Mommy Baby Dog commission oil portrait done!

"J&H" 8"x10" oil on canvas

I call that part of the chest where loved ones feel they belong perfectly a personal parking space :) I rarely do a commission where I don't have the need to modify the poses before I paint it. Most of the time I have to combine at least 3 photos so the composition doesn't look like a collage when I paint it. **Dec.22, 2008 I've updated this image with the scanned version. Hope you like :)

"Zoey" oil on canvas

Incidentally, same client owns this portrait of sweet Snoot Girl Zoey who sadly passed away recently. This painting is from 2000 I think. I've seen this painting hanging on every wall H moves to and I see the images on the Internet, it's so cool so to see my art continued to be enjoyed through the years :)

At this point I feel good about meeting my professional deadlines and now I can do some personal art except there's a big piece I need to finish by end of the month and it's a private piece I can't share others. So if it seems I'm even more scarce online it's because of the holidays and that piece.

It's been brought to my attention that some people post comments and they disappear :( I'm so sorry to hear this - I DON'T DELETE comments unless it's completely offensive, and in which case I contact the poster and ask for their address so I can personally run over their toes. Please don't let the website's occasional burps discourage you from posting. I love comments and am always grateful for the time people take to make their thoughts known to me. :)

**update on commission: She cried! I'm so mean! :)

Baby and Mom oil portrait

I got final approval for Sandy and Domino and while I was waiting for that email, I went ahead and drew my next one which I've quickly under painted today. A new baby and his momma, 8x10 oil. This will go to Chicago.

Hillary asked me what I meant by final approval and/my process for commissions. First, here are my 6-yr old commission prices. I haven't read it in a while but I guess since I wrote it I agree with it lol!

Anyway I divide the process in 3-4 stages. First, the client "retains" me which to me means, I save a slot in my waiting list for this client for 1/4 or 1/3 of the final fee which is based on size and how complicated the piece will be. This retainer fee is unrefundable because it means their turn is guaranteed and I possibly researched and bought materials for it already. In all likelihood, I was already painting it in my head before I finished the previous piece.

Next I draw the art and get approval for the composition and maybe the likeness too. Then I block in colors and again I get approval for the colors and the look. Somewhere there the next payment is secured. Final payment is sent when the piece is about 95% or more done.

And here is the just about done version of Sandy and Domino, I just need to paint the edges of the canvas :)

I apologize for not visiting my usual rounds. I'm on the roll and sorta don't want to break the groove ;)

Dearly Beloved Child

My commission oil portrait of a baby born prematurely and who sadly only lived 4-6 hours, is coming along to my liking and I'm so pleased! I can be such a sorrowful artist that my system has a hard time going forward when all is not right with my execution as far as I'm concerned. This baby's grandmother commissioned this and she is not just a regular client for about 5 years, but I've also grown so fond of her as a dear friend though I haven't met her in person. I just feel like she's always paid such a caring attention to me and my art and I just want her to know I appreciate it and return the kind gesture to what's important to her.

Anyway, I spoke to her on the phone for the first time last week and I was able to ask her some sensitive questions about the baby that I felt uncomfortable to ask via email. And I guess that was the key so now I am able to go forward. :0)

Here is the rest of it, but it's all still a work in progress.

11"x14" commission oil portrait on canvas. The sunlight on the right is more yellow and will get even more so as I work on it; that section is very under developed right now.