full post for picture and more details.

Here is where I am up to with the oil Dog Pet Portrait of Maddie the Blue Heeler so far. See full post for picture and more.

Just a short blog to let you all know that although I have no pictures to post today it does not mean that I am not hard at work at my easel!! The pastel of the horse and rider is coming along slowly but nicely. I have a fair bit more to do before it is finished such as the face and bridle of the horse and the rider needs alot more work. I then have to go over the whole portrait adjusting colour and tonal values. Can't wait to show you all my WIP pics at a later date! Today I have given the background of Maddie a final coat of oil paint and this should dry over the weekend and I will then be able to begin work on Maddie herself next week. I am also begining a new pastel which I will post soon. I would also like to add that my husband and I have decided it is time to get another pet and that this time it will be a dog or two dogs which we can take out on our boat. I am doing my homework before plunging in but the breed we are interested in at the moment is Scottish Terrier. We have to have part of our garden fenced off first and then we will have to wait for an available litter at a breeder.

I painted the undercoat for the background of Maddie's pet portrait portrait this morning. See full post for picture.

Maddie is my next pet portrait commission and she will be oil on canvas 40x50cm

Just a quick post to let you know that I am currently working on my horse and rider pet portrait commission in pastel. Once it is finished and has been presented to the recipient I will post all of my work in progress posts for you to see.

I am also just begining an oil  pet portrait of a blue heeler dog but I do not know yet whethter I am able to post details on my website. The canvas for this is all stretched , primed and ready to go.

Smoeky and Twinkels have just come back from the framer.

I have begun working on a new Pet Portrait commission of a horse and his mistress but as it is to be a surprise gift I am not able to post it on the web just yet. I have also recieved a new Pet Portrait commission to paint a lovely blue heeler dog in oils and I should be able to begin this next week after I have collected the stretcher bars and stretched the canvas and primed it etc.

This is an oil painting of a Blue heeler painted last year.

Pet Portrait of Smoeky and Twinkels is now finished and at the framer. Click Read More for Full Post and more detail.