Watercolor Portrait: Golden Retriever

This week I had the pleasure of working on a portrait of a Golden Retriever. A few years ago I would have been scared to attempt all that fluffy golden hair. But for some reason over time I have come to love painting furry dogs(shhh, don't tell my weimaraner). There is just something so fun about exploring the colors of their fur and interpretting that onto paper. Here is that sweet dog. And I'll be sure to include some close-ups too!

 9"x12" Watercolor on Arches 300lb Hotpressed

 Close-up

Closer-up :)

I think if I had to choose my most favorite part of painting a portrait. It would have to be the eyes. They tell the whole story. Which is why I always paint them first. If they aren't done right the whole rest of the painting is pretty much pointless in my opinion. If you would like more information about purchasing a portrait from me you can email me at emilycard{at}gmaildotcom
Hope you have a great weekend! And I should be back in a few days with a peek at some baby announcements I'm working on for a friend. They are so cute :)

From my Pallete: Watercolor portrait of Maddie & Evan

Recently I had the honor of painting these two beautiful children. Their mom entrusted me with this task and I am so glad she did. It was a delight to painting their smiling faces and capture the light in their eyes. There is something quite special about painting children. I imagine what they might have been doing when the picture was taken. And when it is two children like this I imagine what kind of relationship do they have. And what captured me the most about this portrait was the loving pose between the brother and sister. They truly look so relaxed and not at all like their mom said, "Hey put your arms around your sister and smile. No smile like you mean it." No, this picture does not portray this at all.This picture portrays a close bond of love. You can see it in the relaxed arms the boy has around his sister. He is older and he looks like a protector. You can also see it in the crinkling of their eyes as they smile and how the little girl is leaning into her brothers arms.  

As I painted this portrait it made me think about my brother growing . Boy did we fight, a LOT. But nobody said anything bad about the other one. We loved each other as much as we fought. And it also made me think about my children and the kind of relationship they might have as they grow. Will they mostly fight like I did growing up with my brother or would they have more patience for one another. Will I be yelling at them, "Hey hug each other and smile like you mean it?" Or will I capture moments like this mom did. I'm sure there will be a balance of both. But I can hope the latter is true for most of the time. Regardless of how it turns out watching the bonds of siblinghood grow has so far been an amazing experience. I hope you enjoy this painting as much as I enjoyed painting it.

I am available for portrait work. I paint children and pets(click on children &/or pets for more information).

From my studio

Did you know you can purchase my portrait services via Scrap Orchard? You can purchase Pet Portraits or Children's portraits. See you in a few days with a new release and of course a freebie!

In addition to working as a digital scrapbook designer I also paint portraits. This commission came across my work table and I thought I would share. Monty is a chocolate lab who is much adored by his owner. He goes everywhere with him. Even to work! What a lucky dog. I used to dream about having a job that would let me bring my dog to work. But the financial industry does not look upon that practice kindly. And I would often joke that they would never know my 75 lbs weimaraner was there since he'd blend into the gray cubicle walls. Now I am lucky enough to work from home and I get to hang with him all day! There is something special about the family dog. If you have a beloved dog, I'd love to hear about him/her in the comments!

November 19: Joyous Season Collab & Custom watercolor Portraits

This week I have some really awesome and exciting things in store for you! First is a fabulously doodled Christmas collab with Faith True! Joyous Season is 20% off now through November 25th. We also created a nativity themed add-on. The add-on is also FREE with purchase of the kit now through November 25th. Next up is a new service I am now offering. Custom Watercolor Portraits! I have been doing comissioned watercolor portraits for many years now. Long before digital scrapbooking. And now you can "hire" me to create your own special work of art of a beloved pet or child.

And next Friday, November 26th is our bi-annual Farmer's Market. Be on the lookout for some great new products from myself and the rest of the Scrap Orchard designers!