"Howard's Pals" (watercolor, 22" x 30") sold

sold

Recently I received a request for an unusual commission from a client who wanted to present her husband, a hobby DJ, with a portrait painting in watercolor for their 24th wedding anniversary. Nothing unusual about that, but she wanted me to include squirrels, his favorite animal. And a robot from the TV show "Lost in Space", chocolate chip cookies, a Boston University mug, an IPhone, his favorite stuffed animals, David Letterman, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra in a radio station recording booth. Let's not forget about a few portraits of the couple and his parents somewhere in the room!

It took about a month for me from conceptualization to the finish.  I can't say it's a great piece of art, but it is a whimsical fantasy and there isn't likely to be another piece like this anywhere in the world!

Design drawing

Color study in Copic markers

I started painting section by section from the top left.

Getting there!

"Chihuahuas Rule" (oil on linene; 8" x 12") sold

sold

"Chihuahuas Rule" is for my Facebook fan, Lisa.  For my first chihuahua painting, I got to paint four of them.  Thanks, Lisa!  From left to right, they are Tido (9 years old), Logan (8), Mary (8), and Tyson (8).  They all turn 9 this year.  They are not related to each other.

Tido is the oldest and Alpha male.  He is a bully, very protective and territorial.  He doesn't like people at all.  Logan is a gentle giant, shy and quiet.  Mary, the only female, is "crazy".  She is in control; she runs the house!  Tyson is the sweetest, most loving chihuahua ever.  He thinks he is Mary's husband.

Lisa told me that I didn't have to paint the dog bed in pink.  The boys were trying to aggravate Mary by stealing her bed.  My answer was: "I like the fluffy, pink bed."  Obviously, Lisa doesn't know I love pink.  Besides, the pinks reflected onto the pale skins of the dogs' underbellies, warming them up nicely.  I balanced the pink with the yellow green shape on the far right.

If you send your pet's pictures to kimstenbergart@gmail.com, I will make beautiful pet portraits out of them.  How fun is that!  Besides, my pet portraits make perfect birthday and Christmas presents.  Thanks!