http://www.martinanewtonart.com en-gb martinanewtonart.com 2010-5-27T00:00:00Z martinanewtonart.com http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#66255 2010-5-27T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#64968 More depth added now trying to bring out the muzzle so it looks 3D. A little bit more detail on the eyes but still quite a way to go . . . 2010-5-10T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#64073 Ive decided to start this portrait a little differently beginning with a dark background. It looked a little alarming in a messy burnt umber but the latest edition of Leisure Painter had an article showing a stepbystep of a painting of a springer spaniel which I thought Id use for practice. Working from dark to light seems to give a good impression of the fur closer to the skin. Ive used titanium white followed by sand followed by mixtures of mars black white and yellow ochre. I think itll need several coats to give it more depth of colour and tone. 2010-4-28T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#60978 I decided to give my new Cryla acrylics a tryout and thought Id transfer my practice piece of Buddy onto a canvas. This was the first stage a sketch in 2B pencil on a canvas 40 x 50 cm.I thought blue for the background as I could then use some greyish blues in his coat to bring the two together. Next I blockedin some of the main colours including some red on his ears no doubt inherited from his Irish setter mum Hes taking shape now Ive used a range of greys browns and whites to give him the different contrasts he has in his what looks like predominantly black coat. Its amazing just how many colours a black dog can have in their coat.Here he is finished for now. Ive left him on the easel so might add a few hairs here and there. This was taken in quite gloomy daylight so the colours dont look as rich as the ones above. Overall though a good likeness of Buddy the Border Setter as we like to call him. 2010-3-20T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#60669 I first sketched an outline of the dogs then using grey velour paper I put the sketch over the top and with the lid of a pen lightly pressed through to give an indent. I wasnt sure whether Id be able to rub out pencil marks so this seemed the way to go.I lightly applied the base colours with Rembrandt conte pastels.Rosies complete and now to continue with Gracie. For the detail I used FaberCastell pitt pastel pencils. I worked mainly from left to right in order to avoid smudging but I also covered up sections with clean paper to rest my hand on.Here they are both finished ready in time for Mothers DayNow off to the framers for mount backboard and cellophane. 2010-3-16T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#60516 This is Gracie a retired rescue greyhound. Shes cheeky a prolific food thief and a bit of a tomboy.This on the other hand is Rosie the ladyof the household.Also a retired rescue greyhound a beautiful brindle colour which Imlooking forward to drawing 2010-3-14T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#60334 Here he is . . . white picture mount backed and covered in cellophane to keep him clean. I thoroughly enjoyed drawing him he looks a real character. 2010-3-11T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#59866 Another two hours or so and most of the detail is there. Im finding this much easier now Ive got a daylight bulb in my lamp much easier on the eyes and no distracting colours thrown onto the page. Ive just got the detail of the ears to do. I left these as they look a slightly different texture to the body fur more silky and the curls are a tad tighter. The bib also needs some shading as its too stark as it is. 2010-3-5T00:00:00Z http://www.martinanewtonart.com/page3.htm#59685 Im happy with the sketches and now have transferred the outline to some Fabriano 50 cotton rag paper. Ive not used this before so a great learning experience all round. The pencils Im using are FaberCastell and Derwent graphite. This is progress about 2 hours from the outline. Still a fair few layers to do in order to get the depth. This photo shows the original image although Im using a couple in order to check between features that arent too clear. 2010-3-3T00:00:00Z