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Post by Billie on Feb 25, 2006 9:02:54 GMT -5
Thank you!
;D
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Post by robinw on Feb 25, 2006 10:27:16 GMT -5
how in the world did you ever manage to capture the poop disturbing expression in loca's eyes? i am impressed!
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Post by Billie on Feb 25, 2006 16:49:51 GMT -5
how in the world did you ever manage to capture the poop disturbing expression in loca's eyes? i am impressed! Gulp. Is that what the expression is? LOL LOL LOL!!!!! :o |
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Post by Billie on Feb 27, 2006 16:29:51 GMT -5
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Post by Sighthound Fan on Feb 28, 2006 16:31:40 GMT -5
Beautifull, that really is an amazing piece
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Post by Billie on Mar 2, 2006 8:24:02 GMT -5
Thank you!
I haven't figured out what my style is yet, or if I even have one...clients have referred to my paintings as being very warm and expressive, and they seem to connect with them on an emotional level, which I think is great! I love that.
But I mean my painting style varies from serious (to an extent) to whimsical and almost illustrative. It seems to vary with the pose and the animal's expression. and what the client wants.
I always work with the client on picking a photo (s) to work from, and what kind of background he or she might like....but when I do these paintings on my own, of course I just do what I want. This one did sell to the owners, who lent me the photo of their pooch to work from, I knew there wasn't a guarantee they would buy the result, I just wanted to do the painting as a "spec" painting...meaning I asked to use the photo as a "model", and they were under no obligation to buy the result, it wasn't actually commissioned. But they are agreeing, when lending me the photo to work from, that if they don't want the painting, I am free to offer it to the general public.
But when I do these spec paintings I of course always offer the resulting painting to the owners before putting it up for public sale. Sometimes they buy them, sometimes not. I fit these spec paintings in between actual commissions from clients, since they're not specifically commissioned and aren't on a deadline of any kind, plus I don't get any fee up front when I do these, so they're not "for hire". When I do spec paintings I just do exactly as I want, without any input from anyone else...so that's part of why they vary in style too, I think.
This one I had been meaning to get to since the beginning of January! When I do these, the people who lend me the photo to paint from are agreeing that they don't mind if I offer the painting up for public sale if they don't want it. If they don't want it, I don't put their pet's name on the image. And of course I do not put my clients' (the people) names on them anyway.
I do my spec paintings at the 12" x 16" size that's mentioned on the Bio/Commissions page of my website.
Actually I could use a couple more GH "models" so if anyone wants to lend me their GH to use as a model, please e-mail me. I do ask for high-resolution, clear photos to work from, preferably taken in natural light, without a flash, although I have gotten some excellent flash photos to work from, in the past. I ask for the largest file size of the image I can get....in other words, those huge image files straight off the digital camera, before they're sized down, most people say "I don't want those huge images sent to my e-mail!".... I DO want exactly that, if at all possible.
:)
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Post by patricia on Mar 3, 2006 15:06:30 GMT -5
Beautiful work, Billie. Do you paint other animals. I would love a painting of Toby.
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Post by Billie on Mar 3, 2006 16:53:13 GMT -5
Beautiful work, Billie. Do you paint other animals. I would love a painting of Toby. Sure, I'll paint anything with eyes, except no bugs and certainly NO arachnids/tarantulas. That would give me nightmares. Even a snake (actually, I like snakes and lizards etc...just hate anything like a spider). |
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Post by Billie on Mar 9, 2006 14:55:12 GMT -5
Here's an earlier GH painting I did, that was at the vet's office where I have several paintings up...it's been bothering me every time I stop by there, lol....so I switched it out for another one, took it home this morning, it hadn't been varnished so I could fiddle with it some more. The background was kind of an icky green that I never really liked. Plus I played around with the eyes some more. ::) Here's before: artbybillie.net/Pennymrkd.jpgand after: www.artbybillie.net/Greyhound12mrkd.jpg |
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Post by Billie on Mar 28, 2006 14:30:32 GMT -5
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Post by Billie on Apr 7, 2006 6:44:18 GMT -5
A recently finished Whippet....I haven't painted many Whippets yet. ::)  |
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Post by Sighthound Fan on Apr 7, 2006 11:41:03 GMT -5
Awww, the Whippet is stunning!
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Post by Billie on Apr 12, 2006 7:09:24 GMT -5
Thank you! And I enjoyed painting this one a lot, I haven't done very many Whippets yet!
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Post by Billie on Apr 30, 2006 7:31:08 GMT -5
I did my first vending yesterday, at something called "Bark Around the Park". I called it a warmup/dry run for the upcoming Cinco de Mayo in Oak Ridge, NC...as it took place five minutes from our house. I think I was the only person without a tent, lol! EEk. At least it wasn't hot. Yet. But it was sunny! I didn't take Buddy because I didn't know what to expect. I did take 30+ sunscreen, but no hat. The grids I hung the paintings are, are ones John lent me. They won't fit in my car. I'll need to get some shorter ones that will fit, sometime too. I had to be there at 9 to set up, and couldn't leave til 3. At about 9:30 I phoned my husband and said "I want Buddy! Can you please bring him over here to me? And a water dish for him? And would you bring me my big hat?" So then I could also "test" Buddy. For Cinco de Mayo I will be bringing the crate I bought for him to sit in. I was set up next to my friend John, and his CrazyCollars booth, by our request. I did take some photos of him but he said "Don't you post any photos of me on the internet!" lol so I can't. It was fun but EXHAUSTING! I was out in the sun all day. I got burned on my chest, through my shirt...I forgot that can happen. I had put block on my arms, neck, etc, hands....but forgot that the sun can penetrate a white shirt. I was afraid to leave my booth, I left it once to use the restroom, and John watched my stuff for me, but as I was almost to the restroom I saw people coming over to my booth from across the field and thought "AHHH! I need to be there to answer questions!" and got back over there as soon as I could. And stayed. And didn't get any water (for me, Buddy had some) or any food, until I got home at 4 pm. Whew! I went to bed at 9 last night! Buddy wanted to be in my lap a lot, but he finally had enough sense to go under the table, to sit in the shade. John gave me a dressy collar to put on Buddy, the one you see (you can't leave these dress-up ones on the dogs unattended, no). I thought it looked cute on Buddy but of course my DH was horrified when he saw it...."You dressed Buddy up like a french sleeper!" LOL!! Anyway here are some pictures. I will see everyone who is going, at Cinco de Mayo! And I think I get a tent this time! Wheeee. I need to buy one, after this. No, the sun won't hurt the paintings, being out for a few hours. But it was very tiring for me. Lots of fun though! There were all kinds of dogs there of course! And I saw some Greyhounds too.    |
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Post by Billie on May 20, 2006 6:48:31 GMT -5
Hi y'all! I haven't been here as much lately, been really busy painting, plus I have trouble accessing this site a lot of the time, I know it can't be helped though. Anyway I am painting mostly Greyhounds, as usual, which I love, but lately I've also done a cat (haven't painted many cats), and another Italian Greyhound.....and am in the process of painting a Briard right now. Anyway here's the Iggy I just did, I did this one for a friend of mine.  I've been working on a series of what I call "The Big Nose Collection" of Greyhound paintings, some are commissioned, some are in my spare time. I went to another vending event recently, a Greyhound one for the GFNC, it was on the Cinco de Mayo weekend, and that was a lot of fun, got to meet lots of Greys and their owners, and an adorable GH puppy named Ginny. |
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