Update and new portrait started

I've done some more work on the budgie portrait and am quite happy with the result so far:

Last night, I also did the pencil outline for yet another budgie portrait. Their owner is very excited about having "Funky" and "Fussel" drawn.

Budgie portrait

While I'm still working on the portrait of two the budgies on their owner's hand, I am able to show you another budgie portrait that the client's boyfriend received for his birthday yesterday. It was done in Faber Castell Polychromos coloured pencils. The little guy's name is Lenny. He was much loved by his owners and his budgie friends - sadly, he flew across the rainbow bridge before Christmas.
Right, this is Lenny:


Another update on the other budgie portrait (and yet another one I am about to start) will follow soon. Talk then!

Budgies on hand

I have now started working on a portrait of two budgies landing on their owner's hand. I have to say that I am not keen on drawing human hands but am determined to face the challenge and gain some confidence! I think I've made a good start. I do love drawing budgies (or 'parakeets' if you are from the States) as I've got two of my own called Teddy and Alfie. If you'd like to see some of my budgie portraits, click here.

As for this particular portrait, the reference photo isn't that brilliant (you can't really see the budgies' faces) but the photo means a lot to the owner, which is why she asked for it to be drawn.

The portrait is being drawn using mixed media - pastels and coloured pencils, which I find works very well as far as small drawings of birds are concerned.

I'll keep you posted! Wow, 3 posts in 3 days.... ;o)

Friesian mare finished!

I've been working hard since my last post so I have finished the collage of the Friesian filly. Here's another WIP (work in progress) first though that I scanned yesterday.

The reference photos were not very good (especially the action shot was very small) but I managed. So here's the finished charcoal portrait:

You can check out the reference photos by clicking here.
Right, off to the shops now (even artists and their families need to eat) and then I am going to work on two budgie portraits. More later!

A New Year - A New Blog!

Well, I suppose this is one of my new year resolutions. I certainly neglected my blog in 2007 and have thus decided to start afresh. It is my intention to keep it up-to-date so hopefully there'll actually be someone out there who'd like to read it! :o)
January is usually a quiet time for many artists (and possibly a welcome chance to recover from the stress that Christmas commissions might have caused). However, I have had several clients on my waiting list since October/November and have been busy. Some of my latest portraits can be seen here http://www.finepetportraits.co.uk/NewPortraits.html. I have also got several projects lined up in case I do get some 'me'-time. Juliane Meyer, a German animal photographer has kindly allowed me to use her photos as reference pictures and I have already used a couple to experiment with charcoal - a medium I like very much indeed.
Currently I am working on a collage - a portrait of a young Friesian mare called Tasana, also in charcoal. This is how far I've got:

There'll be another small drawing of her trotting below her head (hence 'collage'). I am thorougly enjoying drawing this beautiful young horse. There are also several budgies waiting to be drawn but I'll tell you more about that in my next post. Talk again soon! :o)