Part 2

Have positioned the dogs, and have started putting in some colour and shape, but obviously there is a long long way to go!

Desert dogs part one

Okay, so no dogs yet, but there will be... my two desert dogs Girlie and Purdy who I take for walks in the desert before I ride. This is a painting inspired by those walks and for the moment you will have to imagine the dogs, but for now just enjoy the desert.

Molly done

Just about finished Molly. Might have a play around with the markings but otherwise.... Have to get these to the framing shop so that they will be ready for the SAD ball on 17th of April. Hope it raises lots of money!

Molly for SAD - Strays of Abu Dhabi

Well, this is a work in progress (WIP) of Molly - a Saluki mix. It is the third painting I am doing for SAD - Strays of Abu Dhabi as a fund-raiser. The idea is that they are going to have a silent auction at the SAD ball in April. In addition to a painting I have donated for auction, and potentially also these three dog paintings, I have donated a "pet portrait" as one of the auction items. I will paint a picture of whoever bids for that, and so that people can get an idea of my paintings, I have been working on three different media and three different dogs.

Molly needs a good home. She was homed, but was given back to the SAD programme for some reason. She is a super dog, very calm and easy to deal with. I hope she finds a home soon.

Girlie Done

I may still have a play around with this, but it is mostly done. Only one more to go in acrylic.

Another example for SAD

This is an example of my work in pastel - it is only in the very early stages and I have only spent a few hours on it so far, however, it is shaping up. This is our dog - Girlie. She is a Saluki mix - otherwise known as a desert dog, so it seemed appropriate to put her in a desert setting. I am doing this on stretched cavas, which is not my usual support for pastel, but it seems to be working out okay so far!

Safi done

Made a few changes to head and ears and put her dog tag in, but I think this is finished now.

Not a horse - again

Seem to be doing more dogs than horses at the moment. This is an example of my work which I have done to go to the Strays of Abu Dhabi fund-raising ball - where they will be holding a silent auction. I have donated as a prize my services to paint a pet portrait, for whoever bids the most. The organizers asked if I had an example of what people might expect, and as Ollie and Tigger will be going back to Portugal at Easter, I thought I had better get painting - quick!

So this is Safi -11" x 14" oil on canvas board.

Not quite finished but moving along nicely I think.

Ollie for John and Kate

Well, this is Ollie. Acrylic on wood panel. I did this for Hailey's parents. He has a different look from Tigger, but he is a handsome dog nonetheless.

Tigger portrait for Hailey

This is an acrylic painting done as a present for Hailey Blunden who was brave enough to travel by herself to come out and visit us in Abu Dhabi. This is her dog - Tigger. I hope I have managed to get a good likeness.

latest commission

This is a big change for me. Lots of green and foliage. The type of horse is new to me as well. These are Friesiens, big black and very long manes and tails with lots of feathering on the legs. Some time I would like to return to these horses to paint them in more detail. The detail wasn't great on the reference photo, so I have gone for action and feeling - I hope it works. This is a 14''x 16'' acrylic on canvasboard.

Ramadi update

I think this is just about done now. I like how it has turned out.

Ramadi

I have just started a new commission. This one is of Ramadi. She is an old horse and the idea is that she is reflecting back on a couple of the important events in her life.

This is really only at the beginning stages, but I like the way it is going.

Think I finished now

Well, after some minor and some major changes on this, I think I am now done with this one.

Nizam al Rayyan in oil

Almost finished this one, may make some changes or add more detail to the head, but am pleased with the result especially given that the reference photo for this one was extremely poor quality. It required a lot of filling in the missing bits - a bit like a CSI project!

The hardest part has been getting any detail on the head. None of the features were visible. I still have a bit o work to do on it, but I think it is looking more promising than a while ago!

Changes to Nizam al Rayyan

I made a few changes to the commissioned piece. I've put a graduated colour in based on the tones in the original paper. I think it helps the image to 'pop' more effectively.

Nizam Al Rayyan portrait

Well, I was recently asked to do a portrait of Nizam al Rayyan. Although the reference photos weren't too good, I think I am basically happy with the result. This is pastel on canson paper, but it is quite big 40cm x 60cm and flowers are not really my thing, but hey...

A chicken for Zeca

Before I left Portugal to return to the UAE I did a portrait of one of Zeca's chickens. It is a small 6x8 inch oil on canvas destined to decorate the kitchen at the horses where I ride at the Quinta de Pateiro.

New Medium - oil at last

Been having some fun this summer just messing about with oil paint for the first time ever. I like the feel of oils but hate the time they take to dry.

These are all 4x6 canvas board with no reference other than the images in my head - I just played around with the paint and

that is what came out. it has been fun, and I will definitely try something more ambitious with oils in the future. It is a shame I couldn´t get a better quality with the scans. Since I didn´t have my camera with me I had to scan them - oh well...

A blast from the past

Back in Portugal for a few months. Came across this watercolour that I did some time ago. As watercolours go, it has to be my best to date. The horse is called Baunilha, which means Vanilla, and it reminds me of the rides out we used to do in this area in the springtime. There was another that I found, which is also a watercolour of the mares and foals that were born quite some time ago. There are two new foals this year, but I haven´t had time to paint them yet!