Custom Dog Portrait : MacTavish
12? x 16? Oil Painting
Traditional 3/4″ Deep Wrapped Canvas
© 2006 Leanne Wildermuth
All Rights Reserved
see face detail on this painting…
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MacTavish Portrait Scan
December
17
2006
AVMA
December
15
2006
A few months ago I was contacted by AVMA, aka the American Veterinary Medical Association about my painting, Coon. Some of you may remember this painting I created back in 2004 for the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley (California), it was auctioned off to the highest bidder to raise funds for their rehabilitation and release facilities. I was happy as a clam to find out it brought them a few hundred dollars, especially since this raccoon is one of their very own rescues.
Now I’m thinking this must be good karma that the AVMA selected this painting as one they wanted to feature on the cover of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association this month.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), established in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 74,000 veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services. (source)
Of course, I am positively proud and absolutely flattered and humbled both that so many professionals will get a glimpse of my work, and perhaps catch a sense of my love for wildlife. There’s no better reward for me than this, really. Truly. It’s like being in a room of 74,000 who all have everything in common – especially since my “what do you want to be when you grow up” answer was always “A Veterinarian”. Now that didn’t happen, obviously, but I am doing what I’m meant to be doing, and it does involve animals. And for that I feel blessed, and grateful.
I don’t ask for much – I just do what I love to do, and hope that people see that and remember what I’m representing when they’re looking at anything in nature – right down to the intricate veins of a Cecada.
Today, I’m honored. I’m excited, I’m elated – I can’t even identify all of the feelings swirling around right now. This is just – in a word – cool.
MacTavish WIP #6
December
14
2006
Caution: Wet Paint
View the entire progress of this dog painting here.
On the Second Day of Christmas
December
14
2006
Two Turtle Doves and
a Partridge in a Pear Tree.
Again, with the nudging, please go vote for your favorite pretty Christmas tree.
MacTavish WIP #5
December
13
2006
There’s a big difference in this one from the last work in progress, you can view them all here. He’s really coming to life – the next image you see on this dog painting will be the final photo and then the full scan & detail shots when it’s dry.
On the First Day of Christmas
December
13
2006
Also, please go pick a pretty Christmas tree to vote for. I’m not sayin’ you gotta vote for mine, but mine’s in there. Just pick the one you like.
MacTavish WIP #4
December
12
2006
I’ll be finishing up MacTavish today and tomorrow. This is the current progress shot, his eyes and nose are complete and I’ve started deepening the fur around his eyes.
You can view all of his portrait painting progress here.
Sweet Ride WIP #4 : The Underpainting
December
12
2006
Finally, the underpainting is complete. You can see this painting as it has progressed here.
It’s made an amazing transformation, but these are still just the basic colors. (fyi: the license plate has been blurred for display on the web.) I’ll paint the car all over again with highlights, lowlights and make further enhancements to the midtones. You’ll be able to hear the engine purr when I’m through with her.
Tidbit: These are the brushes I’m painting with, on a 16×20 canvas – that should explain why this is such a long process.
Anatomy of a Christmas Portrait
December
11
2006
Exhibit A: The fake smile pose. The talk about the natural smile, the begging for them to put away the fake smile (and the blue gum). Just be loving, and natural, I say.
Exhibit B: The loving, natural pose. Older sister gives younger sister a nice big squeeze, resulting in tears because “she squeezed me too hard and it hurrrrts”. Tears welling, hair mussed up, no one is happy. Now is the time (because I have the patience of a squirrel) for the please, please pleeeease cooperate RIGHT NOW talk.
Exhibit C: I can make her smile, mom! See? Ugh. She hated that, don’t ever do that to her again. Hands to yourself, please.
Exhibit D: I’m happy now! Peace out! Peace on Earth and stuff! Haha! I can count to two! Or I’m a hippie child! You decide!
Exhibit E: I’m falling off the stool, mom. Woaaahhh MOM! She pushed me!
Exhibit F: Giggling ensues, because now sissy is on the floor being dramatic about how everything in her body just broke. Thanks a LOT. Now is the time for the scoot your butt over a little bit so your sister can squeeze in right next to you talk. The coersion of being sisterly talk. The begging for it all to be over talk, because I can’t take one more second of all the drama, and all mommy REALLY wants for Christmas is a DECENT PICTURE OF HER BEAUTIFUL WELL BEHAVED CHILDREN. Really. That’s ALL. I. WANT.
And then, they did it. And they proved to me once again that even though for a half an hour they can drive me absolutely out of my gourd, in the end, they’re perfect little angels that you can’t help but love and want to squish and kiss and huggle and snuggle.
That concludes our portrait photography session. If you send your children to my house for Christmas portraits, please remember – no blue gum allowed.
