Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Diving Polar Bear Drawing Wildlife Artwork

I have quite a bit of catching up to do in terms of art sharing. This is bound to happen when you are the sole proprietor of a business so I get to wear many hats and some things must get pushed to the back burner due to lack of time.

The following diving polar bear portrait was featured during my last solo exhibition "Drawn to Nature" and was quite popular with visitors. He was one of the last piece to be completed during my three month creative blitz and probably my most favorite to work on.


Due to the global warming phenomenon, the disappearing ice floes make it harder for this white bear to successfully hunt and find prey during the diminished hunting season.  Polar bears must stock up and replenish their body stores by consuming adequate amounts of seal blubber; this to sustain them through the rest of the year when they have nothing else to feed on. Sadly, some are unable to do this and end up having to scavenge on garbage, leaving many starving to death. "Pushing The Limits" is meant to draw attention to the shrinking world polar bears are currently facing and raise awareness about the importance and urgency of promoting environmental stewardship.

"Pushing The Limits"
 Diving Polar Bear
10"x15"
pencil drawing

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Tortie Cat Drawing Time Lapse Demonstration Progression Art Video

If you have a moment, why not turn up the volume and check out my drawing progression/demo video that I put together. I am repeatedly told that people really enjoy watching how my portraits come to life on paper or canvas so rather than post a dozen or so still photos, I've arranged them in this clip, along with captions and relaxing music!

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This cat's name is Two Face and she is a long haired tortoiseshell cat  that I was commissioned to draw. Click on the image to start watching....


Friday, February 23, 2018

Tortoiseshell Cat Pet Portrait Pastel Painting Commission

When I was contacted to commission this cat's portrait, I was sent several photographs and asked to choose the best ones. I then created two mock ups so the client could decided on a pose. They loved the two poses so much and so decided to get both done! 

This is the second commissioned artwork featuring the gorgeous "Two Face". You can see her full body pose here in a previous post.


For this piece, I used mainly soft pastel pencils along with a bit of NuPastels (mostly the black as it is one of the deepest blacks that I can find in a pastel). I did  a lot of layering and fine detailing but it was well worth the effort in the end as I am very pleased with the results.  I love this pose so much that it will be featured on my next business cards. 

I am told that Two Face has a rebellious side.. like a naughty teenager! She's quite the colorful character, both in physical appearance and in spirit! Here she is:

'Two Face"
Long haired tortoiseshell cat
Pastel
8"x10" 
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Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Work in Progress of Tortoiseshell Cat Portrait

A LOT of detailing work goes into each of my portraits. I always tell my clients that the better the reference image, the easier it is for me to reproduce a realistic looking portrait of their pet. However, finding good photos is not always possible and so in those instances I can work with several not-so-good photos and along with client feedback, I have always been able to achieve a pleasing and realistic portrait of their pet. 

Keep in mind however that clear, close up shots taken in natural light make the best reference images. For more information on how to choose or take your pet's photo for a portrait, you can read the following useful article I wrote: Tips for Taking Quality Photographs .

Stay tuned to watch the final progression of this cat pastel portrait in my future post.

 Thanks so very much for following!


Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Soft pastel cat drawing demonstration tip

As I am working on this pet portrait commission using soft pastels, it is quite normal to get an accumulation of loose dust particles. An easy way to rid of the dust is to gently tap the board on the surface of the work table but using a soft bristle brush removes the stubborn particles trapped in the nap of the velour.

Be careful not to go over the drawn in sections with the brush as it can mute the colors and some detail can be lost.

I have created several videos that show the work in progress of some of my cat, dog and horse portraits. You can view these on my YouTube channel

You can also get updates by following my Animal Artistry FB page


Monday, February 19, 2018

Commissioned Cat drawing in progress

I'm really thrilled at the opportunity to draw not only one but two customs portraits of this delightful long haired tortoiseshell cat!
I love to share my works in progress and I always get good feedback from them by followers and subscribers.
In this stage of the pastel portrait, I'm adding the fur on the side of the face and I find it much easier to rotate the panel to achieve nice flowing strokes. I also rotate my reference photo so that it is easier for my brain to better see the direction of the fur as I am working. I prefer to use an iPad as I can easily zoom in and out and move the screen around my work area.
You can see much of my daily postings on my Animal Artistry FB page  and more work on my website www.colettetheriault.com


Pet Portrait of German Shepherd Police k-9 dog

Last year I was commissioned to draw this commemorative portrait of a retired police GSD. Sadly, I was told that Marco had passed away peacefully in his sleep. His handler wanted something special to remember his partner so we came up with this wonderful composition using several different reference images.

Rest in peace K-9 Marco and thank you for your service in protecting our communities and making them safer.

You can view more work on my website www.colettetheriault.com and follow me on FB

Police K-9 Marco
14"x18"
pencil drawing
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Sunday, February 18, 2018

Golden Retriever dog Portrait Time Lapse Painting Progression Video

Thought you might enjoy watching how this custom pastel portrait of a golden retriever dog was created.
The portrait was commissioned by a client who wanted to surprise their spouse for all the hard work they do.
You can also view many more of my painting demonstration and progression videos on my YouTube channel and even subscribe for free!


Click here to view more videos on my channel

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Tortoiseshell Cat Custom Pet Portrait in pastels

This long haired cat has a beautiful tortoiseshell coat which was very fun to draw. Aptly named "Two-Face", it's easy to see why.
This is one of two portraits I am creating for a client. 

 
"Two Face" 
Long-haired tortoiseshell cat
11x14
pastels
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