Spirit...Commission Completed

Spirit is done! She received the final ok from my two super friends from Santa Barbara, Ca. and will soon be winging her way west.
Once again, this post looks much like yesterday's image of Spirit. But plenty of improvements have happened. Color adjustments have been made in the fur, background foliage, and the closest ice-plant in the foreground. There are areas on the fur and the closest ice-plant which have been treated to thick textured paint...like the icing on a cake.
And last, but not least, the gleam has been added to the eyes of this beautiful dog.

Tomorrow I will post a painting of Tatiana...It is a tribute to the tiger from the San Fransisco Zoo.

Spirit... WIP Third Installment

Oil on 24x36 stretched canvas.
This may appear very close in appearance to the second installment, but there are many important changes...some are small but still important. I have zeroed in on more correct color in the various fur areas...deepened and corrected some darks....brought the ice-plant in the foreground into sharper focus in order to enhance the depth. This step was emailed to the folks who commissioned the painting, Mitch and Jeffyne. They ok'd it (they are so great to communicate with)...so onward to the finish!! Stay tuned friends and neighbors.

Spirit... WIP Second Installment

Oil on 24x36 stretched canvas.
This is an update on the painting called "Spirit". Here is the painting after the first "lay in". The entire canvas has been covered with paint. In this particular case, most of my first color mixes are pretty well how the final needs to be. I think this was made possible through doing so many small paintings for this blog the past year... I feel that my eyes are a little keener at mixing values and color. The background should be a very close match to that of the "Miejek" painting...the foliage has been re-invented so that it appears that Spirit is standing in a slightly different spot on the same shoreline. I sent this jpg to Mitch and Jeffyne, the gracious couple for whom this painting is being done. They emailed back their suggestions and I had another round of painting to do.
Stay tuned...more to come.

Spirit...WIP First Installment

This work in progress will demonstrate my technique on a commissioned painting. This beautiful collie's name was Spirit. She belonged to two super folks in Santa Barbara, Ca. I did a painting for them in Dec. 2006( it was of another much beloved dog named Miejek). Sadly, both dogs have passed away. See Miejek here.
I will change the background on Spirit's photo to match the seascape and lavender ice-plant in Miejek's painting. Above is the first step...a sketch approx. 6x8 sent for approval.

After the sketch was ok'd, I put the drawing on a 24x36 stretched canvas. The canvas is toned with various reds in acrylic. This eliminates the white making it easier to see the true values in the painting to come. Also the underlying red affects the paint on top of it by warming thinner passages....plus, any small "holes" or missed spots will show up as red thus harmonizing and energizing the painting.
Stay tuned...there will be more to come.

Winter Road

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
The jpg for this painting was supplied by Dominic for this week's WDE on Wet Canvas. This snow scene was quite a bit of fun to do. It was enjoyable to smoosh in the snowdrifts with juicy paint...watching all the ridges and details magically form on canvas. Hope ya like it!
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Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles." ~ Psalms 103:2-5

Misty Morn

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
I have mixed feelings about this painting. At the moment, I feel there's room for a ton of improvement. Yet on the other hand, I feel it's completely successful....I think it needs to be understated and a monochromatic blue in order to put the mist across...I have seen similar scenes in person and I'm always taken by the mystical quality...how a deer will suddenly appear as if by magic and you have to blink to make sure your eyes aren't playing tricks on you...your heart pounds...there's a definite excitement. Maybe that's where I feel a little let down....there's a lack of excitement in the painting.
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"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowlede him, and he shall direct thy paths." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

African Lion

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel.
This lion painting was originally posted at the start of last year....Jan.20th, 07. I just pulled him from his lair on the shelf where he had rested for a year....added more paint and thoughtful color to him....and said, "time to go out and leave the nest". Although I feel a little guilty for my 'tough love' approach, I know it's for the lion's own good. He can't be gathering dust in the corner of my studio for the rest of his life...that's my job...heh.
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1 John 3:18 Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

Comfy Cat

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel.
Some of the lighter lavender in the background is the acrylic which I applied to tone the canvas. I attempted to apply the paint thickly and in a single stroke in the light areas.
The reference photo for this painting was graciously supplied by Marita for the Week End Drawing Event on Wet Canvas.
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And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. ~John 8:32

N. Carolina Mountain Mist

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
I tried this scene with an analogous color scheme.....a very limited palette. This was a reference photo for the WDE on Wet Canvas and was supplied by Carolyn.

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A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
~Luke 12:15

Dragonfly #6

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
This is a spiced up version of one I did in March. The original had a lot of pure gray in the background. I like the addition of the blue and yellow.
Can't believe this is Jan. 7th....and it's 63 degrees!! Wow...gotta love it! Oh, I know Mother Nature will show us who's boss real soon and slap us with the REAL January stuff. But for now, love it for all it's worth. And be thankful that you (hopefully) have indoor plumbing for what's around the corner.
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Be still, and know that I am God!
Psalm 46:10

Ruffled Rooster

I loved this alarm clock with the ruffled feathers. Awhile back it seemed about all I painted was roosters. I somehow got away from it ...until I saw the great photo! It was graciously supplied by Li for the WDE at the Wet Canvas. This is oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel. Much of the visible red background is the acrylic tone which is applied first
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Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.~Luke 6:31

Palm Sunrise

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel.

I scrambled and painted this one today. I just had to do a final one for the year of 2007. Hope ya like it. Hope it makes you feel warm on a cold winter's night. Hope your fondest dreams come true in the upcoming year. I hope we all hold on to hope. Keep the Faith.
Happy New Year, Dean

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.~Matthew 7:7

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I've Been Tagged

I have been tagged by a very talented artist Kim Shields.

Here are the rules: 1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog. 2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird. 3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as wellas links to their blogs. 4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Stuff about me..
1....I come from a rather large family. There were 11 kids in all...I still miss all the excitement of those long ago Christmas mornings!
2....I played lead guitar and sang up until a few years ago...Country and old Rock.
3....Favorite smells...bacon frying and coffee brewing in the morning....ahhh.
4....I love to tone my canvases with an uneven reddish color prior to painting....Then when I see the beautiful marbled look, I'm really inspired to paint.
5....I pray a lot. It has helped me get through impossibly hard times.

I'd like to tag these great artists:

Jimmy Longacre

Artoutwest
Kathy Jurek
Connie Tom
Toni Grote

Merry Christmas

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel. Here's my Christmas card to all who stop by my little blog. It has been a joy doing this blog over the past year. I wish to thank my subscribers....and to those of you who have thought about it, but haven't yet....what's takin' ya so long????



I wish you all a Merry Christmas. May the New Year ahead fulfill all your hopes and prayers.

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Last Glimmer-Sunset

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.

The darks were applied thinly...the lights are a different story. They are thick at the horizon, applied with a painting knife. The painting is a bit darker than I originally intended, but that makes the horizon really accentuated.The close up gives a better idea of the actual color...couldn't get the full size to photograph quite right.

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Psalms 118:8
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

White Longhorn-Western Art

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
It seems I have been on some new ground, exploring different aspects of art in the last several paintings..but that is how you learn. But when I started doing this longhorn, I felt on familiar ground, once again. And the feeling is very good and welcome.
I applied exhuberant colors with both a painting knife and a brush...forget about subtelty...Loved it!! After several years of searching, I feel as though I have found my "style"...my "signature"....but who knows how I'll feel tomorrow??

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Deep Forest Doe

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel.
For this one, I just let the painting make the decisions for me. I had something a little different in mind when I started....but, well.....sometimes it's more fun to just roll with the flow. Thanks for looking.

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Colorful Cow

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
This painting was actually posted a few months ago. It was rather on the dark side, and I believe for that reason it didn't receive any bids on eBay. So, in the interest of science (Heh), I have repainted the bovine. I added more bright colors plus lighter values. Hope this time I get to stick a shipping label on her butt and ship her out!
So now, it's a portrait of a cow set against a gorgeous sunset skyline.. I really enjoyed doing this one! The oils were applied thickly in selected areas and turned out really well in the fur texture!Hope you enjoy!!

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'FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT'
II CORINTHIANS 5:7

Mirror Of The Soul

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
This is another effort on my part for the WDE at Wet Canvas. The host this week was Angie, and this is from a photo of her daughter, Josie. Her eyes reflect so much feeling. Here she expresses the hurt she's just undergone in a playground accident. But at the same time she shows a determined strength.... I have a feeling she will be able to handle anything that comes along in the future that stretches in front of her.
I used a close crop to get my point across, plus some inventive color!

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Bluebird #3

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel.
This is the third Bluebird I've posted on this blog. I like their complementary colors of blue and orange. I laid the oils on pretty thick with painting knife and brush...mostly on the feather areas.
As of now, this painting is not available. It was done for a client who hasn't had time to accept it yet...We'll see what happens....Up date (Nov. 28) The painting is now officially unavailable. The painting is sold.

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Expressionist Cow

Oil on top of acrylic on 8x10 canvas panel.

Here's something a little different from me today. I love to take part in the Week End Drawing Event on the Wet Canvas site on Fridays. Today Connie V.W. was the host and she supplied the reference photos. We were all invited to try our hand at her style of painting. This is the result of my effort and I found it to be great fun.

Let me know what ya think!

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Steelers--Jerome Bettis

Acrylic on 18x14 stretched canvas.
For this painting I used several reference photos plus a ton of creative artistic license. This piece is not for sale and will go to an acquaintance as a gift. Due to this, I do not think I am bending any franchise rules or infringing upon any copywrites. If you have a different opinion, please let me know..
Oh.. almost forgot... Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

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Lotus Blossoms

Oil on 7x5 archival canvas panel.
The reference jpg was supplied by Dewi for the Weekend Drawing Event on Wet Canvas this week.
This painting was done on a panel which was painted with black gesso. This method tend to really enliven colors. More "pop".>

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Rabbit Re-Do

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.
Here's a little rabbit with inventive color. He was originally posted here on Sept. 11th. I got to looking at this little painting and decided that I personally really like it. So I made a few minor adjustments...mainly to color intensity. Sometimes the smallest touches can bring the best changes. Hope ya like it!

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Three's A Crowd

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.

I toned the canvas with red acrylics. Then I added a 'frame' by taping off a border. I applied the oils thickly with a painting knife and brush. It gave me plenty of texture.

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Buffalo Sunset

Oil on 9x12 archival canvas panel.

I really enjoy doing buffalo (bison). Maybe because they are such a part of America's heritage...maybe because they are symbols of man's greed and carelessly causing near extinction. They force me to contemplate......Finished today, hot off the easel!
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Hummingbird

Oil on 5x7 archival canvas panel.

This is a painting in which I pushed the color to beautiful effect. Hummingbirds never fail to fascinate me. I just suddenly felt like busting loose with plenty of invented color. It reminds me of a kaleidoscope with the light shining through multi colored glass beads...One can imagine, with a twist of the glass there would be a new arrangement.The brush strokes are expressive and make a great textured surface.
The hummer image was graciously supplied by the very talented Lorna for this weeks' Week End Drawing Event at Wet Canvas.
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