If this photo of Pete, the Write Up The Road Yard Guard and WatchCat isn’t a great one, I’ll have my watercolor paints for lunch.
I was a little uncertain at first, having all staff of the various CATegories (sorry) come into the WUTR office on a regular basis, but once you get to know them, the writers/poets/support staff are really terrific. You already know about the Freditorials for the Kibble Kids blog; Mr. Stark, the Poetry Editor who offers encouragement any time you see him, the cat stories published on Abishag’s blog, but I hadn’t realized every one of the WUTR family has a necessary role to play. We’re becoming a family by choice.
Now, here’s the point of this blog: several artists I know paint pet portraits for the owners, usually from a photo since an animal model gets tired easily. (And if it’s a Great Pyrenees, watch out for that tail! It can sweep an easel over in seconds.) These artists are happy in their work, as well as the pet owners being very satisfied with their beloved pet immortalized in acrylic or oil.
So here’s a tip – if you can’t think of something to paint, and landscapes aren’t popular in your area, or no one wants mixed media, assemblage, collage or whatever – try doing some pet portraits for your friends and relatives just to see what happens. You may have a natural talent for your work, and also showing other people exactly what makes a certain pet so special.
Besides, you’ll have models who don’t try to tell you how you should paint them. Groovy! Keep a clean bowl of water in your studio for a pet model to use and maybe a jar of treats, the vet-approved kind. (No doughnuts! They’ll make a dog as fat as they may make you eventually.)
With permission from the owner, you could turn your portrait into greeting cards, a licensing agreement for multiple copies of the finished work to be sold at retail, journal covers, illustrations for a novel or even partner with a needlework company to create a petit point version. (Seriously, man. People who are skilled with a needle grok the complicated stuff. They can work on a special canvas for years, just to get it perfect.)
Artists – to your canvas, or paper, or whatever medium you’re happiest with. Go paint a great day! – A.R. Tist