Nocturnal

Here is the completed pastel portrait of a sleeping fox. I posted the work-in-progress photo yesterday. After working diligently this morning, I feel like the piece is completed.

This portrait is a bit different, in the fact that it is dark, shadowy, cuddly, yet somewhat creepy. I came across this little guy at the zoo, sleeping under a warm heat lamp. He looked so comfortable and content. When I brought the reference photo into Photoshop and played around with the contrast, I noticed that the photo took on a night-vision effect.

The idea for this portrait was born from the altered reference. I imagined a person camping in the deep woods. The sun is setting and the person decides to take an evening hike to view wildlife. Guided by only a flashlight, the person shines the light on a set of rocks. The light rests on a sleeping fox. This is the moment captured in the picture. Of course, a true fox would be just waking as the sun set. This picture would have to convey early evening, as foxes are nocturnal animals.

The portrait is 11x14" landscape. It is drawn in soft pastels on white, smooth vellum paper.

Upcoming Pet Show

I want to give readers a heads-up on an upcoming pet show that I will be participating in. Nature-Tyme, a large, holistic business in Syracuse, is hosting their annual Dog Days of Summer Pet Health Fair on Saturday, July 14th from 10am-3pm. I am very appreciative of the invitation to participate in this show.

I will post more information as soon as Nature Tyme releases their upcoming newletter with more details. I do know that my portrait business is listed on the cover of the mailer, along with my website! Here's hoping that the show day has beautiful weather and is not too humid : )

On The Drawing Board - Sleeping Fox

It's time for another work-in-progress photo! I started this pastel painting yesterday. Right now, I am in the process of laying down layers of color that will help the finish "pop".

The reference photo for this picture was taken during my zoo excursion/adventure last week. I came upon the sleeping fox in one of the indoor exhibits. He was curled up in a ball under the heat lamp, which produced an interesting lighting effect and Adobe Photoshop enhanced the effect. I want the image to appear as if the viewer is discovering a sleeping fox on a camping trip with their flashlight. It's something different and I hope that the end result looks good.

Finished Golden Retriever Pastel

I decided that I wasn't completely satisfied with the golden retriever portrait that I posted a few days ago. I felt like the proportions in the head were a bit off and that it needed more detail in the floor. I worked on the drawing this morning and finally feel as if it is completely finished. At least, for now....

In case you didn't catch the drawing specifics below... This piece is an 11x14" landscape. Sunny, the subject, is drawn in pastels on smooth, white vellum paper. I have re-named this piece "Post-Dinner Nap". The title isn't very snappy, but it's the most creative title that my tired mind could imagine in the morning. Perhaps, after lunch, my mind will come up with a more witty title. If you have any good ideas, leave me a comment!

Rosamond Gifford Zoo Pictures & Vacation

I have been neglecting my blog for the past few days. Shame on me! I am taking a vacation right now and have been away from my computer more than usual. It's not a fancy vacation with tropical climate and a plane trip. Mostly, I've been reclining at home and catching up on some rest. Yesterday, however, I went to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo with my hubby.

I thought I would share some of my favorite pics from the trip. I travel to the zoo a few times a year to take reference pictures for my wildlife art. There are always a few animals that are obscured from view because of their lush habitats. For instance, I have never seen the wolves. They usually hide in the tall grass. Yesterday, I saw three members of the pack and it was incredible to witness. The alpha was cautiously eyeing the perimeter of the habitat. I took a few pictures but few came through clearly.

This trip also made me realize that it is time for a new camera. My camera is not very steady and blurs easily. I was disappointed with many pictures, but have shared a few of the fun, clear compositions below. Enjoy!!!

Old Gentleman

Here is my latest portrait. The work-in-progress/"ugly stage" was posted in yesterday's entry. This portrait features my golden retriever, Sunny. The reference photo was taken as Sunny napped on my kitchen floor, with his ear hanging into his water dish. Although this isn't the most interesting composition, I think it conveys the feeling of the moment. It also shows the typical senior golden napping position.

Here are the details of the piece... It is 11x14" landscape on smooth, white vellum paper. The piece is drawn with soft pastel sticks (traditional soft pastels).

I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. I guess I wanted more detail in the foreground. It's difficult to photograph Sunny with life in his eyes. He's very old and appears tired in almost every picture.

On The Drawing Board

I am working on a new golden retriever drawing. It is in the "ugly stage", which is a rather embarrassing stage where the piece is "not quite ready". The proportions are not exact, the colors are not perfect, and sometimes I wonder if my golden retriever could finish the piece more precisely. He probably could provide some interesting textures with his paw.

I will go back to the drawing board after this post. I just wanted to give you a peek at what I am working on.

Oh! I think my cat is jealous that I am not drawing her right now. I've caught her sitting on my studio chair and staring at my drawing desk. It appears that she is saying, "Where is my drawing?" My last three drawings have been of Molly and I think that this focus is going to her head. Before you know it, she will have an agent.

Goodbye, Mr. Mouse : (

It's been 24 hours since my frightening encounter with the wounded mouse. Since the blog, I sealed the door to the guest bedroom and allowed the mouse to die peacefully without interruption from my prey-driven dog and lazy cat. The cat meowed to be let into the room, but I think it was mainly to bat the mouse around like a toy.

This morning, I figured enough time had passed to allow the mouse a peaceful recovery or death. I opened the door, hoping that the mouse was alive and had disappeared into the walls. Unfortunately, it was on the dogbed and appeared to be dead. I was terrified to even look at the poor creature.

One might say, "Come on! It's just a mouse!" Well, my heart goes out to all animals, even snakes. I severely dislike snakes. If there was a dead snake, I would mourn the poor critter. Thank goodness, that this was a mouse and not a snake.

I squirmed for a few minutes and then swallowed my discomfort. I'm an adult and a strong woman. I can handle this. Quickly, I placed the mouse into a paper bag. Don't worry, I used a broom and dustpan. I didn't want to catch any weird bacterial diseases. You never know with wildlife.

Mr. Mouse received a dignified burial in the bushes of my yard. He is with nature. My guest room is now usable. I will thoroughly clean it and life will go on.

Who Needs A Mousetrap?

I want to preface this entry by saying that I never believed in mousetraps. They've always seemed inhumane to me. It would be like someone luring me with a chocolate bar. Come on, Mia. Get the chocolate. Then... smack! I'm ensnared for following the delicious treat.

I didn't sleep well last night. At an ungodly hour, I was awakened by an intense scratching and fumbling noise in the guest bedroom. My dog sleeps in that room and I could hear a commotion and her collar jingling. I tried to ignore it, but then I thought she may be having a seizure.

So, I got up and checked to see if she was ok. She was walking in circles and then madly pawing at the curtain across the room. It was as if she was out of her mind. She was insanely focused on something.

My first thought was that she had a brain tumor and was in a crazy stage. I heard about a dog that had a brain tumor and one day, it just started walking in circles. That seemed plausible in my tired mind, until I saw my dog walking toward me with a tuft of black fur in her mouth. I thought that maybe she had been attacking a toy.

I turned on the light (because it was an ungodly hour in the morning and still dark outside). When I turned on the light, there was a mouse laying on her dogbed. I screamed. It didn't move. I ran into my bedroom and figured my dog would eat the mouse.

I tried to return to sleep, but I couldn't. Tossing and turning, I thought of the dogs that kill rodents and leave them as presents on their owner's doorstep. And the cat. Oh my God! The cat. Once she gets a hold of this thing, she could carry it onto my bed.

I shreaked and ran downstairs. Where is the cat during this whole debacle? Aren't cats supposed to hunt mice? Shouldn't she have at least been in the room, lured by the delicious rodent smell?

The cat ran upstairs, went into the room, and walked away. How lazy can you get? Of course, I know this, because I nervously observed her behavior from a safe spot in the hallway.

I thought about moving the mouse, because I would have to return upstairs and sleep. I didn't want to worry about a mouse in my bed. So, I grabbed a broom, a dustpan, and a plastic bag. I was going to be brave. Tom is away and I normally scream and allow him to take care of any wildlife problems.

I have to move this mouse or it will smell like dead animal upstairs. I inch toward the rodent and it appears to be alive and staring at me. I scream and decide to wait.

A while later, I try again. The mouse is now on the dogbed, on its back, with its legs in the air. Clearly, the animal is dead. Clearly. I squirm and attempt to sweep it directly into the plastic bag. This is no joke. The mouse gets up and moves across the room!

It wasn't dead. It was frozen in fear, pretending to be dead, so that my dog would leave it alone. It's face was mangled, fur wet, and still alive.

I screamed and ran downstairs. The next few hours, I had the kind of nausea where you sweat and feel desperate for fresh air. I was sure that I would throw up. For what reason, I do not know.

My dog and cat ran up into the bedroom and I heard commotion off and on over the next few hours. I got brave and checked on the carnage. The mouse appeared to be dead and on the dogbed. The cat was staring at it in the bedroom. I lured kitty out of the room and shut the door.

Now, I am waiting for the mouse to peacefully die from its injuries (or live and go back to its home). I'm not sure when I will finally be convinced that it will not run across the room when I try to remove it. I really don't want to look at it again. Does anyone have any ideas on how to proceed?

This reminds me of an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie is sleeping and a mouse crawls in her bed. It nibbles on her ear. Her boyfriend says where there is one, there will be more. Oh great. I may have an infestation on my hands... and a very lazy cat.

The Huntress

Hmmm... Is huntress even a word? I should Google it. Ah, yes. A huntress is a female who engages in hunting. That is precisely what my tuxedo cat, Molly, is doing in the portrait above. The reference photo was taken as Molly stalked our birdfeeder from the edge of a dining room chair.

The portrait is 11 x 14" on white, smooth vellum paper. Molly is drawn in pastel sticks. The goal was a realistic portrait with a soft, Impressionistic edge. I don't want the picture to be completely photo-realistic. Otherwise, what's the point of even creating a drawing? It needs to look somewhat like a drawing.

I'm working on adding more of a background to my pictures. I think it's important for portraits to tell a story about their subjects. To capture a moment, much like a photograph. Yet, a drawing takes the moment further, with emotion in the strokes.

I apologize if this entry is a bit bland. I am battling a stomach bug and do not have much energy to write with humor : (

Strange Places Where My Cat Chooses To Nap

Does your cat nap on the clean laundry pile? It's as if the clothes are the equivalent of a recliner in the sun.

Photography Tips For Awesome Portraits

Whether you are taking pictures of your child's birthday party or reference for a potential portrait, there are a few tricks that will enhance your photo sessions. By making a few adjustments, you can turn general photos into frame-worthy portraits. I've listed a few tips that have helped me attain clear reference pictures for my portraits. These tricks have been priceless in achieving accurate portraits of people and animals.

1. Turn OFF the flash!

When cameras became equipped with the flash function, people began turning the flash on as a necessity. We feared that our pictures would turn out blurry, dark, or fuzzy if we didn't. I was guilty of this myself. When I started using a digital camera, I became frustrated with the quality of pictures with the flash. Then, I realized that my outdoor pictures without the flash were looking rather artistic and clear. I turned off the flash indoors and voila! My indoor pictures looked completely different.

Here is an example of the same picture subject. The first picture was taken with the flash function. The next picture was taken without the flash.




In the first picture, the eyes are washed out by the flash. If I were attempting to use this photo as a drawing reference, I would need separate reference to render the eyes. The background is also very dark and plain.

The second picture is taken without any special settings. I turned the flash function off and zoomed in on my subject. I also lowered my position so that I was taking the picture at the same height of the dog. This allows me to capture the reflection in my subject's eyes and to obtain a steady, clear shot. Notice that the background is softer, with more light. There is a gentle quality to the photo.

2. Use Natural Light As Much As Possible

The pictures above were taken next to a window. Sunlight poured onto my dog's coat. With the flash picture, the highlights from the sun are not visible. By using natural light, pools of highlights appear, creating a more interesting photograph. I highly recommend taking pictures outside or next to a window. Natural sunlight will light your subjects perfectly. I understand that this is not always possible. Position your subject as close to a light source as possible, whether it is a lit birthday cake, a lamp in your living room, or outdoors.

3. Photograph Your Subject From Interesting Angles

Every subject can be photographed from a number of angles. I find that crawling onto the floor with my dogs and shooting the photo from their height greatly increases the quality of the photo. However, you can also position yourself below your subject to create a distortion of scale. Play around with different angles to find the most flattering view of your subject.

News Flash

It's time to put some excitement into this blog! It seems like lately, my posts have followed the same "vanilla" format.... Here is my latest artwork... Here is the story behind the artwork... Snore! Time to put some sprinkles on the vanilla.... and some hot fudge!

AKC Museum Of The Dog Registry

Did you know that there is a museum in the US, dedicated to dog art? The AKC Museum of the Dog holds juried exhibitions that showcase canine art and has an Artist Registry. Recently, I became an official member of the Museum of the Dog Artist Registry. Exhibitions are changed fairly regularly and the museum also has a permanent collection of classic canine paintings. The museum is located in St. Louis, Missouri in a historic estate. For more information, check out http://www.museumofthedog.org/.

Launching Into The World Of Illustration

I finally feel ready to start sending promotional packets to publishers. I've been working hard over the past year to build a strong portfolio of realistic animal drawings in color. A big part of the submission process is research. An illustrator needs to find their niche and pursue publishers that will support their subject matter and style. A big emphasis was placed on market research in my college studies. A lot of money and time can be wasted in sending samples to random publishers.

So, I began researching publishers through the Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market and through Google. The process is very complicated. I've found maybe a hand-full of publishers that are interested in realistic animal drawings. With computer technology, many illustrators are drawing on their computers in a whimsical style. Some publishers list a need for realistic animal drawings, but I am finding that the need is for colorful, digital work. Photo-realism is often substituted with photographs in books and magazines.

How do I work through this challenge? I will continue to research and discover magazines and books that feature animal subject matter and see if they buy realistic illustrations. I also am marketing my work to the poster and licensing markets. For this reason, I am trying to perfect a "style" and work on drawings in "series". My goal is to develop a soft, impressionistic style with a hint of realism (with a pinch of neurosis and attention to detail).

The Birdwatcher

I'm on a bit of a cat-drawing frenzy lately. I've been inspired by my lovely tuxedo cat, Molly. She seems to love the camera and takes on the most ridiculous poses.

The portrait above is 8x10" landscape on white, smooth vellum paper. It is drawn in soft pastels with the whiskers rendered with white pastel pencil.

The goal of the portrait was to demonstrate the intense look of a cat in hunting mode. When the reference photo was taken, Molly was hunting a bird perched on my birdfeeder, through the window. Thank goodness for glass! No carnage resulted. Just a fun, pastel study. Enjoy!

New Artwork!

I recently ran into a friend at the grocery store, who looked at me and exclamed, "You're alive!". That statement alone was motivation to move forward and produce some more artwork. This blog has been neglected over the past few weeks. It's not that I haven't been drawing, I just have been swamped with responsibilities.

Regardless, I am returning today with new work. The piece above is my latest pastel drawing. The subject is my beautiful tuxedo cat, Miss Molly. I took the reference photo this past weekend as my cat was luxuriating on my dining room table in a pool of sunlight.

The drawing is rendered with pastels entirely, with no use of the pastel pencils. I'm trying to "paint" with pastel sticks as much as possible for a smoother look. The drawing is 11 x 14" landscape in size on smooth vellum paper.

Lounging

Wow! It's been almost two weeks since I posted new artwork. I have been busy working on the piece featured above and am sending my work to various children's market publishers (I'm hoping to illustrate children's books).

Back to the topic....

The golden retriever lounging above is my own golden, Sunny. One of his favorite napping spots happens to be on a floral futon in my studio/sunroom. The reference photo was taken while the sun showered him with light through the window. The finished artwork is drawn in pastels on smooth vellum paper and is 11 x 14".

I am working on a softer look in my pastel portraits. The end result may be a bit painterly in style. My new style is a work-in-progress... Hopefully, it will continue to grow in a positive direction.

Artifacts

I never realized how much I missed my grandfather until I came across artifacts from his life. I called him Dziedz and he a special person in my life. When my mom went to work at school (before I went to school), he would take care of me with my grandmother. He taught me about birdwatching and came up with drawing exercises that made me think.

He would draw a line with a dip in it. I would turn his line into a complete drawing. Dziedz was patient and gentle. He had cancer for a good part of my life and lost his eyesight over time. When he was blind, he would still examine my drawings and somehow managed to point out parts that he liked. Maybe he could sense the emotions that went into the piece.

He died of cancer my senior year of college, shortly after my mom was diagnosed with cancer. When he died, my mom gave me his SU sweatshirt. He wore it in support of the college that I attended. It is a comfortable zip-up hoodie. When I first received it, there were still tissues in the pocket. Remnants from his life. I wish that I had saved them sometimes.

Yesterday, I came across his pastels. My grandmother had given me some of his old canvases and drawing supplies. I have the crayons and markers from our childhood drawing exercises and the sketchbooks with the drawings in them. I don't want to throw any object away, even the smelly markers that no longer work.

When I found the pastels, I had been working on a drawing of a swan. Something told me that they would be just right. The price sticker was still on the box. He had purchased them from a small store in Rutland, probably 20-30 years ago. They were cheap by today's standards. I didn't think that he had used them. Then I picked up a stick and it had been sanded into a point. Several of the pastel sticks had been sanded in this way. They felt like heaven on my fingertips. Smooth, buttery, and warm. The energy of my grandfather was imprinted on each stick like a fingerprint. I felt content and connected to him. It is a way that I can continue to draw with him.

Che

My latest commissioned charcoal portrait features Che, an adorable mixed breed boy. Che is a sweet, older chap, who is quite tall. Reclining in the sun, he maintains a peaceful, thoughtful expression. He is drawn in black conte crayon on smooth vellum paper.

Golden Illustrations... The Prequel!

The production above is a simple slideshow that showcases my work in charcoal, set to the music of Led Zeppelin. I figured that it was only fair to showcase my work in charcoal, since there's already two slideshows with my pastel work.

Chipmunk!

A few days ago, I felt motivated to work on another wildlife drawing. I've been wanting to draw either a squirrel or chipmunk for a while. After digging through my photo reference files, I found a picture of an exotic chipmunk that lives in the "Mouse House" at a zoo. When I took the picture, he was darting up a tree in his little habitat. This little chap is a nocturnal animal, which is why the drawing is set at night.

The drawing was created with pastel pencils and is 8 x 10" in size. The blurriness of the picture is intentional, to show the motion of the animal.