Here’s a rough (very rough) sketch of a custom illustration that I’m working on – this is the preliminary sketch. Things may change within it, but I thought it turned out so cute I just had to share. He’ll be incorporated into a blog design when he’s finished.

Fun stuff going on here in my little corner of the web today!

Hope you’re having a good one, I will catch up on my mail and your comments in the next day or two!

Some hoove action going on with the pig today, pretty tough making two toes and a dewclaw out of a solid round leg, but they turned out really neat – and will look even better when hair is smoothed out over the edges.

This side of the pig depicts a feed farm, there’s a specific John Deere tractor by the front barn, and a farmer pouring feed into a trough beside the barn. The underpainting for both sides are complete. The other side (below) are feed bags in a pile of feed, they’ll have lettering detailed to match my client’s family feed farm, Bordwell’s Feed.

Three paintings in one – the pig itself, realistic, and two approximately 11×19 ovals on either side with realistic scenes as well. More progress to come. My apologies for not getting back to everyone yet on your comments. I will – as soon as time permits!

Thought I’d better get a pic before daylight is gone – I’ll continue painting today, but I promised a progress shot, so here it is!

By the way, pigs DO have hair. Fur. Whatever you want to call it, they’ve got it, and I’ll be painting it.

Today was a great painting day, things are moving along and I’ll be showing you more of a progress image in the next day or two. I just wanted to show you this neat pic my hubby took while I was working, painting the underbelly of the pig.

Drilling into this fiberglass pig was no easy task. Slipping on his frames, getting them to stay in place – easy as pie. His sides are sketched and you’ll be seeing more work in progress over the next couple of weeks. He’ll be in full color (underpainting) by the end of the weekend!

Mick’s painting is complete and drying, I love how he turned out. Of course I reserve the right to tweak him in the morning, I’ve been painting for several hours and I usually notice things after a few hours away from the easel. (His muzzle looks purple – it’s not that purple, it’s just the lighting.)

Otherwise, I’ll scan and post his final scan when he’s dry.

You can see the progress against his last update here.

There’s a pig in my studio. Yes, I said a pig. Thankfully, it’s not greased. That would have definitely been problematic. I’ll be painting the pig, of course, because that’s what I do. Paint. Pigs, Catfish, Walls, Frogs, Bricks, whatever. I’m a EOP. Equal Opportunity Painter, dontchyaknow.

The design of the pig will be unveiled as I go, so for the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be all absorbed in the pig. Forgive me if things get a little barnyard’ish around here. In case I haven’t said it enough, this is a pig. A Big Pig. (Can you see my treadmill in the background? The wheel of the bike?) He’s elevated up onto my Bowflex bench, so you know I won’t be working out for a couple of weeks. I know what you’re thinking – nothing would say “dedication” like a piggy back ride – but I’ll pass on that gross display of visual artistry. heh!

In a few weeks, when the pig is complete and has a clearcoat on it, it will be on display in Geneseo, Illinois for their “Pigs on Parade” during the last weekend in July.

Tidbit of braggery: My large scale fiberglass paintings have historically been the top dogs at our local auctions. Go me!

Just call me Ms. Piggy!

Mick’s painting will dry tonight and I’ll add his lightest fur and whiskers, and finalize his portrait tomorrow. You can see the progress against his last update here.