All the Dogs

Below are all 12 dogs done in the last few weeks. I put them all together on my studio wall. Pretty cool. These are all 6x6 oils, done on canvas panels, one on canvas. In addition is a springer spaniel....goofy eyes. I am not trying to make these look just like their pictures, what I am trying to do is capture the feel of the dog with a few strokes and blocks or shapes of color. I'm always amazaed when I first start and I do about 10 minutes of painting and it starts to look like something......it appears, then sometimes it leads me.

The Springer, Oil 6x6 SOLD

The Lab

Below is a 6x6 oil of a yellow, white lab. I think the eyes are a little crossed, which reminds me of Barbara Streisand. If I were to name the dog it would be Barbara. The back ground is black gesso, I tried not to over lap too many brush strokes. When I was done I liked the background black, but I don't like to leave the gesso showing, so I painted over the gesso with a blue black oil. I like the light dog against the dark background.

The Lab, Oil 6x6

More Dogs

Here are two more dogs, both done in oil and under 90 minutes. I try to paint under a certain amount of time to keep the painting fresh, if I work on it too long I can tell and it doesn't seem fresh. Another thing I like to do is add a line or two of random or opposite color, just for a pop.

The Setter, Oil 6x6

Waiting, Oil 12x12

The Big Boys

Here are the two bigger oil paintings of dogs that I have been working on, with backgrounds added.  What I like best is the big brush markes, colors next to other colors, and the abstract nature of the paintings, and still, you can tell that these are dogs....I hope.

                         

The Basset Hound, Oil 20x20

Chuck Oil 24x30, SOLD

Dogs

Here are the follow ups on the below works. The smaller one where I showed the start in black with white chalk is finished (I think) and is below. The big dog Chuck I worked a bit on and need to come up with a background now. Finally another start of a larger dog, a goofy basset hound, lots of color.

The Nose, Oil 6x6

Still working on Chuck Oil 30x24

The Basset Hound Oil 20x20

New Paintings

Below are two images of a bigger painting, 30x24 of another dog I'm working on. This will be the biggest one so far. This is from a small painting I did, which sold, of a friends dog named Chuck. So far the strokes are big and bold and very abstract, which I'm liking. The third is another start of a smaller painting. Most surfaces are painted black prior to painting, I also chalk in the image, sometimes highlighting the dark and light areas.

Start of a bigger painting of Chuck

This is a close up of Chuck 

                                                        Start of a 6x6 oil of a ??  Yes a dog
                                                    The image is drawn with backboard chalk

Three abstract landscapes

Below are abstract landscapes based on photos I took from hwy 1 and Ano Nuevo State Reserve. I take photos, then go back to the studio and sketch  focusing on the shapes. I use the photos when I paint to help with the colors, and the darks and lights.

South Point Ano Nuevo Oil 6x6  

The Fog Coming In Oil 12x12 SOLD

The Hills on Hwy 1 Oil 8x8  SOLD

The Queen Oil 8x8 and the Terrier Oil 6x6

Below is a bull dog, done with a limited pallet and with loose brush strokes. The next one is a Terrier, once again done with loose brush strokes. I normally don't use red, but sometimes it makes things pop. I always paint on a colored canvas or panel, these are primed with black gesso.

Abstract Landscape Oil 12x12

I drive a lot on hwy 1, California coast hwy. On one side of the hwy is the ocean on the other is farmland. When I drive north, some of the hills are high and then low, flat farmlands, I'm attracted to all those shapes. In the afternoon when I drive south, the high hills and the low farmland have different shapes the cows are walking in straight lines .... heading home. All this I see, but what I see most is the shapes and the colors. Below is an oil painting of those shapes.

Chairs and dogs, again Oil 6x6

Below are two chairs I did with a palette knife, no brush. I went to do a third one, and instead went back to the dogs. More fun and more color. I love it when I first put down a stroke of paint then another next to that one and the colors just pops. The beagle type dog had that excitement with the simple brush strokes and the colors next to each other. The other dogs position seems off to me so, I might have to adjust some, but the simple strokes are fun.

Red Chair, SOLD

Steller Jay Oil 6x6

Below is the third bird, a Steller Jay, which we have tons of in California. On to the next subject.