Introducing Jesse - WIP

6:01 PM


Jesse is a black Labrador Retriever with a great sense of humor. He's a lover of all things fun and he has a really keen interest in other dogs. Jesse has an opportunity to become a service companion to someone in need. He has been living with his adoptive family in Vancouver, and they've been training him. In another month or so, Jesse with go into full training - if he makes it! His keen interest in other dogs and in playing may trip him up on his path to service. We'll have to wait and see how things turn out. 


I meant to take photos at the very beginning as I did with Thor, but I was so unsure of where Jesse was going that I completely forgot to take photos! When I remembered, this was how far I had progressed. My challenges in the piece is to paint a black dog so that it's interesting to the viewer. Black can look very flat and uninteresting if it is not used with other colors to give it variation and temperature.

Black can be a difficult color to use in transparent watercolor as well. I want his coat to have many different colors but still read as black. So far, in just his face, I have used neutral tint, perylene maroon/violet, ultramarine, sap green, permanent brown, and burnt sienna. And probably a few others I've already forgotten. More tomorrow!

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9 Creative Thought(s)

  1. This is just too adorable! Sooo greeat with the ball! You make it look easy and it cannot possibly be ...

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  2. The black colour looks gorgeous! I love the expression on his face. :-)

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  3. Thank you both for your kind comments! The ball and the expression are what pulled me right in to doing this portrait! I think if you're a dog person, or even kinda sorta a dog person, this one is going to touch you!

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  4. I learn so much when I visit your blog. It had been years since I picked up a paint brush. After I found your site a few months ago I started dabbling in the paint again. LOVE IT... you are so inspiring. THANK YOU!

    I will share some of my painting in the winter months when the garden has been put to sleep.

    Happy Spring - Thank you for stopping by my blogger.

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  5. Laure...he is so sweet! And the way you worked the black (and color) is beautiful. I agree with the others, the ball really sets it off. It still amazes me how quickly you can paint.

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  6. And thank you, Bren, for stopping by and your kind words! So glad to hear that you are painting! I hate to wait 'til winter to see them though!

    Thank you Kelly! He's quite the guy!

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  7. nice painting that's great.. I like drawing and study for digital painting for animation..
    Ramadhani-Indonesia

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  8. Thank you, Ramadhani, and thanks for stopping by! I love to see the digital painting for animation but I don't know anything about it! Looking forward to seeing some on your blog.

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  9. Laure, this is wonderful! What a great subject - and you're capturing him so well!

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