What's new and Pet Portraits resuscitated

So! I have been delinquent here, mostly because I forgot the password. So I bothered to get a new one! All because someone finally posted a new comment on an old post from last year, which came into my inbox, and gave me a nudge!

So what am I up to? Working slowly on book #6 of The Puppy Collection by Susan Hughes, published in English and French by Scholastic Canada.

And I have started doing Pet Portraits again. Got some business cards made up, made up some posters... trying to get the word out by posting at vets, groomers, petshops. And I updated my website to add a page specifically for them. BTW, my whole illustration website is updated, and you can take a look at new work from the past year here.

So, I have only had two commissions this year so far, and here they are.

First my dear longtime friend Dominique hired me to draw herself together with her departed kitty Charlotte. She just had one good photo of them together, but she didn't look very smiley, and Charlotte was a demon cat since she had flash in her eyes. But I used another photo of Charlotte to fix her eyes, and used a photo reference of Dominique on vacation to give her a happier contenance.

My first version was this one:

But Dominique preferred to have her glasses removed and a more monochrome palette, so I obliged. That is the wonder of digital! It was done, as my other Pet Portraits, in Corel Painter. I did Charlotte and Dominique in Real2B Pencil brush, and added the background and her clothing in Pastel brush.

Here are a few work in progress images:

After this one, my friend and relation, Danielle Marie, ordered a unique painting for a gift for her hubby for Christmas. She has a wonderful young Great Dane named Domino, and she wished for a portrait with watercolor. I did the drawing of Domino again in Real 2B brush in Painter 11. But then when it was approved, I printed it out onto Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper with my Epson R1900. Then I added in a wash background, as well as doing the shading on Domino's white body, with my regular Rotring Artistcolor acrylic inks, which I use to colour my children's illustrations.

I think it turned out very well. I just mailed out the watercolor paper original today.

Here are a couple work in progress.

I sent the final watercolor, but I also delivered both the black line version and the colour final version digitally, so that Danielle can print out or post online her drawing (for personal use only) without having to scan the original.

Here is the final black and white version:

Anyways, I am taking orders, if anyone is interested in having their own pet portrait done.

It starts at $125 for one pet delivered digitally, and $50 for a second pet in the same image, or to add a bust of a person (ie Dominique's was $175). The drawing for Danielle, of one pet with a wash background, was $200 plus shipping if you want the paper original. If you happen to be in Canada, I have to charge GST as well.

What a wonderful personal gift for Christmas, a birthday or other special occasion!
You can email me at inkspots@videotron.ca

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the drawings! Leave me some comments as I'd love to hear what you think!
And hopefully now that I got a new password, I won't forget it again soon!