Artist Reply: Thank you Michael, I will be working on some new dog portraits soon. This one is a favorite of mine.

Artist Reply: THanks so much Melanie! She is such a clever dog, and so very beautiful, I can barely do her justice.

Artist Reply: Thank you Mahesh! Doing fur and grass is tedious for me to paint. Still, it's worth the end results. She is such a beautiful dog, and smart. First dog that goes and gets her own stick for yu to throw for her. I've watched her break sticks down to the size she likes before bringing it to you. If you ask her to get a stick, off she goes and finds one.

Artist Reply: Thanks Suriyan for your comments on Abbey, the dog. I finally know here name. Turns out it's my nephew's dog. I've moved out to the area they are, so will have to do a few more of her.

Artist Reply: Thanks Stephanie! I've three mutts at the moment. One Siberian Husky, one German Shepard, and a little Dachshund/Chihuahua who thinks he is a Doberman. THe old cat I have rules them all with catitude!LOL!

Artist Reply: Thank you! They are beautiful dogs, and so endearing. THey are a joy to watch at work and play.

Artist Reply: Thank you Blue Doll. Since I do not have to wait for the paint to dry, it takes much less than it would normally. I also can't accidently smear an area, or drop the brush, as I would with my shaky hands. I just hit undo and the erros gone. It took me about 8 hours to paint this one, due to the build up of colors and indidvitual hair and grass. I sketched the painting out, then add the colors, then work in details. I usually work on the detail areas by blowing up an area to work on, and then scrolling around, reducing to a small image to see if it works both ways. I do love this style of colors, softness with detail. It gives me more realism, yet lets me paly with multiple colors, like purlpes added in for fun. I know I should do more portraits of all types. I just get bored with one subject or style, so love to play. So much to do with digital art and things to discover. I do get around to these more serious works, as the results, when like this one, really show off my skills. Manipulations are one thing, this takes so much more time and detail. Very satisfying works, and such a joy for me. I often find a subject and work at figuring out how to do it. I did some basic portrat sketches in high school, and a couple after that. It wasn't until I was knocked off my feet and bored to death from my car accident that I got back into art. Boredom and lots of time to figure out how to self teach myself to do digital painting. I thank God for the accident, as it got me to try my hand at art again. I learn something new each time I sit down and work on my art.

Artist Reply: Thank you my friend, Miguel! Often one might go to a gallery and stare at a painting to guess about what it's subject or emotion the artist is trying to convey. Why this dog painting is easy to see, a happy dog that's been playing, I love that we can add the story, details to share. So much better, it connects. Even when we explain a mood or how we attempted and created a piece, I love the extra way we can connect with others. AW is great for that, priceless because of it. Your stories that go with many of your works are just enchanting, and addicting. Mine are blurbs, yours are epic classics!!! Happy New Year to you and yours!

Artist Reply: Thank you Jerry! I do love the soft, blending brushes when painting my potraits. I do many layers of colors to build up fur, grass layers, shadows and highlights. I thought I'd never get that grass finished. I did learn how to do it faster half way through. I have not liked th brushes for "hair" or Fur" that some programs come with that I have. I have to pain each one and don't take the easy way out. You do ink dots, me one hair or grass blade at a time. Yours takes way longer. My hands would go numb!

Artist Reply: Thank you so much for your lovely comments Tom & Susan! Yes it's an Aussie. THey are such an intellegent breed! I'm glad you liked my painting.

Artist Reply: THanks Joke! I'm glad you liked this painting.

Artist Reply: Thank you so much!

Artist Reply: Thank you Stanley! He was a great subject to work on.

Artist Reply: THank you Tabitha. I even snuck in some purple.

Artist Reply: LOL! I will thank him and see him, probably again next month, doggie toys in hand. I'll be ready to play. Hope there will be snow, and get some shots of him fetching and playing in it. That would be a good follow up painting. This one was done in late fall, but has a summer feel. Maybe I can work a 4 season series. I should add some dandelions in, but like it as is.

Artist Reply: Thank you Bianca. I get side tracked from portrait art, and need to remind myself to do them more. I have so much fun with 3-D and manipulated works, and experiment, I forget to work on them.

Artist Reply: Thank you Penny. This is my favorite type of digital painting style, I think. I love the colors, details, and , as you noticed, the softness to it. More dreamy, like me.

Artist Reply: Thank you Emily! I love a sweet dog, and this was was quite the charmer. I know he's charmed others as fast as he snapped a large branch down for throwin sticks. That made it even cuter. I'm going to get the owner's address and give a print to them.

Artist Reply: Thank you so much, Christina! I have been thinking this one out for the last few weeks trying to decide what pose to do of the dog. I took dozens of shots to study him. The darn grass was more challenging to me than the dog was. The grass took me longer to finish. LOL! I had't done a wild long grass scene before, except in a pencil drawing. I figured it out now. Now I might get around to doing some horse paintings.