Step 14 final step, painting is finished!

I added the red glazes and this was taken outside in the shade on a sunny day. I also signed the painting. I don't do that until I am totally finished. I am thrilled with how this came out. Now it just has to dry for several more weeks before I can ship it. I hope you enjoyed watching my process. Let me know if you have any questions!

Step 13

I fixed her tag. Much happier. Worked on her belly, adding a nice roundness to it. Made her right foot a bit smaller and left foot a bit larger. added more detail in the grass. Now I start adding some glazes. I thin down my oil paint with a mixture of stand oil, damar varnish and mineral spirits. I only add a touch of color and thin it way down. You can see I've added a bit of yellow and greens to her coat to make it blend well with the grass. Later, I'll add a bit of red the same way. I also lightened up the inside of her ears. Almost there!

Step 12

Legs in front are coming together. I added some flowers to the grass. Her tummy is looking too flat. I'll have to adjust that! Still adding more and more layers to her coat.

Step 11

I have started adding more dark thin strokes that will go under her fur. It's a brindle coat with all sorts of browns and siennas and not really easy to portray. I'll get it slowly to look the way I want. I also added more grass in front of her and beside her. Painting grass is really fun. I often paint with both hands so it looks more irregular. I still haven't got the tummy and back leg and foot to look how I want it. Bulldogs love to lie down with their back legs out straight. It doesn't look too comfortable! Also added more highlights.

Step 10

I added more dark colors to mark the shadows recede. I'm not crazy with how the tag looks. It's too thick. I went to the pet store and took a couple of snapshots for reference. Tooth is all gone! Mouth more refined.

Step 9

More color on her legs, deeper color under her body. Need to delete that tooth!

Art Classes

I will be holding new art classes starting in January. The first one is at Whittier Vo-Tech in Haverhill, MA, starts Monday, January 23rd, from 6-8:30 pm, and is "Learn to Draw" for 8 weeks.

The second one is at Timberlane High School in Plaistow, NH and starts Tuesday, February 7th from 6-8pm, and is "Learn to Draw."

The third one is at Newburyport High School in Newburyport, MA, and starts Wednesday, February 24th, from 6-8 for 5 weeks and is "Colored Pencil Drawing."

I will also be teaching a "Learn to Draw" class at the Seacoast Artists Association in Exeter, NH, starting March 1, for 8 weeks, from 11:30 to 1:15. Also a "Colored Pencil Class", same place, starting March 1 for eight weeks, from 1:30 to 3:15. Hope you can make it to one of these classes. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in more details.

I love to teach! Who knew?