Thursday, June 3, 2010

Frenchies, In Process - Painting a Dog a Day by Kimberly Kelly Santini

"Frenchies," 8" x 10", acrylic on Ampersand Gessobord, commissioned portrait of two French Bulldogs, a work in process. Want to commission a portrait of your own? inquiries (sketches starting at $29, paintings at $209) may always come to me.

Busy day today. I am on the exhibition committee for the Michigan Thumb Area Exhibition, a juried show that celebrates it's 50th year this summer. Today myself and other committee members spent the afternoon at our local cable channel, recording two programs highlighting the history of this particular show and the importance of art in everyday lives.

It was intended for our programs to include demonstrations, but we got so into our conversations that it was decided the demos would become separate programs of their own. Which means I'll head back with my paints another day.

But meanwhile I returned to the studio after dinner and blocked in this double portrait, the piece I had intended to start earlier. I am eager to get further along into the folds of the dogs' skin and the patterned rug with the play of light and shadow. I can already tell at this early stage that I am solidly on track to create the sort of painting that's been in my head ever since I met these two dogs.

And because I had hoped to capture this paintings' process on film, I set my video camera up. I am hopeful that tomorrow will allow me to bring you a finished portrait along with another video tutorial of my process. Fingers and toes crossed!

Finally, please hit this link and vote 5 gold stars for Painting a Dog a Day - we are currently in 2nd place by about 50 votes: http://www.dailypainters.com/blog/contest Let's band together and bring the Painting a Dog a Day artwork to an entirely new audience - the Daily Painters Group needs a dose of dog slobber and hairballs to balance out their exquisite landscapes, still lifes and figural paintings.

Recruit your friends to vote too - and then celebrate with some Ben & Jerry's Karamel Sutra. It's the perfect way to top off just about anything.

Thanks, as always, for looking at - and sharing - my artwork and musings with your friends and family.
Kim

TWITTER: ksantini
SHOP ORIGINALS & LIMITED EDITION GICLEES: at my Etsy shop
ORDER CUSTOMIZED NOTECARDS & REPRODUCTIONS: at Imagekind
COMMISSION A PET PORTRAIT: contact me
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE: contact me
READING MATERIAL: Preview and order each of the Dog a Day books at the publisher's website: The First Year (2006-2007) and That's 14 in Dog Years (2008). If you would like your copy personalized, order them through me

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