Paintings With Soul

"Hah! (Arly)," 6" square, commissioned pet portrait, depicting a mixed breed dog in acrylic on canvasboard. (And  yes, Arly does have a funky blue-violet streak on his tongue.) My client's on vacation for another couple of days, but I suspect Arly will be headed to his new home shortly. Meanwhile, inquiries on how you can commission your own special dog (or cat) painting may always come to me .   And remember, return clients get 10% off newly booked portraits - so don't be shy, seize the moment and flaunt your collection! I spent a good amount of time this morning going through my references trying to find a Portuguese Water Dog class I photographed years ago at some dog show. I couldn't find any shots I hadn't already painted (see above Dog-a-Day painting "Bumblebee," from last July, which is available for purchase through Etsy ). Alas I am stuck with Porties on my mind (I wonder why?). That creative itch is lingering.   So, if a...

FROM TOP: "Bumblebee (Portuguese Water Spaniel)," 4" x 6", dog portrait in acrylic on canvasboard; "Masked Man (Mastiff)," 4" x 5", dog portrait in acrylic on canvasboard. Inquiries may come to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . Back to the dogs today! I'm playing with smaller boards, trying to keep the paint wet during the entirety of working the piece. This gives me some beautiful and subtle harmonies, and also allows for some juicy brushwork. But I have to work quickly - the acrylics dry in a matter of a 1/2 hour or so. Once they start to get sticky, I begin a new painting, and return to the first one when it's totally dry for another round, and just keep that cycle going till I need fresh water. Thanks as always for looking. And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family! Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ distinctive pet portraits & 4-legged paintings http://www.paintingado...

"Portuguese Water Spaniel," 4" square, spaniel pet portrait in acrylic on canvasboard, $90, available to the first buyer. As always, inquiries should be sent to me at ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This little guy captivated me at the AKC Eukanaba National Championships Dog Show. Those eyes were full of mischief as they peered from underneath a mountain of curly bangs. His fur kinked in every direction, yet remained velvety to the touch. He had those big ole' floopy fuzzy lips, and just rested his muzzle in my palm for a good chin scratch - can you tell I fell in love? I especially like the way this painting becomes an abstraction. If you squint down at it, is dissolves into bands of color. Composition at its simplest. Thanks are due to a new dog-a-day collector, Mary Lynn Doyle, for her purchase of "Grin, Ziggy, Grin." Ziggy's painting will join her two boston terriers, and hold it's own very well, I think, against their live-wire antics....