Bonnie

Bonnie

rabbit

rabbit

Lisa

Lisa
colour 8x10

Mrs Blore

Mrs Blore
graphite 8x10

Oakley

Oakley

About Me

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artbykarieann
I am a part-time pet portrait and wildlife artist living in the deep dark forest between the Royal Forest of Dean, Herefordshire and the Welsh border. A beautiful and inspiring place to live and create pet portraits and wildlife art.
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Saturday 30 August 2008

Competition Portrait of Charlie the Springer 4


I have spent the afternoon working on Charlie, more of his forelegs have been completed and I have began to work on his toy (and what a toy it is, twisted ropes in pink and blue). He is now starting to take shape and look more real. Lots more to do though!!!


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Friday 29 August 2008

Competition Portrait of Charlie the Springer 3


A bit more of Charlie's face has been completed, the far side of his face is very dark so I need good lighting to be able to see his other eye properly.

A bit more work on Charlie, I have actually blocked in some of the white and pale grey on his legs but until further work takes place these paler colours will not show up.


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Thursday 28 August 2008

Competition Portrait of Charlie the Springer 2

Work has now started on Charlie the springer spaniel, I am now going to make a concerted effort to leave my website alone SEO wise for a while as all my little fiddles and refinements have not really gained me much higher rankings (it may do over time) but I am doing this instead of portraits which should be my main focus of attention. So far I'm quite pleased with Charlie's progress but as you can see there is plenty more to get on with.


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Wednesday 27 August 2008

Competition Portrait of Charlie the Springer 1

Been very busy today, I framed and delivered the sprocker and child portrait featured yesterday plus I have made headway with competition winner Charlie's portrait. See all the entries here. I will update my blog with some progress images tomorrow as it's a bit late now. I've been nosing around the web as well and found some good websites about using colour pencils, a rare medium these days, so will be keeping an eye on these with interest. Plus as a member of the pet portrait forum we have been invited to enter into an art competition, using this image of tigers as reference but in the situation of our choosing, unfortunately the deadline is October so I am none too sure if I can enter just yet so it will be all pencils at the ready to try to get stuff done to give a bit of spare time.

Looks a bit testing but I guess that's exactly what it should be!!!

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Tuesday 26 August 2008

Portraits from Photos, Child and Sprocker 3


This portrait is now complete and will be framed as per client request with a silver frame, it will be delivered tomorrow in time for Mum's birthday. I decided to give the background a cream pastel colouring to enhance the whiteness of the dog's fur.
Back on the website now for a bit of updating, the boring bit I'm afraid.

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Monday 25 August 2008

Portraits from Photos, Child and Sprocker 2

The latest update of child and sprocker, almost finished now and will be framed for delivery very soon. I've gone back to add darker areas on the jacket now and I just need to complete the dog.

Plus I'm pleased to say all of the geese are now friends (wait until next breeding season) and travel about the garden in convoy or sleep en masse on the lawn, even Sid the gander is behaving which is a bit odd!!!

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Saturday 23 August 2008

Pet Portrait from Photo, Hector the black labrador

Meet Hector, a very good looking black labrador. Hector came to visit today to have his photo taken for a future portrait. As yet his owners are unsure whether they want a head or full body portrait. They were the best type of clients to have as they brought plenty of images with them as well as Hector himself so I was also able to take a few shots of my own plus he was very well behaved and not at all camera shy so it was a pleasure to meet them all. I'm pretty sure his will be a graphite portrait but thankfully this one is a Christmas present so the deadline is way off...phew!!!



And... our 11 muscovy ducklings had a race around the garden today, they are a bit of an odd bunch as they chase each other around which I've never seen ducklings do before, when one falls over the rest pile on top in a bid to overtake, perhaps we should place bets!!! More than a few of them got stuck in an old belfast sink when they took a dip but couldn't get back out so I got a bit wet and messy launching the rescue operation.

Back to the drawing board....


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Sunday 17 August 2008

Portraits from Photos Child & Sprocker

I have started work on the sprocker in this portrait now and all is going well, I still need to go back to the little one to get his shading right but everything is in place now.

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Wednesday 13 August 2008

Wedding Portraits from Photos

I'm elated, I've been contacted by a photographer with wedding portraits in pencil in mind!!! So far I have received an image to work from but it will have to wait at the moment as I have a few commissions to do but watch this space for further updates.
In the mean time I have got to work on Mickey's second portrait (although I still have the first to sort out yet) and have worked a large section of his head now.

I've lots of other bits and pieces to update but have not got time at the moment so will get back to update as soon as possible.


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Saturday 9 August 2008

Springer Spaniel Pet Portrait


With many thanks to Greg Knight for allowing me to use his wonderful spaniel image (http://www.ruralshots.com/) , here is another spaniel portrait, unfortunatley I do not have the work in progress shots of this due to a formatting error on my memory card. Had a busy day today as we went to Evesham Vintage Show but it was so rainy we came home early and I was able to get on with some commissions and I made my new blog header... see above... and I also changed the style of my blog to compliment it plus yesterday I painted the kitchen so I felt a bit guilty about not doing any artwork at all!

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Thursday 7 August 2008

Horse Portrait update


Roli's portrait is now complete, I'm really happy with the finished work. It was a bit of a slog working on the neck area, there were muscles and a sheen to deal with which was quite time consuming, however I think it was all worth the effort.

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Wednesday 6 August 2008

Horse Portrait Update

A few more pics of the horse portrait, things are going great guns with this one as you can see. I've completed the background with black pastel and charcoal and then fixed it with spray. All that is left to do is the neck (all I say, it's probably the same amount of work again due to the muscles, shine and tone of Roli's neck)


Also I have been busy with the sprocker and child portrait in graphite pencils, so far I have the main of the child down but I will need to revisit for more shading and blending at a later stage.

All in all a very busy evening and quite productive. Sometimes it's a shame I have to go to my day job!!! Talking of which we were marking douglas fir trees on the same steep bank as yesterday but as it was reasonably dry today I managed to remain upright, I think I need ropes to tie myself to the trees to hoist myself up and lower myself down like abseiling!!! It really makes my legs ache so I presume it must be quite good exercise, a little compensation I suppose. Luckily there is a small cafe near Hopewell Colliery, a visitor centre where tourists can visit an underground mine and see how it worked, see the pics below of the old mine workings.

Plus little Smudge was on guard at the door, isn't he lovely. His owners are on holiday and have left him with a dog sitter who takes him to work every day, apparantly he's become a bit of a celebrity and greets all the tourists and locals who visit the mine. I really wanted to kidnap him.


A bit different to my terrier. look at the mess she gets into, all she does is dig and tug at roots, luckily this is the dog sofa but nevertheless she is a bit of a dirty girl!!!


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Tuesday 5 August 2008

Pet Portraits from Photos Horse Portrait


A bit of a mixed bag today, I've got on well with the horse portrait from photo with the image from http://www.bigtimemedia.co.uk/










And I have to say I'm pleased with the progress so far. I am also really pleased to be able to use an image of a spaniel taken by Greg Knight of http://www.ruralshots.com/ as another example of a pencil pet portrait from a photo.




...And the bad news is... I damaged the portrait of Mickey the springer spaniel. I was within a hair's breadth of completing him aswell, isn't it always the way. I had drawn Mickey's tail incorrectly and erased it a little too harshly damaging the surface of the portrait. I have tried to rework the area to no avail but luckily Terry and Lorraine, Mickey's owners, are being very patient in allowing me to start over again. Oh dear, what a disaster, I was more than a little upset, so much so I nearly had a cigarette after giving up three years ago!!!


And finally I have started work on the sprocker and child so I will update this as soon as possible.


Back to the Forestry work, today we worked like soldiers on a steep bank (felt like a mountain) in the pouring rain and by a busy main road, who says trees are all glamour. I wore my waterproofs which are made of rubber looking like an alien from Doctor Who and fell over no less than a dozen times, I gave up counting at this point as it became a bit embarrassing!!!

I was about half way up the bank when this photo was taken, apparantly it's good exercise and it really does fell like it now, I ache all over!!!


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Sunday 3 August 2008

First Horse Portrait on Website

Thanks to John Tyrell from http://www.bigtimemedia.co.uk/ for letting me use his image above for the first work in progress horse portrait I shall be doing for my website. The horse is called Roli, and a lovely looking horse he is. I'm so pleased to be able to use this image so come back to see work on his portrait as it happens.

Thanks John.

If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Friday 1 August 2008

Pencil Portraits from Photos Competition Winner

The lucky winner of my pet portrait competition is Springer Spaniel Charlie and his owner Keren, with an amazing 1447 votes. I want to say a big thank you to all of those who entered images and rallied support from their friends, relatives, forums etc for voting. It did my ranking no end of good and made my site more visible plus I've had a few enquiries for commissions so it was all worth while and as soon as I get a bit of breathing space I will be holding another competition. So here is the winner .... isn't he a lovely springer.



Charlie will soon have his own web page and visitors will be able to watch his portrait in progress.

I have also received more photos from Mickey's owners to complete his tail correctly plus to undertake another commission of him for them, in all I have about a dozen photos of Mickey which is ideal to work with for a pet portrait as I can use one main image to work from with the others for colour, eyes and fur details.


If you like my work please take the time to leave me a comment or become a follower (see bottom of page). If you would like to win a pet portrait of your dog, cat, horse or any other pet please see my new competition. It costs nothing to enter, all you require is internet access.
If you are interested in commissioning me please visit my pet portrait artist website or my wildlife artist website
Thanks for visiting!
Copyright (c) 2008 -2010 Karie-Ann Cooper. All rights reserved. All images, words and text remain the copyright of Karie-Ann Cooper. All artwork on this blog is protected by copyright law and must not be used, copied or downloaded without the permission of the artist