Doberman Dog Portrait - Max and Maya - Update

Spring is finally here and they are calling for a little March messiness tomorrow. I've been busy working on several small pet portraits that are surprise gifts so I cannot post them yet. Those will be posted as the recipients get the chance to enjoy their pet portraits. Meanwhile I thought I would share the progress of Max and Maya's dog portrait painting in oil.

As you can see, I have mostly completed Max and will now start on Maya. As I get her closer to finish I will then add final touches of color and detail to make everything sing. I do tend to go to details early because I enjoy watching things come to life quickly. I always have to fight myself not to do that too quickly so as to focus on structure. However, sometimes it is great to eat dessert first!

Soon Soulful Studios will take it to the outdoors again to do some plein air paintings. There's a blue heron at a local pond that I'm dying to at least capture with the camera. I wonder if I can't paint fast enough to suggest him on the spot. Oooh, I think I see a challenge...

Doberman Dog Portrait - Max and Maya - Under Painting

Under painting for Pet Portrait in Oil

What is so fascinating about art is it can exercise the mind in many ways. Two processes of the mind are the doing mode and the being mode. I will discuss the development of this pet portrait of Max and Maya to illustrate my point. When I was first commissioned to do this piece I had many decisions to make. I was provided different photos and options to create the portrait. My mind busily made decisions and judgments on which photos to work from and sizes to pick. This is the doing mode where the mind actively darts from thought to thought analyzing and comparing everything to evaluate and decide. However, at times I would feel a sense of calm and stop thinking. My eyes would look at these dog faces and just feel them looking back at me and there and then a connection to my subject was born in the being mode. In the being mode I did not decide how to feel about these two but rather I was just aware of the feeling. It is in that frame of mind that my work begins to breathe on its own.

The beginnings, where I sketch and measure with my eyes, I am very much in the doing mode. It is critical to get proportions correct and planes well described. As the piece becomes structurally sound my mind relaxes. When I’m painting for some time and finally become aware that my playlist of songs has gone from Billie Holiday to Bing Crosby without grabbing my attention, I realize I was in being mode. In being mode, my natural instinct takes over and the natural creator in me begins to paint. Later in the doing mode, I will see corrections need to be made, much as I see in this under painting. However, without the being mode, my dear Max and Maya would never live on canvas. No, they would just be painted images representing two Dobermans named Max and Maya.

Painting much like life requires both actions of the brain. Sadly, our culture stresses the goal oriented, doing mode, far more than mindfulness of just being. When we are goal oriented we tend think out ever issue and go over and over a problem in a forced way to solve it. Being mindful allows the body and mind to be aware without judgment and naturally things sort themselves out. I was strongly reminded of this last night while trying to learn to dance. My judging mind kept trying so hard to learn and figure out the steps. The more I did that the worse the result, not to mention the plight of a few toes. Now and then when I relaxed and just absorbed the music, my feet took care of themselves. As soon as an instructor mentioned I was doing well, the magic stopped and my thinking was in charge of my feet again with an obvious bad result. One instructor even said, “Don’t think just dance”. Oh this is very true but much like being told not to think about a pink elephant, once one is told not to think, that is all one can do.

So what is the answer to all these mental gymnastics? Curiosity. Curiosity for life and just enjoying it unfolding trumps all. More on Max, Maya and the art of curiosity in future Soulful Studios posts.

Doberman Dog Portrait - Max and Maya

"Max and Maya"
18"x24"
Custom Pet Portrait
beginning sketch on canvas

Being that it is Valentine's Day I thought I would share the beginnings of Soulful Studios' recent pet portrait. This is to be an oil painting commissioned to show love for another and about love of two beautiful Dobermans named Max and Maya. The care and devotion attached to this piece, coupled with the sculptural beauty of the animals make this so enjoyable for me to create.

The success of my work often depends on a connection I have with the people that commission me as well as the connection I feel with the animal subject. In this case I am moved by both. These two dogs have amazing personalities that compliment each other. Max is regal and far more forthright in his interest to show himself than Maya is. Maya has a stoic nature and uses her thick build only when she has needs to be met. The dog parents take immense pleasure in the antics of these two and the entire group is full of love. I actually used the direction of the dogs' ears to suggest that they are also paying attention to their beloved owners. It is a good compositional tool as well as a way to include everyone in the image, even if it is only known to me (and you).

Our dogs show us love 365 days a year without fail. They do not let a bad day after breaking squeaky toy keep them from expressing their love. They do not wake up and say they feel to fat and ugly to share themselves with us. They always seize an opportunity to cuddle if the desire is there and don't let thoughts of being pushed away earlier in the day stop them. They never worry that other dogs might laugh at their displays of affection nor do they judge another for their efforts. Dogs don't use words; they use action to show their love. Dogs that are treated well just love.

I invite you to spend a day being open with your love like your dog does. Forget about your bad day, it will be there waiting if you want to come back to it. Just love. You might just get a good belly rub out of it.

Doberman Dog Portrait - Amanda

"Amanda Rose"
11x14
graphite on paper
private commission


Yesterday I completed the dog portrait of the Doberman named Amanda. The client asked me to include her name at the bottom with a tiny rose. Usually I do not do this but it seemed very important her. As a commission artist, I always have to balance between making the customer happy and staying true to my creative side. Hopefully I have found a balance here and will have a very happy pet portrait owner.

People and other artists especially, laugh at my business of drawing deceased pets. I've heard all the jokes, trust me. What folks don't realize is that I love what I do because I feel I am offering more than just a drawing. Every single one of my clients that ask to memorialize a pet has told me that I helped in the healing process and the pain of loss. On rare days that I'm just not in the mood to draw, I use that knowledge of my true purpose as a motivating force. I've always wanted to make a difference in this world. Perhaps this is a very tiny way to do it but I'm still doing it and I'm thankful for the ability.

As to the question always asked of "how do I get that look in the eye", the answer is I just don't know and I love the mystery of it.

Pet Portrait In Progress

Above is a view of my drawing table where I surround myself with different pictures and versions of my subject. I've been working on the pet portrait of this Doberman named Amanda for about a week now. Yes, this is what a week's worth of work looks like. As you can see, at this rate I make about 5 cents per hour. However, I wouldn't trade the way things are to return to the corporate world. As I work, my studio is open allowing the occasional bird to fly in and say hello, as well as hourly visits by Gracie. My favorite music plays in the background and I can wear anything I want or nothing at all. Just kidding there, I wanted to see if you were paying attention.

Currently I'm also working on a small painting of two cows and sketching many future paintings. I have been a bit behind on posting my sketchbook drawings as I've been more into working than blogging about it. It will all come out in the wash, it always does.

This past Friday, the world lost an extremely talented artist with a very unique vision, Scott Fertig. Scott was kind enough to send me words of encouragement in regards to my own cancer and my art while all along he was preparing to leave this world because of his. His work influenced me in a very important way. I always strive to bring more to my art than just a reproduction of a photo or the scene before me. When I studied his work suddenly I understood how to find what I was looking for all along. It all made sense. This piece in particular opened my eyes and without a doubt is brilliant. Thanks Scott and I hope there are big lazy dogs where you are too.

Amanda...or is it Gracie?

"Amanda"

pencil sketch in moleskine

It has been said that often the people represented in an artist's work often resemble the artist. Is this also true for the artist's dog? I am working on a commission of a lovely Doberman named "Amanda". She passed away last year but stays in the hearts of her humans and I am attempting to honor that. It seems my mind has other plans.

Anyway, I sit down and work out my thoughts on the piece in my sketchbook. As I sit sketching happily, Miss Gracie walks into the studio to check on me. I keep telling her I'm drawing another puppy and ask her for her opinion. I pick up my book to show her and at that instant I realize I've created a very nice sketch however, it looks an awful lot like Gracie! How did that happen? Gracie seems to like it though and goes back to watching birds. So, I went back and played with it some more, of course killing the freshness of the drawing and get a closer likeness to the Dobe. Damn you Gracie.

The drawing is not spot on but it does help me figure out some issues before I go to the good paper. Mistakes in a sketch are a good thing. It alerts me to my assumptions and reconnects me to my observations. We walk around in the world labeling everything in our minds. This habit blinds us to what is really there. Artists usually don't do that as much but when errors happen it is a clear sign we are labeling and not looking. You can understand better what I mean by trying this little trick. Pull out your favorite photo of yourself or a loved one. Look at it closely, close your eyes and picture it in your mind. Now turn it upside-down. Do the same thing. Now email me and tell me the differences in your observation.