Animals

The 3 legs cat

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Lately I am doing some experiments around animals to understand how to depict them at best. Somehow it seems to be that very classic oil portrait are a kind of too rigid medium to depict them.

Here a test with watercolor and white chalk with a charming red cat (with indeed only three legs ) oft visiting the atelier just for the company… I love his character , the pirate spirit’, a beautiful survivor – probably protagonist of a fairy tale still to be written.

I enjoyed the technique experiment, it could be that more will follow.

Ari

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A dog portrait a lively and curious puppy – to take a good photo reference of him was already a challenge. Finally he was so curious about me and the camera that i got a nice and relaxed look.

I find animals -dog in particular as I really like them-such a refreshing and relaxing subject, colors are more interesting than with humans, expression straight and true feelings.

I had fun, I hope you enjoy it too. (It’s oil painting on panel)

A little Conversation

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As last post of the year, I would like to shared one of the latest painting with dogs as subject. I am fascinated by the way they interact with each other and I took this reference because of that. The place is a beach in Normandy, the dogs are just resting, enjoying the sunshine and exchanging some impression about the place… like I would do with a friend after swimming during an holiday “ hey cool here, how do you like it?’ – “shall we go for a drink?“ – the value of a good company is not a prerogative of human beings

Oil painting on canvas, 50×60 cm

Dogs and humans

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Why do i paint dogs? Because i love their expression, their colors, the look into theirs eyes. There are no tricks or double meanings, they are just there with their emotion and feelings, ready to be with you.

Unluckily I don´t have my own dog, so models are taken by chance with me asking owners to take pictures on the street, or thanks to the good hearth of friends that provide me great references to work on.

Those portrait studies are a starting point, I want to work on this subject further, there is something in those animals that is more human than in most men and women around…it makes me love them even more.

Ah, it´s oil painting on paper.

An Italian horse

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This oil painting i did last week is an experiment, a bit bigger than usual 60×70 cm mixing oil colors with natural charcoal marks.

The reference (photo) has his story in the south of Italy where you can have the uncommon situation to have a neighbor with a garden 2 meters higher than yours… that explain the uncommon perspective and gave the animal a kind of romantic touch- the winter stormy sky was just right – I kept it and enjoyed this unusual subject.