A Dog Day Afternoon.

"A Dogs Life"

by James Swanson / Traveler David W.

12" x 18" Oil on Canvas

A funny thing happen to me 
on the way to the forum, my Painting went to the Dogs. 

I was on my way to start the painting of Italy this month, but I had a little time to kill before I started. So I decided to get to a painting that I've wanted to for a long while.

Traveler David W at Letchmore Heath. 

The photo that I'll be working with comes from an old traveler of this project David W. In January of 2009 David was in Letchmore Heath just North of London when the snow of the century hit.

  His short stay ended up being two weeks longer than he planned. Lucky for him the pub was still open.

Traveler Davids new best friend Hunter.

Traveler Painting " A Dogs Life." With my sights on Italy, I  found my self with an open afternoon to paint and thought about all the photos from Travelers that I still have to get too. But with just an afternoon I needed something that I thought would be fun and yet quick to knock out. And then I remembered this shot of Traveler David's of his new friend Hunter on a chair.

The sketch on canvas. After I sketch out the painting in my sketch book I rubbed some Burnt Umber and a oil mixture into a canvas. It's a really smooth canvas that I've had really good luck with before. I find that the plate like finish of the canvas holds my brush strokes really well.

Starting on the dark colors first to firm up the painting. There isn't a lot of real darks in this painting, but what darks there are they are everything to this painting.

For a white dog there sure is a ton of color in his coat. Hunter's fur reflex all the colors of the chairs cover. This is one of the things I didn't see until I delved unto this painting.

With the colors of Hunter blocked in it's time to define his space a little. I liked how Hunter was turning out at this point and didn't want to over power him with a complicated colorful chair. So I decided to let the original canvas wash show through and paint just enough to indicate the environment around him.

Done. I letting the brush strokes do all the work in this painting.  The only area that I detailed much was Hunters face. It was almost like painting a persons portrait., if it didn't look like Hunter it wouldn't work.

Details from the Painting.

I really like how thick I put on the paint in the light areas.

I let the strokes a lone to speak for the most part.

Detailing the head had to be done just right. 
To much here and I would have to detail out
the whole painting just as much.

Detailing the head had to be done just right. 
To much here and I would have to detail out 
the whole painting just as much.

Framed and ready to go.
 

"A Dogs Life"

by James Swanson / Traveler David W.

12" x 18" Oil on Canvas

My Dog Day Afternoon painting turned out rather well. Thanks goes out to Traveler David W. for his story and us of his photo. Hearing his story first hand really helped set the mood for this one.

Now it's time to start my virtual travels of Italy. I will kick it off with a painting a day trip following the trail of new Traveler Jim. M, It starts September 13th and will be a 14 day trip of Northern Italy following the route of  PBS Travel Guide Rick Steves. 

Join us for that special event it should be  a good time. Until then, so long.