Today's Muse: The Arabian

"Infatuation," 2008. 19"x14", charcoal and chalk pastel on red Canson Mi-Tientes paper.

For this piece, I thought of an Arabian stallion and mare who are clearly quite fond of each other.

This is how champions are made. (wink!)

As this piece evolved, I thought of ways to bring these two equine lovers to life. Eye whites flashed with the magic of soft white charcoal, and hints of bay and chestnut were highlighted with chalk pastel.

And how do we know which one is the stallion? Well, he's the talkative one...The stallion in this piece was given a voice by adding a little extra charcoal in the corner of his mouth. He couldn't be tight lipped; not when he was looking at the demure, arched-neck beauty of the chestnut mare with a star and a snip. He just had to tell her how he felt!

Spring has sprung!


Available for sale professionally framed (black and red smooth wood frame with black acid-free mat), please inquire at soundthebuglestudio (at) charter.net for price and information on shipping.

The Process of Drawing "Peach": from study to final portrait

Here's Peach, a Champion bulldog. She was a a diva, a character, and she was much loved by her family. Peach passed away recently, and I was honored to draw this gorgeous girl. The above image is a pencil study of her expressive face.
Above, I am working on capturing Peach's unique look. What a dog! Just look at that face! I really get to know my subjects as I draw them and study their images. Peach captivated me, and provided me with a fun challenge: capture the spirit of a diva champion bulldog with oodles of personality.
Here is the final portrait. The charcoal was given a bit of a kick with pastel color accents; charcoal and pastel complement each other wonderfully. I love using pastels to give subtle highlights and accents to charcoal works--it can really make a subject jump off the paper.

Can you just hear her say, "urrrrrrmmmmm..." as she rested her head on her paw? And what do you suppose her eyes were saying here? Was a nap interrupted? Or, was she just told to get off the new couch? Or, maybe a cat walked by and got her attention for a moment...then, it was nap time again...Or perhaps this popular doggie-thought crossed her mind at this moment: "Hey, when's dinner?"

details:
Peach, 2008. 9"x12", Charcoal and chalk pastel on Canson drawing paper.

Merlin

New commissioned portrait panel, just finished and off to its new home!

"Merlin," 2008. 9x12 inches, watercolor paint, watercolor pencil and ink on Arches cold-press watercolor paper.

Merlin was a handsome malamute/Husky mix who enjoyed exploring the Autumn woods. He passed away a couple of years ago, and this portrait panel was commissioned as a tribute to this magnificent canine soul.

March 2008 Studio News

As winter winds down, the studio gears up.

On the table:

-- a preliminary sketch of a gorgeous Champion bulldog named Peach. Her sweet face is captivating me!
--Finished my portrait panel of Merlin, the wise malamute mix. I won't post it here until Merlin's mom sees the actual painting..so stay tuned...
--Still working on my belgians in harness watercolor. I need to paint and draw more draft horses. I love them.
--My book on Arabian horses needs a few more illustrations, and then it will be good to go. I am so excited! I will be self-publishing, so this will be a whole new adventure for me. Wish me luck.
--Watch this space for Spring Open Studio announcements. I will have a few new pieces to sell.

....and the official studio website, www.soundthebuglestudio.com, has been updated and revamped. Check it out!

Also in the works--a website devoted entirely to my pet portraits. Stay tuned for an official website unveiling.

Whew. Well, that's enough to keep me busy for a while.

Be well, be happy and remember to breathe deeply! :)

Helen

pictured: my big buddy, Black Jack, smiles for the camera.