Happy 2009!!! Time to get creative!

• Hi all,
• Well, we're careering into 2009 at one heck of a rate, aren't we?! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a fun New Year! Mine was one for family and as always it was extremely manic! I think I'm about recovered from it all (now we're nearing the end of January!), so it's now time to get back to all things creative!
• Below are details on my current project; it is for a fellow member of the Model Horse community, Joan Berkwitz. Joanie is a ceramic artist who not only creates some of the most incredible glazed pieces, but also casts china models (a subject which mystifies me!). In particular, she has control over the edition of these models. More photos of this model glazed by Joanie and other artists can be found on Donna Chaney's Animal Artistry website here and here.
• I am quite an avid Animal Artistry collector, and have more recently begun to collect bone China and Earthenware pieces. This particular model has been on my grail-list, as due to the cancelled Pour-Horse run it has technically never been released! There are a number that have been sold, but those people who have them must really love them, as they very VERY rarely come up for sale!
• The reason I'm talking so much about china models and not drawings, is that Joanie has VERY kindly agreed to glaze a copy of this model for me, in exchange for a set of portraits of her three German Mittle-Spitz dogs; Casper, Bear and Yasha.
• I'm being very lucky with the portraits I've been asked to do, in that they've all been of incredibly gorgeous animals! These dogs continue that pleasant trend, so I would like to introduce you to:

Casper

Bear and Yasha

• These images show how I begin the portraits. As you can see they aren't perfect, but for the purposes I need them for, that's ok. What I've been trying to work out is the composition. I've always struggled with getting the elements in my drawings into a good composition, so taking this step saves me an awful lot of time and mistakes! So, I put the chosen photographs into a photo editing software, and then remove the background, add in a coloured background which I can easily change (these probably won't be on brown, but I usually start with this colour) and then I remove bits, add bits and generally "fiddle" with the images until I'm happy with the overall balance, and in this case, the harmony between all three images. As you can see, we've chosen three photos that can be displayed side by side, and as one dog looks slightly left, one slightly right and one mostly front-on, they should make for a nice arrangement whilst still looking balanced alone (should Joanie decide to display in separate places).
• I also get to play with the brief I was given, and with any effects or styles. If I mess up at this point it's easy to press UNDO, so now is a good time to play! The information I'm aiming to convey (in addition to as accurate a portrait as possible, and some other points) is as follows:

1. Casper is an "old-style" American Eskimo dog. He is smaller than the two younger dogs and his features are more pointed. Casper has tear-stains by his eyes, which although undesirable in the breed (they are hereditery), they are a part of him so these will remain and just be slightly reduced as this photo was taken at a time when they were quite strong.
2. Bear is the biggest dog, he is masculine and strong, but laid back. He has a more pronounced "ruff"(mane) than the other two dogs.
3. Yasha is a "new-style" Eskie, like Bear. She has more dainty features, and has very, very soft fur.
4. Casper is thirteen years old, whilst the two youngsers (brother and sister) are both about two and a half. I don't want Casper to look really old in his portrait, but he does have a glint of wisdom in his eyes that I really hope I can portray.

• I avoid making any changes to the details of the dogs; it's vitally important to make sure that I draw "Casper, Bear and Yasha", not just "three white dogs". Saying that though, at this point it is really handy to be able to remove any undesirable elements. I get terribly distracted by bits I don't want to draw and can get quite frustrated , so being able to clean up any little flecs on the picture, or unwanted tangles in the fur can really help me.
• So, this is where I'm at now. I have to admit this project has me quite worried as white fur is so very difficult to portray well. I just hope I am able to master it, or that precious little clinky horse always will remain a grail!

More on this project to come, and also more on recent sculpting endeavours including the revealing of my "secret model"!