Satisfied client

After receiving the portrait from Carolyn as a surprise Christmas gift, Tammy Cunningham sent the following:

Kevin, 

I want to thank you so much for the beautiful portrait you did of my DaisyBleu. You truly captured her essence. The picture is so life like, that her brother Elliot (black Dobie) barks and runs away from it when he looks at it. Daisy has a tendency to push him around a bit. 

The portrait is really wonderful I will treasure it forever. You are such a talent. I can't wait until we can have portraits of the other 3 dogs done.

...

Cheers,

Tammy

"Daisy Blue" - finished

The photo I used as reference for Daisy's face was taken with flash - there's red-eye, and she was looking upward. I want her looking straight at you, with Border Collie intensity. The eyes are critical; eyes will make or break a portrait. Especially in this one because of the concept - a black-and-white portrait with Daisy's one blue eye in color. That blue eye is what I call the "punchline" of the painting. So I left her eyes 'til last, and went at them with great concentration. These are the reference photos I used for Daisy's eyes. The center one is the face shot I was using.

And here is the finished portrait. It was completed and shipped in time for Carolyn to give as a surprise Christmas gift. Grisaille (single-color portrait) is my lowest priced portrait. This is a good example of what can be done for a very reasonable price.

What is interesting to me is the way your eye fills in the missing colors - the pink tongue, a yellow and green daisy collar. I have been experimenting with leaving paintings in a partial state and your eye fills in the rest. I have more things to show you in that area... Stay tuned!

"Daisy Blue" - In progress 4

This is the photo I'm using for reference for Daisy's body. 

(That's Carolyn with her "pack".)

One more day and I will finish this portrait. The one blue eye will be what I call the "punchline" of the piece.

"Daisy Blue" - In progress 3

Daisy is beginning to emerge from the background.

"Daisy Blue" - In progress 2

As per my assignment, I'm working entirely in black and white. In the reference photo I'm using of Daisy's head, her eyes are looking upward. Carolyn wants Daisy looking straight at you, and I know this breed well enough (even tho I don't know Daisy personally) that I want to capture that "Border Collie intensity" in the eyes. I'm leaving her eyes blank for now, and will concentrate on them last. Eyes are the critical part of every portrait. I'm known for being able to capture the soul in the eyes. (Oh the pressure...)

"Daisy Blue" - In progress 1

A long-time client, Carolyn Martini (New Hope, PA) has commissioned a portrait as a surprise Christmas gift for her housemate, Tammy. For a long time Tammy had a unique concept for a Roeckl portrait of her Border Collie, Daisy Blue: the whole portrait in black & white with just Daisy's one blue eye in color.

Here is the first "in progress" picture. The drawing is laid out on grey Canson paper, my beloved grey Canson.

  

This is the 3rd portrait Carolyn has commissioned. Her first one, of her blue-eyed Luke, can be seen here on my Portraits site.