Remember a while back when I posted a rough illustration of a Penguin playing a double bass? Of course you do! Anyway, I have just (right now at a quarter to ten at night) finished that illustration in the book and I thought you may want to see how it turned out - well part of it. This is a scene where Rosie is singing with her band at her only gig in town which just happens to be at the very dilapidated and not so popular anymore establishment, 'The Mangy Hound Jazz Club'. A large bear plays the drums, Rosie sings and this Penguin plays his double bass. There is only one animal in the audience and that is a duck who is reading a newspaper. See you soon.
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About a year or so ago, I did a pet portrait trade with Christine Throckmorton of
I Heart Dogs Studio.
I had only ever done one other pet portrait trade. (
Here is my portrait of Daisy from ArtPaw, and here is the portrait I did for ArtPaw of
Pixel). At the time that Christine approached me about the trade, I'd just made the decision to hang up pet portraits. But I decided to do it. Why? This would be my last portrait. I thought, who better to receive it than another pet portrait artist? I would complete my tenure of this 5-year pet portrait adventure (as I knew it) on a high-note. Plus, I really liked Christine and her work (and her blog). So, I was happy to oblige, and I completed
Christine's portrait of
Rosie in January 2010.
Well, today, my day has finally come. I received my portrait of Daisy and Ruby. Oh boy!
Biodegradable packing peanuts :)
...what's this?
A nice personal note and a biz card accompanied my portrait...
Here is my beautiful Christine Throckmorton original oil painting of Daisy and Ruby. Can you say "WOW"? Here I'll say it for both of us. WOW.
Please click on all images for a larger view.
I'm so excited to paint in Rosie's portrait. I love how it is coming out so far, but all that this portrait represents is so important to me as well. This will be my LAST pet portrait and I have thoroughy loved doing pet portraits for the last five years. Choosing to do pet portraits as a business touched on many key areas that I wanted to grow in, and - BINGO - it worked beautifully. I am so much smarter in these key areas now and so much wiser.
I reaped so many hidden-treasure benefits as well from doing pet portraits. Ah, I will miss doing them. I'm so proud of all I have accomplished personally and professionally with my pet portraits though. It's funny as a career artist the line is incredibly blurry between personally and professionally, isn't it? Starting pet portraits really built my skills to a point where they are stronger than I - gee - than I guess I ever imagined they might be. As an artist, I don't think I've have ever had a terrible confidence problem (although I'm human, I've had my days) - but another gift that pet portraits gave me along with further artistic growth has been the gift of building my confidence more, as well. This has also led to REAL business knowledge, practice and confidence, and the courage and confidence to build the dreams, for REAL, that for a long time I'd had, but I guess
I'd sort of buried*. So pet portraits have also been a HUGE catalyst for my growth in other creative areas.
After Rosie I will give the pet portrait business a big smoochy kiss and a bear hug goodbye, maybe some noogies. But until then, I'm going to enjoy completing my final portrait maybe more than I have out-and-out plain just enjoyed a portrait, just for the fun of it, just for the art of it, no strings attached, in quite awhile! :)
*I like to refer back to this post once in a blue moon when it is appropriate, because although I'm "eating crow" happily now (being a children's book artist), it just goes to show how a person's attitudes about something, about themselves and about what they are capable of, and let's be blunt, about taking criticism, can change so drastically. It's interesting to see everyone's path is different and unique, and the mental shifts we make when we make decisions for ourselves and what we want to focus on as our main goals.
The final sketch (pre-ink/paint) of Rosie is complete- please take a look! I incorporated many things into it which are special to Rosie and her family. See if you can guess which things are incorporated especially for Rosie and which things are simply incidentals to the theme! In a later Rosie post, I'll point out all of the details for you and you can see how many you guessed correctly!
Here is a sketch of Rosie (my final pet portrait). This one is a little more detailed than
the blocking sketch. It's not incredibly detailed though. The goal here is to lay everything out, including the small details, with a little more definition. For instance, we now have seagulls holding up Rosie's name banner (a great idea that Rosie's mom had). There are the requested crabs and tennis ball in the portrait now. there is even a defined area where my signature lives-this too has been worked out as part of the overall plan. Some serendipitous surprises are nice during inking and painting, but not when it comes to the bones of the work. I like to have a good, solid foundation on which to build.
The next step will be the finished watercolor pencil sketch!
Decisions, decisions. Layout A or B?
(End of post)
Meet Rosie! Her full name is Rosalita, just like the Bruce song. Very cute, huh?
Rosie will be my last custom pet portrait. After Rosie is complete, I will be taking an indefinite hiatus from doing custom pet portraits. What I am basically saying is that yes, I won't be doing them anymore, but I am not locking the door behind me. I have loved and enjoyed doing custom pet portraits for the past five years. It's been one of the most important creative experiences - or experiments! - I've ever had. And believe me, this was a very tough decision to make. But, it was also very important for me to make it. Sometimes the toughest decisions are the ones you need to make the most.
I say I'm not 'locking the door behind me' because, at some point down the road, it is possible that I may start doing custom pet portraits once more. But, if this comes to fruition, the creative and business model will be something very different than what it is now.
This decision does not mean in any way, shape or form that I am done with pet art. To the contrary! Pet art will remain a major focus of mine, but in a new and different (and fun!! and exciting!!) format. (More on that down the road...)
For now, the fat lady will sing when my work on Rosie is completed. That said, I hope you will enjoy watching the process of my "swan song" portrait, Rosie, unfold!
(Client chose B!)
Hi Kathy...wow is right! Christine did an amazing job with your two puggie poo's. Love it!
Thanks, Linda! Totally cool, huh? :D
Great portrait Christine did of your pug's! It is really beautiful! :) I also love the adorable pic of Daisy with her portrait...so cute! :)