Latest portrait - Charcoal of Butch the Schnauzer

Latest portrait - Charcoal of Butch the Schnauzer

This is Butch - a standard Schnauzer from London. He is a handsome gent, and goes in for the more natural haircut rather than following the standard clip that is generally seen with the schnauzers.
As I hope you can see, I love drawing the hair of this breed, and charcoal is a good medium to get across the strong characterful look and unruly hair!

Charcoal on paper, image size approx 10x12in.

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Latest dog portrait - A painted lab

Latest dog portrait - the black labrador

Another girl! This is Millie, a very lovely black lab. She has rather refined features, and is a beautifully sensitive, gentle girl, but of course with all the excited wigglyness of being a black lab!
The painting is cropped to show her cheeky look, and mesmerising eyes.
 Oil on canvas 12x12in on a pale blue. I love working with paint charts to match particular colours and in this case the oil paint is mixed to match to "light blue" Farrow and Ball.

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Latest Dog portrait - painting of the English Pointer

Latest Dog portrait -  the English Pointer

Once again playing catch up with the latest portraits, but I've put down the brushes for the day and thought an update was long overdue! ...and it's not really dog walking weather right now!
This is the very beautiful and very aptly named Grace, and her painting.  A painting of a black and white English Pointer on a delicate grey background. Oil on canvas 12x12in (30x30cm)
The painting, I hope has a calm sedate feel, Grace is a very gentle girl, with delicate features, and the grey gives a monochrome feel with just the colour from her eyes giving the warm tone. I've also added a close up to show how I work and the marks that go toward a finished painting. I've also shown the original photo I worked from, supplied by Grace's owner, it needed very little changing as the photo captured Grace's character beautifully.

For more English Pointers visit the gallery page - http://www.paintmydog.co.uk/dog_portraits_pointers.html

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Latest Portrait - Mad March - The anonymous hare

Latest Portrait - "Glimpse" The anonymous hare.

When I paint dogs, the photos generally show the trust in the dog's eyes, looking adoringly at their owner.
This was a very different experience when painting this hare, scared and very dubious about human presence.
Vulnerability, alertness and focus, as the viewer you are very much an intruder on this hare's territory, a spy.
The title of this painting is "Glimpse". This painting process is therefore quite a paradox, a chance photo, and then a lengthy observation from the photo during painting. I wanted to give this hare a character and show his (or her, I'll never know!) determination for survival.

The size of this oil on canvas painting is quite large at 20x20in, and adds to this innocuous hare having a more monumental status.
Whilst this hare won't be sneaking into my online dog gallery, I don't think the dogs would like it., Ltd Ed prints are available 10"x10" image size .

This hare portrait is now looking out of a gallery window, and hopefully the model is off enjoying the British countryside!

Have a Mad March!


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Valentines Day, pearls, and a chocolate labrador!

Valentines Day with a difference......pearls, and a chocolate....labrador

I was looking through my back catalogue and stumbled across the very dear Alice. I thought it would make an unusual Valentines Day post - can't you just fall in love with this gorgeous chocolate lab girl?! She had got to the time of life, where if she wanted to wear her pearls - then she would!

I don't often add things to portraits but I think she pulls off the regal look with the pearls rather well, coupled with a striking red background.

This is a postcard sized portrait 6x4in oil on canvas, gallery style.

Happy Valentines Day! and give your beloved hounds a kiss, and a belly rub.

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Latest Dog Portrait - Parsons Jack Russell

Latest Dog Painting by PaintMyDog

This is Billy, a gentleman Jack Russell. He is standing very resolutely, and a sense of his life experience and his character. He is a Parsons Jack Russell with a wiry coat, mostly white with a few faint freckles.

This painting is a little different to many in the fact that the background has more texture and and I wanted  this to reflect his coat. In amongst a textured lively background, Billy stands firm, and you just get the feeling he is a very much loved dog.

Oil on gallery style canvas 12x12in.

View more portraits in the gallery http://www.paintmydog.co.uk/gallery_pet_portraits.htm

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Latest Portrait by PaintMyDog - Two Pugs

Latest Dog Portrait - Two Pugs

Betty and Molly, a beautiful, characterful pair of pugs. Oil on canvas, size 24x30inch, this portraits depicts the girls a little larger than life, and they will sit very regally on the wall!
Several images on this post, the final painting, crops, and the painting framed.
I wanted a warm grey flat background to contrast with the brush marks of the dogs, and the ornate gilt frame, giving it a contemporary feel, but a nod to the glory days of portrait painting! A fantastic painting to do, as the differing colours of the dogs made it a challenge, and they are such a charming pair.
The pug has been prominent in the history of dog painting, Hogarth introduced the pug into many of his compositions, and was a firm fan of the breed.

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Portrait of dogs in the snow - a late Happy Xmas!

Happy Christmas from Paint My Dog!

It's a bit late, but I really wanted to show this portrait of two dogs in the snow - and I didn't want to ruin the commissioners Christmas surprise!
Oil on canvas, and a more unusual size of 45cm x75cm  .... and perhaps more unusually for me, it has a background...just! It features a labradoodle and spaniel.

I also want to thank everyone and their amazing dogs who have supported PaintMyDog over the years and recommended friends and family - I am lucky to work with such fantastic customers.
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and best wishes for 2012! Pats to all the dogs, and a special thought for the ones we miss.

Justine x

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PaintMyDog New Sketches - We Three Hounds

New Sketches of Dogs

I have often felt sketches are deeply personal, marks made to explore and get to know a subject. Spontaneous and quick interpretations, eye to brain to hand. They are a bit like delving into a diary, you get to see the inner goings on.
So here is a chance to have a look at some of my sketches, often made in preparation to a painting.
All charcoal on paper, a greyhound and two bassets.

These drawings are now available in my shop!
http://www.paintmydog.co.uk/dog_art_shop.html

and if you did want anything before Christmas - there's just about time! Just!

Hear first on facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paint-My-Dog-by-Justine-Osborne/21599431567


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New Ltd ed. Print available! with a festive theme?!

Mini_schnauzer

PaintMyDog - New Dog Print Edition released! Mini Schnauzer

Hello!  Just to let you know a new print edition is now available in my online shop.
With Christmas around the corner, short of a santa hat, it might be the most festive PaintMyDog gets! The print is called "Red" and wanted to get a across a quirky, bright image of the strong featured Schnauzer.....he nearly has a white beard!
The print is part of a small range of prints I have coming out and details are as follows-

Small mini schnauzer Giclee print on watercolour paper.
print size 16x16cm
paper size approx 20x23cm
Limited Ed. Of 250
price £35 inc p&p

print is now available in the shop - http://www.paintmydog.co.uk/dog_art_shop.html

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