Painting a Pup a Day: Daily Dog Paintings by Lara Harris, "Maggie" the Boxer

Painting 12,"Maggie," 9"x 12",
oil on canvas
(SOLD)

10% of the proceeds will go directly to
Best Friends Animal Society

This is the completed painting of "Maggie," the Boxer. I'm waiting to hear back from the owners for the final ok, and then I will sign and date this piece in the lower right hand corner & wait for it to dry. 10% will be donated to Best Friends Animal Society. Boy what a challenge painting a Boxer can be! They have a rather unique nose & muzzle and their eyes are quite different as well. I also found the shorter fur to be more of a challenge as opposed to longer haired breeds like the Westie, Sheltie, or Golden Retriever. However, this was a great learning experience for myself as I am trying to add a number of new breeds to my repertoire with my Painting a Pup a Day project...and now I can add the Boxer! I now will be starting a Westie Painting for a Charity Picnic on April 26th that is being held by the Westie Rescue of Orange County & Beyond. They will auction off a painting of mine as well as a custom pet portrait, so if you are in the OC be sure to sign up! I will also be starting on a painting of a friend's Pug and an adorable Westie who lives in North Carolina :o) If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project drop me an email at Loveall4Him@aol.com and I can send you my current price list & put your name on my waiting list!Pet portraits make a wonderful gift for friends, family, or for yourself!10 % of the proceeds of each painting goes to dog rescue.

Painting a Pup a Day: Maggie, the Boxer...in Progress

I have been currently working on a portrait of a Boxer named Maggie and thought it would be fun to show the stages of this piece so far. I am finding certain breeds that have a smoother coat with shorter fur to be a bit more challenging than breeds with longer fur, but I think Maggie is coming together quite nicely. I generally start off with a loose sketch in paint, block in color, and then go in for the details. I always start with the eyes, and then work from inside out...the nose, mouth, ears, body, and finally the background. I'm hoping to have this piece finished by the end of this week at the latest, so stay tuned! If you would like your dog included in my Painting a Pup a Day project please feel free to send me an email to Loveall4Him@aol.com and I can put you on my current waiting list! 10% of each portrait goes to dog rescue.

Last of 3 Black Lab Paintings: Meet Bebe!

This is the 3rd and final painting in the Black Lab Trio, Bebe, a Black Lab Mix adopted by Patty Defee in Alabama. It was a true pleasure to work with Patty and to spend some time getting to know her sweethearts! 10% of the proceeds of the trio will be going to A Place to Bark in TN, a no kill foster and adoption rescue dedicated to the welfare of animals founded by Bernie Berlin .
If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project feel free to drop me an email and I can send you my current price list as well as put your name on my waiting list. 10% of each portrait goes to one of the dog rescue groups I work with on a personal basis or thru the artists group Art 4 Critters.

2nd of Three Dog Paintings Complete!

This is the 2nd painting of three completed for my customer in Alabama! Her name is Taffy, just like one of our dogs! I love painting senior dogs, their faces have so much character....it's like they have hidden stories to tell. Taffy's eyes are so soft and expressive. I bet she is a real sweetheart! Stay tuned for painting #3 which will complete the trio! Can't wait to see how all three paintings will look once they are grouped together! If you would like to be part of my Painting a Pup a Day project feel free to send me an email at Loveall4Him@aol.com I would be more than happy to add your name to my current waiting list!

One Down, Two to Go!....

I thought it would be fun to share the 1st of 3 paintings I have been working on this week. This is Ozzy, a Black Lab mix owned by Patty Defee. She owns three dogs, all of them rescues, all of them black, and of course, all of them dearly loved! I am now working on her dog, Taffy....and how cool is it that we also have a 'Taffy'?:o) Stay tuned!

The Canine Trio: Bebe, Ozzy, & Taffy

So, yet again do not adjust your screen! What you see are not three completed paintings, but rather the beginning stages of a triptych if you like. Some may find the way I paint a bit crazy, but hey it works for me so I'm sticking with it! I generally start out each painting with a very rough sketch in paint, and then I block in color as you can see here. Then I go in for the details, usually starting with the eyes which I find to be one of the most important parts of any portrait. From there I work on the nose and mouth, and finally the ears and fur. I often feel a bit like a sculptor when I paint, which may sound a bit odd, but that's how I feel with each painting. I think this is why when I start with a blank canvas I cannot wait to cover it completely with blocks of color. Once the white is covered , I begin 'carving out' the image through many brushstrokes and layers of paint. Stay tuned for the finished pieces!

If you would like to be a part of my Painting a Pup a Day project, feel free to send me an email to Loveall4Him@aol.com and I would be happy to send you my current price list and put you on my waiting list. 10% goes to one of the many dog rescue groups I work with. My work is currently in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.