Best Friends
 

Some of you have already seen this over in the WIP section, but I finally delivered this to the clients today. . . so now it's officially done. :cool:

"Best Friends"
Oil on New Traditions Linen Dibond panel (I love these panels!) 30"x24".

Terri,

This came out wonderfully. I love the arm around the dog, it's priceless. I know that dog wanted to take over the painting. I have no idea what you did to keep him in his place, but it worked! I love seeing that close-up of the boys hand, it's painted so skillfully.

Just finished thanking you for your kind words to my post, then I see THIS...I am speechless. I missed this in the WIP section...I must see how this developed. My most heartfelt congratulations.
That surface you worked on (don

This is just incredible, Terri! I loved seeing the WIP and the finished result in simply awesome.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Great composition, beautiful flesh tones (dare I say... "Bougereau-like"?) - and, YESSSS... you DID it! The dog doesn't steal the show.

Do tell - what did you do, anyway, to divert the C.O.I. from the white-chested dog to the boy?

Thanks Kim, :D, I was really pleased with how the hands turned out too. I didn't have to fuss with them too much, other than adjusting some tangents so they read without confusion. . .

Carlos, Thanks! As far as how it developed there are still progression images posted on the 'On the Easel' pages of my website. I made a few compositional changes prior to starting the thread in WIP here. . . The New Traditions panels are available online -- I don't know if they ship overseas, but I'd guess that might get prohibitively expensive. . . The large sizes especially are pricey to begin with, but I like the texture of their L600, the lead priming, the light-weight, rigid backing that doesn't need to be cradled. The one drawback that I've found is figuring out how to store works in progress, when working on multiple pieces at once. With stretched canvas, you can just hang them on the wall but these are flat. . . ?

Thanks Lacey! :)

Cindy, gosh thanks! I'm so glad you think the center of interest is where it should be now -- that was driving me crazy!! Mostly pushed back the contrast in the stones behind him (thank-you Allan :) ), and added finishing detail to his face. Moved one of the 'seams' in the rocks so that it pointed towards him, rather than the dog, and slightly shifted other seams a bit that way too. . .

Oh Terri! What a knockout of a painting! I was wondering what you've been up to lately, and now we know. I love how you are so sensitive to every texture change. This is a real prize winner!

Now you and Garth H. can compare Welsh Corgis!

Terri, this is stunning. Your paint has such a lush feel to it; all the forms are soft, turning and rounded. It gives your work a "comfortable" feeling. Does this make sense? Regardless --- heartfelt congratulations on a great portrait!

[An aside: New Traditions is apparently moving warehouses. I know this because I got caught in mid-order. It's been over a month and still no panels. AND I'm teaching a plein air class!!! Luck of the Irish, I guess. Anyway - a caveat to those who want to order right now.]

Terri.

Fantastic! Kimberly is right - that boy's hand is masterfully painted. Well, of course, everything is...but that hand just sings.

Linda, Rob, David -- thanks so much!

(And Rob, thanks for the heads up on the warehouse move at NT!)