Monday 25 April 2011

Painting No 15 - Whiskey


Oil on canvas board 10" x 12"

This is the recently departed dog of my Aussie cousin (once removed) Lorraine.  I did it as a present as Lorraine was about to visit.  I'd been looking for a photo of one of her dogs for a while but none had the right lighting conditions until this one appeared as Lorraine's Facebook profile picture.  The back lighting struck me as been very effective. 

Unfortunately, my lack of skill in painting wet-on-wet let me down as I just couldn't get the bright sunlit edges around Whiskey to be bright enough.  The white paint kept mixing with the underlying coloured paint.  Having said that, I think the overall result is fine.  Due to the tight time constraints (I started it the day before Lorraine was due to arrive) I was forced to stay loose and not dwell on the detail.  It apparently looks like the subject as Lorraine shed a tear when she saw it.  What more confirmation does an artist need?

Just got to wait a few months before I can varnish it and send it off to Oz.