Dog Paintings » dog

Busy, Busy Busy! It seems like there is never enough hours in the day to get everything done – and that is my excuse for not updating my blog more regularly and I’m sticking to it! One of the big things that is taking alot of time -many, many, many months – is a BIG PROJECT that is slowly nearing completion (click the link and follow me on Twitter for the announcement on that one).

I’ve also got a few new paintings to add to the blog, and a couple more that I am still working on, one of a dog painting, the other a horse and rider that is not flowing the way I would like it too, maybe a few days break from that one over easter will allow me too look at it again with fresh eyes.

Several people have asked how I complete my digital paintings with my graphics tablet and stylus, so I’ve also been working on a small series of articles explaining the different types of digital art and the process that I use to create my digital portrait paintings – some people seem to think that digital paintings are ‘one-click’ photoshop effects, but that explanation couldn’t be further from the truth!

In the meantime (because I have to run and feed the horses their breakfast!) this is a pet portrait painting I have recently completed of my gorgeous Border Collie dog, Taj (yes a painting for me!). This is one of those paintings that just flowed without interuption, I suspect because I know the subject so well:) Taj is a rather extroverted character, he’s never met a stranger and is such a show-off, he loves posing for the camera and really is the perfect photograhic and art model! It may run in the family, because one of his uncles is the Border Collie in the Better Homes & Gardens television commercial.

Prints of Taj’s portrait painting will be available for purchase from Redbubble and Zazzle shortly.

Blue, Border Collie | Pet Portrait Artist

Michelle — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:57:07 +0000

Border Collies are my favorite breed of dog – we have two and would have a lot more if we could! I know this little painting of a working bred Border Collie would make an excellent Christmas present for any BC lover:)

“Blue”

Border Collie oil painting

5″x7″ on canvas board

$150.00AU inc shipping

10% of your investment in this artwork will be donated to Border Collie rescue

: “Blue” Border Collie Oil Painting by Michelle Wrighton

Thanks for looking at my new artwork! Don’t forget, if you would like to see your dog immortalized in a daily Dog Paintings, you can submit a photo of your dog obligation free!

Cheers

Michelle

http://michellewrighton.com

Helpings Paws – Exhibition now Live

Michelle — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:54:42 +0000

How exciting! The Canine Art Guild’s inaugural “Helping Paws 2008 Online Exhibition” is now online!

The original and Limited Edition artwork in the exhibition comes from an international collection of artists who have partnered with local animal shelters and rescues and have pledged a percentage of their sales from this exhibition in support of animal welfare efforts.

In addition, visitors to the online exhibition can vote for their favourite artwork and three People’s Choice honours will be awarded, with cash donations being made to the shelters affiliated with the artworks receiving the most votes for People’s Choice awards

All three pages of artwork can be viewed in the Canine Art Guild’s “Helping Paws 2008″ exhibition which will remain viewable online through to at least January 31, 2009.

As promised, this is the third entry that I have submitted to the exhibition, along with “Noble”, the German Shepherd in charcoal and “Angel in Blue” my American Staffordshire Bull Terrier in oils.

“Peaches and Cream”

Pomeranian

Pastels on Suede

Image Size 8.5″ x 12″ approx

$400.00AU

10% of your investment in this artwork will be donated to

K9 Dog Rescue, Mandurah Western Australia

"Peaches & Cream" Pomeranian in pastels by Michelle Wrighton

Please visit the “Helping Paws” exhibition and let me know what you think of all the wonderful canine art!

Thanks for reading!

Michelle

http://michellewrighton.com

#1 “Hallie” – Dachshund painting | Pet Portrait Artist

Michelle — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:09:15 +0000

Well its the first of October so I had better post this one:) This is the first small format painting I have done in the dog painting series (so far all the art I have posted has been portfolio work in my personal collection). This is “Hallie” a most remarkable long haired black and tan dachshund, loved and owned by a fellow artist, Dee Dee Murray. When I saw the photo of Hallie laying on the couch, I just couldn’t resist the look on her face, isn’t she sweet?

This painting is still detailed and realistic, especially considering its size. I am pleased with how she has turned out, but I do think that it is going to take me a while to loosen up a bit more with my paintings!

“Hallie”

Long Haired Dachshund

5″ x 7″

Oil on canvas board

$150.00AU inc postage worldwide

10% of your investment in this artwork will be donated to

K9 Rescue

Dachshund painting in oils by Michelle Wrighton

I have scanned this painting rather than photographing it, and the blue and green background in the image is showing quite a bit brighter than in the original painting, where the colours a bit more subtle.

Please feel free to leave a comment, I’d love to know what you think of “Hallie”.

Michelle

‘Helping Paws’ #1: AmStaff | Pet Portrait Artist

Michelle — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:59:06 +0000

“Angel” is my first exhibit in the Canine Art Guild’s “Helping Paws” online Exhibition which will take place between October 1 2008 and January 31 2009.

“Angel in Blue”

American Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Traditional oil painting by

Michelle Wrighton

16″ x 16″ Gallery wrapped canvas

2008

$750.00 plus shipping

(This painting is entered in a competition and will be available for shipping in early November).

10% of your investment in this artwork will be donated to

Animal Protection Society

"Angel in Blue" American Staffordshire Terrier dog oil painting by Michelle Wrighton

All of the artwork in the CAG Helping Paws Exhibition is for sale with part proceeds going to rescue groups and shelters selected by the artists around the world.

To view the work of many talented canine artists, please visit the ‘Helping Paws’ Exhibition and while you are there, vote for your favourite painting – the rescue group chosen by the artist who wins the People’s Choice award will receive a cash donation from the Canine Art Guild (as well as the artists’s donation pledge when the art sells).

‘Helping Paws’ Art Exhibition

Michelle — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:51:43 +0000

I am a member of the Canine Art Guild, and will be exhibiting three of my dog paintings in the upcoming CAG ‘Helping Paws’ International online Exhibition for canine artists. The exhibition will be held from October 1, 2008 until the end of January 2009.

All of the artwork in the Exhibition will be for sale with each artist pledging a percentage of the sale price to their choice of rescue groups and shelters around the world. In addition, further cash donations will be made to the rescue/shelter group supported by the artists who’s artwork is voted as the ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Honorary Mentions’ at the end of the exhibition.

I have pledged donations for a percentage of the sale price of my dog paintings in the exhibition to the Animal Protection Society of WA and K9 Rescue. I will add posts for the individual paintings closer to the exhibition date.

To view the work of some of the world’s most talented canine artists and vote for your favourite dog painting, please visit the Canine Art Guild’s ‘Helping Paws’ Exhibition – its for a very worthy cause!

Tia: Black Shar-Pei pet portrait in pastel

Michelle — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 08:05:41 +0000

Apart from some minor adjustments that I might add in the next day or so, this is the (almost) completed portrait of our Chinese Shar-Pei, Tia.

Achieving depth and dimension with her black coat and all those wrinkles was a great challenge, but I thoroughly enjoyed working on this and I am really pleased with the resulting portrait, although I might need to get a better photograph in better light!

“Tia”

Pastels on Velour Art Paper

10″ x 14″

Tia - Shar Pei Pet Portrait in Pastels

2006

This is the reference photo I used for Tia’s portrait – as you can probably see I took this photo with the flash on (something that is not usually recommended), just to make sure that I could see all the curves and contours of her wrinkly face! Most of the photos I have of her are either very black, or if she is in full sunlight, her eyes will be closed, so using the flash was the best way to get a nice detailed photo, then it was simply a matter of making her fur darker than it appeared in the photo to make it look like my dog rather than the washed out/faded reference photo.

This Shar-Pei art pet portrait features on dog breed merchandise such as stationery, prints, greeting cards, tote bags and more.

Shar-Pei Breed Info: Shar-Pei’s are an ancient dog breed, and are still fairly rare, although thanks to tv commercials such as the toilet roll ad with the wrinkly puppy, “Rolly” they are becoming more popular.

The breed is best known for its wrinkled apprearance which is caused by the excess skin they have. generally puppies and young dogs appear to have more wrinkles as older dogs grow into their skin a little bit. (This is actually a good thing, as Shar-Pei’s do suffer from skin conditions do to the wrinkles and rough fur irritating the skin.)

The name “Shar-Pei” literally means “sand-skin”, or loosely translated to “sand-paper-like coat” which refers to the unique characteristics of the Shar-Pei coat – its roughness and its shortness. The Shar-Pei also has another distinctive characteristic that is shared with only one other breed, the Chow Chow (also a Chinese breed) – both breeds have a blue-black tongue!

Of course I am biased, but Shar-Pei’s are an incredible breed – totally devoted to their families, highly intelligent and excellent watch/guard dogs!

More information on the Shar-Pei breed can be found at http://www.sharpei.com.au/

Cheers

Michelle

An Australian Kelpie Dog Pet Portrait for Christmas!

Michelle — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 08:13:19 +0000

Wow Christmas seems to have come around so quickly this year! I’ve finished my last Christmas commission, a commermorative portrait of a beautiful Australian Kelpie called Tas who recently passed away. This portrait was done on Art Spectrum blue-grey Colourfix paper, 9 x 12 inches with a pastel underpainting and all the top layers of detail done in artists colour pencils.

Breed Profile: The Australian Kelpie

The Australian Kelpie was developed in the 1800′s by a small group of Australian Pastoralists from the inter-mixing of offspring of three pairs of working sheepdogs from Scotland.

Kelpies are an alert, eager, highly intelligent, loving, gentle, easily trained, loyal and devoted breed. Although devloped as a sheepdog – a job at which they excel, Kelpies also make wonderful family pets for people who can accomodate their mental and physical activity needs with pleanty of excercise and activities that allows them to use their intelligence, like Obedience training, agility, tracking or other dog sports.

The Australian Kelpie is of medium size, with males usually between 46 – 51 cm (18 – 20 inches) and females betwee 43 – 48 cm (17 – 19 inches).

The Kelpie has a moderately short coat (imagine somehwhere between a German Shepherd Dog and a Doberman), and has seven different colour variations: Red, Red and Tan, Black, BLack and tan, Chocolate, fawn and Smoke blue.

Follow the link below to see photos of different Australian Kelpie dogs:

http://images.google.com.au/images?q=Australian+Kelpie&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

Now I just have to finish and frame Amarok’s portrait and I can have a short holiday over Christmas and do some ‘non-commission’ art for myself:)

I hope you all have a Happy and Safe Christmas and New Year, wherever you may be in the world!

Cheers

Michelle