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Sometimes creative ideas just don’t work. At the beginning when I was still working on the basic layout for JR's portrait, Diane wrote: “I love the little “V” in his chest…that’s where I scratch him until he falls asleep at night. 🥰” She sent back my layout (Photoshop composite of 3 separate photos) indicating that “V” as a heart so I could see where she meant. When something like that is emotionally meaningful to the client, I feel it’s important to try to convey it in some

“Feet Off the Ground” - the perfect soundtrack! ...and a video of Octavia the moment Penny won Westminster that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. As Andy Linton’s assistant, Octavia traveled with Penny for two years while Penny was being campaigned. She cared for Penny on the road, exercised her, slept with her, and got her ring-ready….through 66 Best in Shows, 40 Reserve Best in Shows, 35 Best in Specialty Shows, and ultimately this historic achievement of Best i

The size of this portrait is 12 x 16 inches, and there are two full figures in it. So some of the details are smaller than my sharpest pencil point! That makes it challenging to get the details of the features accurate. Working at that small size actually makes it easier to do large areas of skin though - like Octavia’s arms - where the artist has to make all the narrow pencil strokes look like a smooth color. And a smooth transition of color (the elbow). Her tattoos were fin

Octavia’s face finished. Have you wondered who this young woman is who was such an integral part of “Team Penny”? Octavia Stensen is Assistant to Andy Linton, Penny’s handler. Before I started on Octavia’s face I asked the Chans to tell me about her. (The portrait was to be a surprise so I couldn’t talk to Octavia.) They described her as a vibrant and amazing young woman. “She’s got good energy”, Greg said. I think that comes across in her face in this pic. Octavia traveled w

In a previous post you heard me wondering about the wisdom of choosing a paper color that is the exact color of Octavia's skin. Which is why I chose it. It helps me capture that creamy "peaches and cream" look of her fair skin. But would I be able to make Octavia stand out on paper the same color as Octavia? Her skin colors are very delicate. The highlights of Octavia's face are barely lighter than the paper color, and the shadowed areas that form her features are barely dark

Working on Octavia's hair. The size of portrait the Chans ordered is 12 x 16 inches. It has two full-body figures in it, so some of the details in it are quite small. Some smaller than a sharp pencil point. There is a lot of detail in this portrait. So the challenge of portraying fine detail accurately, that small, will continue. 🎨 Prismacolor pencil on “Honeysuckle” Canson Mi-Teintes paper, 12 x 16 inches. "Penny & Octavia", in progress Portrait of Octavia Stensen and Penn

January 5 I'm starting a new portrait, of Titan for Alicia McCarthy. This portrait has a very touching story to it. I’m working on “Sky Grey” Canson paper. A beautiful paper that has little flecks and fibers in it. I like using that for a portrait on a plain-color background, it lends interest to an otherwise plain, flat background color. Titan portrait in progress 2 You may remember when I worked on the beautiful memorial portrait of Wishes for Alicia last year. While we we

Last week I shared the three portraits Greg and Theresa Chan commissioned of Westminster Best in Show winning Doberman, Penny, to be given as surprise gifts to members of “Team Penny”. We began working on the portrait for Octavia in January….before Penny won Westminster! (Westminster was to be the last show of her impressive career.) The creation of a portrait always starts with choosing the right photos to use for reference. 1 The Chans suggested this photo of Octavia with P

Remember Penny, the Doberman who won Westminster? In January Greg and Theresa Chan commissioned me to create 3 portraits of Penny to be given as surprise gifts to "Team Penny". In February Penny won Westminster, and the commission became even more special. A commemoration of a historic achievement. It took 3 months to create the portraits. They were kept secret until they were gifted to the recipients. Now I can finally share them! I’ll share the creation of these portraits o

The direct straight-on view of JR’s face is one of the things that makes this portrait so eye-catching. 1 I’m working on both sides of his muzzle and lips at the same time because I’m really focused on keeping his face perfectly symmetrical. Where normally I’d finish one side of the muzzle, then the nose, then the other side. 2 To make sure the features are symmetrical on both sides, I drew a very light center-line (you barely see it below on the throat) up the middle of JR’s

I encourage artists not to copy photos slavishly. I rarely portray a photo exactly as it is without making artistic changes. Even when doing portraits, which have to be accurate to the subject, there are usually ways to change and improve what is in the photo. Very few photos are perfect just the way they are. When creating artwork out of my own inspiration (not commissioned by a client) I make all sorts of creative changes. A photo inspires me, it doesn't dictate to me. Here

When I first started on JR’s portrait, Diane wrote: “Maura Reilly picked us for JR because she knew we always took the more ‘challenging’ dogs from rescues and rehoming situations and wanted us to experience one with a lovely temperament. What a PERFECT dog!!! I will go into more detail later in the process but suffice it to say he is INCREDIBLE in EVERY way.” ❤️ JR’s portrait was commissioned by Diane and Michael Schurman as their 35th anniversary gift to themselves. Here'

Today’s work on JR’s left eye. And what it took to get this fine detail..... 1 A scan of the artwork after I finished today’s work on the left eye. Prismacolor pencil on “Felt Grey” Canson Mi-Teintes paper 2 Yesterday I shared a post explaining how AI was used to sharpen Diane’s blurry photo so I could see crisp detail. That’s the main reference pic you see on my monitor. In a row above it are several of Diane’s other photos showing JR’s eyes. Those are real-life photos of JR

AI is a very controversial subject among artists. It evokes strong reactions. My position as a professional artist with more than 40 years experience is that AI is a tool, like any other tool, that can be used - deliberately and mindfully - in the creation of original art. 1 I'm working on a colored pencil portrait of a Doberman named “JR”. Finding the right reference photo(s) to use for a portrait is a journey. That, and designing the composition for the piece, can take as l

Starting a portrait of a handsome Doberman named JR! This was commissioned by Diane and Michael Schurman as their anniversary gift to themselves. Diane wrote: “Maura Reilly picked us for JR because she knew we always took the more ‘challenging’ dogs from rescues and rehoming situations and wanted us to experience one with a lovely temperament. What a PERFECT dog!!! I will go into more detail later in the process but suffice it to say he is INCREDIBLE in EVERY way.” 1 Ready t

Cooper is a Vizsla, a Hungarian hunting breed, Here's what Brandon and Rina told me about Cooper before I started on his portrait: BRANDON “Cooper loved being outdoors and was happiest out in nature getting dirty and playing hard. He loved hikes, lakes and eventually came around to the ocean. He'd be able to go for hours and hours when he was in his element and good health. No amount of time in the water or on trail was ever enough. He enjoyed stalking and hunting everything

With portraits it’s important to get every little nuance accurate, so that person looks like themself. But no face is perfect and sometimes there are little flaws in the reference photo that does not make them look their best. It’s an art in itself to know what to edit in a portrait. I once did a portrait of a woman, and her husband asked me to remove the lines on her neck that I had included. “Let’s be kind”, he said. Learning from that experience, when I did a portrait of

1 At the beginning I sent this Photoshop layout to show the clients how Cooper’s portrait would look, fading out at the base of the neck. Brandon wrote: “I know it’s right in that fading area, but one of the most distinctive features that I always appreciated about Cooper were the hair whirls on his chest.” 2 I sent Cooper’s photo back with this area circled and asked: “Is this the area you mean? Do you want anything below that included? The shoulders on either side of the ci

Some of the challenges a portrait artist has to solve: “hair whirls” on Cooper’s chest, and seeing what’s under a bow-tie. 1 When I began working with Rina and Brandon, I sent several layouts for Cooper’s head study portrait (made with Photoshop) from 3 favorite photos. This was the one they chose. Brandon asked that I remove the bow-tie, and make the fade-out at the bottom of the neck lower to include Cooper’s unique “hair whirls”. I’ll tell you about the hair whirls in my

This progression of a day’s work in the studio helps show how I construct a canine portrait. Three scans of today’s work…creating the nose, lips, and muzzle of a copper-colored dog. The captions describe my thought processes. 1 To begin, I added the back corner of Cooper's lip, and that was where I started bringing in some of the more pink and peach tones. Outlined the dark edge of his lips and nose, so I could add that central “split” that runs up the front of a dog’s nose,