Colleen Mulrooney's PetPawtraits

Eddie & Knut

2012-01-21T09:37:00.000-08:00

I'd almost forgotten to post these.

Eddie and Knut's portrait is finished and ready to be sent to Johannesburg via courier. Eddie is known for his eccentric behaviour and is often the topic of conversation around the dinner table. Knut is named after the polar bear who captivated the world.

Knut the polar bear

This pair traveled to St Kitts with their mom Janet when she spent some time working there.

I love the idea of sending a portrait off in a mount frame - it looks more finished and professional. I think I'm going to be exploring that option more this year.

Shepherds are one of my favourite breeds to draw, despite the fact they take much longer than almost any other breed of dog. Their coats offer up a challenge of individually coloured hairs that create their unique colouring.

Knut the sweet German Shepherd

Eddie... and Knut

2012-01-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

How cute is Eddie? He's the one on the left and that's his buddy Knut on the right.

This is his photo below, the one above was taken at an angle, but you can see the

likeness, right? I'm really enjoying this portait. It' s a gift for a friend and not a typical size that I do - it's much smaller than normal. Loving all the compact detail,

can't wait to finish it off.

Goldie, Gypsy and Shadow

2011-12-26T02:14:00.000-08:00

Finally, Goldie (top), Gypsy and Shadow's portraits are done.

You can read more about them here.

Some of the pics I used as reference photos for these portraits.

Chyenoa chose the setting from an earlier portrait I did.

A beautiful Shepherd called Luke

2011-12-24T23:07:00.000-08:00

Growing up, all I wanted to do was draw well. I dreamt of spending my time drawing horses, my favourite subject. I had no idea that in creating a picture for a client, I would be giving them so much more than just a picture.

I'm honoured and filled with gratitude that I can create something which evokes a response like this one:

Hey Col, my dad was in tears this morning when we gave him his gift ... guess its still pretty recent that we lost Luke, but he thought the portrait was beautiful! Tks so much!!!

A portait of an animal you have a connection with is like a bridge between the two of you. It's a tangible token across time and space linking two souls for eternity.

A Staffie called Zeus

2011-12-24T03:31:00.000-08:00

Another of Belinda de Bruin's much loved dogs, Zeus, the Staffie.

Nugget

2011-11-16T22:43:00.001-08:00

This is Nugget, he lived with and was loved by Belinda de Bruin. She has been the most awesome client over the years. I enjoy drawing her portraits – I can feel the love oozing from her subjects, no matter whether cat, dog or horse!

I haven't had much time to draw this year, so I loved settling down to this portrait. I have missed drawing!

Marcus

2011-11-16T06:35:00.001-08:00

The lovely Marcus belongs to Heike and Eugene Joubert. He's an absolutely stunning dog, both on paper and in the flesh.

I loved the expression on his face, it's both soft and intense at the same time.

An Irish Wolfhound called Ailfee

2011-05-15T05:52:00.002-07:00

As far as Irish Wolfhounds go, Ailfee was one of those photogenic dogs – I had a hard time choosing from the pics his person gave me. I decided on these two – I love the expression in his eye in the fist pic and the relaxed eye-level expression in the other.

Apparently, Ailfee was probably the tallest dog in South Africa at one time, equalling the height of the kitchen counter at his shoulder! Sadly he passed away from bone cancer, but left behind a good looking litter of puppies who will no doubt continue his line of lovely temperament and good looks.

Divine Brown

2011-04-24T01:53:00.000-07:00

Lovely mare, Divine Brown is such a gentle soul, her sweet disposition shines through in her photos and portrait.

Little 'uns in coloured pencil

2011-03-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

I finished Splodge and Paddy's little coloured pencil portraits. These highly detailed are quite small at 14x10cm. They fit neatly into jumbo sized frames you can pick almost anywhere. They'll be joining Brigitte Cox's earlier portrait of Peanut and Ruby. I loved taking their photos, so cute they are! I delivered them on St Patrick's day this week, a year since Paddy was rescued after he was found wandering down a sand road, hungry and alone. He's living happily ever after with Brig and Darren.

The ridiculous month of March

2011-03-13T10:03:00.001-07:00

What a hectic month it's been and we're not even half way through it yet! African Horse Sickness (AHS), a serious and mostly fatal disease, has run rampant through the horse community in Gauteng and surrounding areas. The helplessness and loss which comes from losing a beloved horse in such a horrible way is beyond words. Some people have tragically lost more than one.

A long time client of mine and fellow animal lover, Chyenoa Dakota, lost her beloved Gypsy (above right) to AHS. This was made worse by her husband Mike losing his gorgeous horse Goldie (above left) late last year.

Both horses are the subject of a forthcoming portrait. Bittersweet, I know. This is a good time to mention why it's important to take photos of the animals in your life on a regular basis. We all have hundreds of puppy photos, but youngsters grow up, time flies and the next thing you know you're living with a Golden Oldie. Or worse, your animal-friend's time on Earth is suddenly cut short.

Keep those photos safe, back them up OFF SITE and try keep another copy of them elsewhere. That's what I SHOULD have done, but didn't. To add to my horrible March, we were robbed earlier in the month. Computer equipment AND back-up drives were stolen, leaving me with a cavernous size hole where my digital existence used to be.

Luckily I have photos stashed on Facebook, Flickr and Picasa so the loss, while monumental, wasn't as bad as I initially thought it was.

To top this lot was Japan's earthquake on Friday – I dread to think of the lives – both animal and human –which have been lost. I'm already seeing rescue and money raising attempts for animals in affected areas.

All of this makes me realise how much I have to be grateful for. This is a good thing.

On a more cheerful note, I've finished Barbara's Pekes. These two cuties had their pics taken (when I still HAD a camera) last year. They'll be joining the Pekes Barbara has known through her life and these pups in the basket; up on the wall.

Coming along nicely

2011-02-25T10:37:00.000-08:00

Busy as ever over here at the mo. What with daily magazine design, servicing a sprinkling of design clients, fitting in time ride my horse, draw and launch my gift range, something somewhere is bound to suffer.

That said, I'm really happy with how the Peke portrait is progressing.

How I wish I could spend two full days a week drawing, I think I'd be able to cover a lot more ground and get a lot more work done!

Animaltalk's Top 100 winner

2011-01-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

Ch. Jalus High Flyer aka Myles is the Animaltalk Top 100 Winner of 2010. His portrait was presented to his owner at the presentations on 15 January 2011.

Pet portraits of my mom's dogs

2011-01-01T12:32:00.001-08:00

Nikki and MacTavish were a part of our lives for 16 years. My mom loved these dogs, they taught her so much about healing and animal communication. This is their portrait.

your pet's mug on a mug = great gifts... take a look

2010-12-27T11:33:00.001-08:00

I've added personalised mugs to my petpawtraits gift rang. Mail me a pic or pics of your pet/s and I'll create the perfect pet portrait mug for you. Guaranteed to be original, the quality ceramic mugs make excellent gifts... create an entire range featuring your own furry friends.

Holiday pet portraits

2010-12-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

While 2010 was one of my busiest years EVER, I only had a couple of Christmas commissions. This meant that I wasn't drawing until midnight on the days leading up to the 25th and I must say that I really enjoyed the downtime.

The first commission was for Lisa Bucher, founder of The Animal Race. I'd donated one of my pet portraits as a prize, which Lisa had won in the raffle. She'd coveted a portrait of her own dogs and thought this was her ticket to getting one. In the mean time her step dad had commissioned a portrait of her two delightful dogs – Tallie the Pitt and and Maverick the Dachsie. It was only later that I put two and two together, realising that the photos in my possession were actually of Lisa's dogs! Needless to say, Lisa was really surprised when she opened this on Christmas morning...

She had the nicest things to say:

You naughty, sneaky monkey - just opened my xmas present - it is amazing Coll - you captured Talli's facial expressions SO well, and little Maverick - well, just bless him. You truly are amazing :) Thank you my darling. It's amazing - couldn't be happier :) will be spending my week off trying to find a frame to match it in perfection which will be a hard task. You are SO talented XX

My second challenge was a gift for Heino's wife of herself and her mare Divine Brown, who just happens to be stablemate to my horse Flying Promise. The photo wasn't great quality though...

More gifts for the horse lover

2010-12-21T02:10:00.000-08:00

Bookmarks – 5 in a set and priced individually.
Laminated for durability. Tassels may differ from picture below.

Greetings cards come in a set of 5 (not 4 as pictured) with matching envelopes.

They're blank inside and measure 210mm x 150mm when opened, printed on matt card with a luxurious velvette-type finish.

PetPawtrait's Gift Range – The Great Unveiling

2010-12-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

I love pretty, gifty things. I think it must the raven energy I carry, because anytime I walk past a shop window filled with shiny, glittery goodies, I have to stop and take a look. For years now, I've wanted to develop my own gift range. I've dabbled with the idea for almost 10 years, and now that technology has finally caught up with my thought processes, I have been able to realise my dream.

I would like to introduce you to my PetPawtraits Gift Range. Inspired by all the wonderful animals I have had the privilege of drawing over the past 16 years, I've gathered them together in a collage-style design and applied them to coffee mugs, book marks and gift cards.

The idea is they they'll be sold as stand alone items, or as affordably priced gift packs – created especially for the über animal lover.

So, here they are... ta daaa...

For the DOG LOVER...

... and the CAT LOVER...

... and the HORSE LOVER...
Bookmarks and greetings cards to come. I can't tell you how excited I am about these – they've been a long time coming.

I'd love to know what you think – drop me a line or hop over to my Facebook page and leave a comment there. I have a limited stock of these available, so if you're wanting a last minute Christmas gift for the animal lover in your life, please get in touch.

Azure

2010-11-26T23:32:00.000-08:00

Heather's beautiful Sibe Azure. She won her portrait in a raffle to raise money for Shepherd's Fold stable's sand arena.

Oskar

2010-11-26T22:03:00.000-08:00

Oskar the Harlequin Dane's portrait is done. You can tell from just one look that he's a gentle soul. He'll be joining these dogs on Amy Merritt's wall at home.

CH... Ch... changes

2010-10-15T23:29:00.001-07:00

I've made few changes to my blog, shuffled things around a bit and I'd love to know what you think.

Take a look at the Gallery banners on the left, they'll take you to collections of either horse, cat or dog portraits.
I've also added tabs across the top, beneath the main banner.
You'll find some photo guidelines. Useful info if you have a pile of pics but you're not sure which ones to choose for a portrait. Some photos do make better pictures. If in doubt though, you could always drop me a line and we can discuss the best ones to use.
I've added a 'How to place an order' tab, if I haven't answered any questions you might have, drop me a line and I'll answer you directly.
I also have gift vouchers available. These make really useful, versatile gifts. Great for short notice and group gifts, they're easy to order too.
Gift vouchers can be personalised, you can print them out yourself or I can post one off to you.

WWIP - A weekends work in progress

2010-09-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

These aren't great photos so they don't give an accurate idea of colouring, but they are both nearly finished. The Sibe needs a bit of tweaking and finishing off. And Oskar the Harlequin Dane is almost done too.

Although both portraits might LOOK like they're finished, it's the teeny details that really complete the look.

Apple

2010-09-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

Apple's portrait is finally finished - my friend Sue is going to be so glad! Her picture will join a gallery of much loved dogs and horses.

"Look at those ears!"

2010-09-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Splodge and Paddy - two of the sweetest dogs you're ever likely to meet. Both dogs have found forever-homes with Brigitte, lucky things that they are. Splodge wasn't particularly happy living in a house full of kids. You can see from the pictures that he's a sweet, sensitive dog who is happiest when his home life is calm and quiet.

Paddy was blessed with the luck of the Irish. Having been found on 17 March he was initially homed, but that didn't work out because of all the other dogs that already lived there. Through a series of happy 'co-incidences' Brigitte found him through CLAW.

Both of them will be commemorated in coloured pencil soon, to hang alongside this earlier portrait.

Blue

2010-08-07T11:29:00.001-07:00

This is my friend Cath's dog Blue. He's 16 this year... he lived with her in the States before moving to SA when she came home. He's an amazing dog-friend.

Peeking Pekes

2010-07-24T01:49:00.001-07:00

Kai-Kai and SanToi are two of the sweetest dogs. There were all over me from the second I got my foot through the door, even though we'd never met before. KaiKai LOVED having his photo taken. Some dogs are naturally photogenic and they don't have a problem with the camera. Others though, like SanToi, are not fans at all. I guess they're like people and it feels invasive having a camera in your face (note to self: get a longer lens!). There-in lies the skill of the animal photographer. You have to allow the dogs to chill in their own space and allow them to feel comfortable before you can get pics which depict who they really are. That takes time, not something that you can rush through because they pick it up and simply refuse to co-operate.

Can't wait to draw these little imps. Still have to decide on a composition, but I'm thinking they might be happier in their own portrait, both have such strong characters. They'll be on the wall next to their predecessors.

A weekend's work

2010-06-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Barbara's two Pekes in a basket are finished...

... as are Sue's two black and white hounds: Charlie, the Border Collie and Linux the JRT.

Yorkshire Terrier

2010-05-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I've drawn a Yorkie...

Doggie delights

2010-05-16T04:29:00.000-07:00

Things have been pretty neglected around here lately. I have to admire those blogger/artists who keep their blogs up-to-date whilst managing to paint and draw regularly!

Huge demands on my time this year have meant that my portraits have taken a bit of a back seat. Thanks to all my wonderful clients for their patience, as always, I am eternally grateful!

Portraits which have made their way to completion are Danny, Belinda de Bruin's lovely Bull Dog and the 2009 Animaltalk Top Dog Winner: CH Xantah Ace The Match (aka Mackie)
Sweet little dog, I loved drawing this picture.

Music Man

2010-03-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

This incredible little horse with a big heart belonged to Karen Zuur. He was a fiery, talented Connemara who didn't suffer fools, he was super-clever and a great teacher. Sadly he was lost to African Horse Sickness shortly after the photos for this portrait were taken.

Endurance rider

2010-03-07T00:34:00.000-08:00

A gift for Engela Nortier's husband. Here they are competing at Fauresmith in 2009

Maxi and Twinky

2010-02-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

Chyenoa's pups Maxi and Twinky. I did their original portrait some years ago. This time round Chyenoa wanted them sitting in a comfortable setting, with their favourite chew-things.

Thank you so much I really love it, it's so beautiful

One pony, two portraits

2010-01-22T09:18:00.001-08:00

Colette won a voucher for a portrait at a show last year and then ordered a second one. Eventhough these were drawn from the same photo, I was interested to see the differences between them. A benefit of original artwork?

heads-up and up-dates and inspiration

2010-01-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

Off to a running start to 2010... how DID this year get here so quickly? In between getting the third issue of HQ PONY magazine off to the printers, I've been contemplating goals and to do lists for the year ahead.

Being someone who is so easily distracted by bright and shiny things, I tend to wander off course easily. So I've taken Christine Kane's advice and chosen a WORD OF THE YEAR, rather than a list of resolutions. One word to focus on. That should be easier, right? I'm hoping so.

As if to reinforce the idea that I should take notice of this, I came across Jennifer Pratt's post titled: Where are you going this year. I loved the visual she created for herself which linked to her word of the year.

I was hoping to clear my long to-do list before the end of 2009, but that didn't happen. It never does, so I've given up trying to get to the bottom of it, and will just keep drawing. Hopefully at a steady pace with minimal interruptions.

Thanks to Meryl at Neigh-Bours for the heads-up on Mei Prinz's portrait which was won by Cheryl at the Glen Austin Stables show. The antics of Prinz and stable buddy Danzenita make for entertaining reading.

El Jamani Zacar

2009-12-22T11:13:00.001-08:00

A Christmas present for her husband, Nadine du Toit commissioned this portrait of his endurance horse. I think it came out really nicely!

Nearly there...

2009-12-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

Winding down for the year, this is one of my last orders for 2009...Ed Jackson took these photos off his wall for a portrait of the two family dogs. He was very happy with his portrait and couldn't wait until Christmas to give it to his wife!

Athena

2009-12-19T04:48:00.000-08:00

pastel 41x30cm

This little cat didn't stay in the world for too long. She was only only four months old when she died suddenly from an incurable virus. It's at times like these that I am especially grateful for the talents I have, and being able to create a portrait for Christine, her mom, to remember her by.

Cats and Dogs

2009-12-12T22:40:00.000-08:00

25x30cm Coloured Pencils

Barbara Schild's cat's, going all the way to the UK as a gift for her son.

56 x 76 cm Charcoal

It's been years since I've done any gestural drawings in charcoal. Kylie is a "crazy Italian Greyhound" whose personality was reflected by the energy of charcoal on a huge sheet of paper.

Devon

2009-11-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

My friend Cathy's beautiful Belgian Shepherd Devon. Sadly she was poisoned earlier this year. She was an amazing dog.

More busyness

2009-11-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

Just some of the projects I have on the go at the moment... Colette Staniland's portrait prize which she won at the Glen Austin show recently...

... sketches of very busy Italian Greyhound....

... a pair of Siamese sunning themselves on the garden bench...

... and hiding on the side lines... my surprise of the year. I'm hoping to get these finished as stocking fillers. I'm leaving it a bit late, aren't I?

Busy, busy

2009-11-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

Despite the apparent lack of activity here on my blog, I have been really busy in the studio.
I donated a couple of prizes to the launch of the super cool Neigh-Bours site and a show that was held at Glen Austin Stables.

A couple of the winners here... The chestnut is described by Adele as: one of the most amazing horses I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Her name is Maclean but we just use to call her Mac or Macaroo.

Adele's response to her portrait: I would just like to thank you for the stunning portrait. You were truly blessed with the gift of bringing your drawings to life. We love it and it feels like Mac is alive. All our non-horsey friends also agree that it is absolutely breathtaking.I would just like to thank you for the stunning portrait. You were truly blessed with the gift of bringing your drawings to life. We love it and it feels like Mac is alive. All our non-horsey friends also agree that it is absolutely breathtaking.

And a graphite of Prinz won for Cheryl...

Teddy

2009-10-18T04:34:00.001-07:00

Teddy was Chyenoa's beloved Jack Russell. She describes him as being mischievous and naughty - simply in everything. That is exactly what you can see in his photos. He loved rabbits and bird watching! Hence the little Masked Weaver Chyenoa requested - giving Teddy something to look at. Chyenoa's other dog loves can be seen here.

Skye

2009-10-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

Sally Ings writes of Skye:
I have raised a Border Collie / Australian Shepherd pup (Skye) to adulthood who is a serious bundle of energy and unlike batteries never seems to run down. She certainly keeps Landro (GSD) on his toes.
Sally has a coloured pencil portrait collection, these are her cats too.

Cute L'il Blockbuster

2009-09-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here they are, the cutest dogs with beeeeg personalities. Peanut and Ruby were a pleasure to draw. Ruby being such an interesting colour and all. When I told Brigitte that I'd battled to match her coat colour, she asked me what colour she was. I replied "several!"
This project worked really well, the photo doesn't do the mini-portraits any justice though. They are highly detailed, but the colour pencil doesn't photograph very well!

Not quite a triptych

2009-09-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

This is the centre piece of the Dachsie triple Colour Pencil portrait. Had to combine a couple of photos to get the composition I wanted (comp is on the left). The final size of each art work is 100mm x 150mm - the size of a jumbo photo. That's a lot of detail crammed into a small space. I really enjoyed drawing this - coloured pencils make such a change after using pastels for so long.

Shumba

2009-08-31T05:11:00.000-07:00

I love the way cats get comfortable on the furniture, and look perfectly posed whilst merely BEING. Shumba is cocooned up against a mock leopard print cushion - quite appropriate, considering his name... Shumba is an African word meaning lion.

Dashing Dachsies

2009-08-24T08:52:00.001-07:00

I met Ruby and Peanut this morning... two incredibly good looking Dachsies who live with Brigitte Cox. Peanut (lighter one) is a VERY busy dog. He's also a bit shy and not keen on having his photo taken, but I was able to sneak a couple of nice pics of him. Ruby is just beautiful, sweet and curious, making her easier to photograph.

Neigh-Bours - "Where everybody knows your NEIGH"

2009-08-21T05:37:00.000-07:00

My PetPawtraits Facebook group is featured over on Neigh-Bours home page. Thanks guys : )
Equine Social network site for horse lovers, check it out. I love their pay off line.

cute li'l BLOCKBUSTER

2009-08-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to offer framed portraits for ages, but have been unable to find some decent ready-made frames. I finally have a few in stock and can't wait to get going with them. This makes the perfect gift, especially for the pet-mad human who has a heap of stunning photos to choose from and simply can't pick ONE. The mini portraits (about 10cm x 14cm) can be done in either graphite or colour pencils. Final product may vary from the one pictured above.

Spirit

2009-08-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Shew, it's been a busy month! I'm hoping to find out a bit more about this boy soon.

In the reeds

2009-08-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

This portrait had such a great photo to work from... I loved how the light caught her face and threw the rest of her body into shadow. Don't know much about this dog, suffice to say that she is much loved. And it shows, don't you think?

Voyager

2009-07-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

Things have been really quiet here this month. I've been designing a new magazine which is about to hit the shelves. It's been a long-time dream of mine to produce such a title, and now this dream is coming true. But more on that later.

The other reason I've been so quiet is this portrait... Belinda is a long-time client of mine. She, like me, loves her animals, and her life and home revolve around their welfare and well being. I also knew exactly how she felt when she sent me a mail explaining how lost and devastated she felt after losing her beloved chestnut, Voyager. About a year later she felt she was ready to have his portrait done. It took me ages to decide what to do for her. She gave me two photos and carte blanche...

I felt that Voyager's portrait needed a special touch to reflect the bond that he shared with Belinda. I chose the butterfly as a symbol of transformation, an indication that life goes on, just as our connection to our beloved animal companions continues to exist across the boundary between this life and the next. I wanted this to be a picture of hope and freedom. I hope that I achieved that.

Dear Colleen, just wanted to thank you for the wonderful portrait of Voyager, the more I look at it the more I like it. It makes me feel at peace somehow, like the portrait shows him like he is now, free, calm without pain and somehow also waiting for me to join him again, its really very special to me. Although I still miss my boy everyday, the portrait gives me some closure, thank you for that and also thank you for understanding how special this is to me! You are truly talented in more ways than I think you know, you are able to capture what is not always seen - I hope that makes sense! Love Belinda

Jano and Waldo

2009-06-19T06:45:00.001-07:00

Jano and Waldo were two Maltese Poodles who lived with Veronica de Klerk from Cradok in the Eastern Cape.

Received it and it is beautiful!! Can’t stop looking at it!!! They were so lovely and wonderful, and we loved them so much. It will be wonderful to have the drawing hanging in the house. It will feel as if they are around us as usual. Thanks so much for all your trouble, patience and kindness to do the sketch and in such wonderful manner that everybody admires it.

I SO love my job! :)

Furry family

2009-06-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

This furry family belongs to Svenja - the lucky girl gets this for her birthday from her mom.
Gibbon the German Shepherd, Tammy, the Haflinger, Floxie the Siberian Husky and Scott the cat.

Jerome

2009-06-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

Belinda's beautiful, graceful Dane, Jerome. Even though a pose captured in a photo is seemingly static, the animal's personality always shines through. For me, this dog oozes serenity.

Can't wait...

2009-05-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

... To get going on this portrait. Isn't this a lovely photo? Only received it today, still not sure if the final product will include the child or not. Either way, I'm looking forward to capturing that gaze, the light and the beautiful setting in the reeds.

Emma

2009-05-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

Isn't this the cutest puppy? Emma lives with Lorna and Bambi. Their portraits will hang alongside each other. They look so sweet together, but Bambi is still not impressed with this addition to her household!

Bugsy

2009-05-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

Bugsy arrived from the SPCA seven years ago as a three-and-a-half month old puppy. He was lucky enough to find a forever-home with the Moores. Dorinda writes "we could never have asked for a more gently, happy dog than what he was. Just looking for fun all the time, and when he was not up to mischief, he wanted to lie next to our feet wherever we were sitting." Sadly, Bugsy passed away from cancer in Februray this year. He is missed by his human family.

It's always an honour for me to capture the memories of a much loved pet. Those who are rescued are indeed the lucky ones, but they return the favour ten-fold with incredible love and devotion. Clearly Bugsy was no exception.

Dorinda had this to say: Thanks for the most beautiful portrait of Bugsy. Harold and I were in tears. I can't say thank you enough.

[Love my 'job.']

Bart

2009-04-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

Megan Jackson's Jack Russell, Bart.

Don't you love his collar? I love adding personal details like collars and bridles to portraits. I think they add a nice touch and some extra interest. Of course, if it is a cat or dog portrait, it's also a great way to include their name in the picture.

This portrait was completed using several different photos. Bart's impressive pose was captured during his twilight years, when the hair on his face had turned almost white with age. Reference for his colour was taken from several different photos.

Even if you choose not to have a portrait done while your pet is still with you, be sure to take as many photos as you can... this ensures that when the time comes, you have a great selection to choose from.

Deep Red

2009-03-29T10:52:00.001-07:00

Or Red for short... a cute Appaloosa colt who lives in the Cape. Bianca describes him as: This little guy is such a sweetheart, he is a year old and has all the charming cheekiness that only a yearling can have. I'm glad to say that I think his cheekiness is captured in this coloured pencil portrait.

Arabian Stallion

2009-03-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Raseeq el Azeem... a South African bred stallion carries the Supreme Champion title.
I've wanted to capture the stunning detail of the Arabian for ages... I loved the photo, which was the reference for this portrait, since I first laid eyes on it in 2006. Permission to use it was kindly granted by photographer Johann Theron.

This portrait illustrates the importance of a good photograph to draw from. The fine detail and subtle shadows add to the realism of the portrait. A well-lit subject on a black background adds to the drama.

Cute puppy shoot

2009-03-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

Emma had her first photos taken today. Her portrait will hang next to Bambis on the wall. After a short TTouch session, she settled down and was still long enough for me to take these...

Klepto the showjumper

2009-03-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

41x51cm, coloured pastels

Klepto was a talented showjumper, and along with Ali Canavan, won loads of titles during their time together as a team.

Glover Paddocks

2009-02-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

It's been ages since I last did anything in water colour. Clearly, if it has an equestrian theme I'll consider doing it. I loved creating this commission. I took the photos, improvised with some of the elements. Added the rug and teff net as well as the heads peering over the doors. The end result really suprised me. The yard was called Glover Paddocks, not sure if thats still its name. It was commissioned for the owners before they sold up and relocated to KZN.

Shandy

2009-02-16T10:50:00.001-08:00

This is Shandy. I could choose the setting for his portrait... I pictured him appearing suddenly in a moss-filled, sunlit forest glade. I added a surreptitious beam of light to his forehead as a reminder of the horse's connection to their mythical counterpart, the unicorn.

Zues, The Rottweiler

2009-02-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

This is Zues, much missed by his people as he was sadly poisoned last year. His portrait is on its way to its new home as we speak...

Exciting news

2009-02-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

I have been invited to submit some of my portraits to be showcased at the Dubai International Horse Fair in March 2009! South African equine sculptor Arend Eloff has kindly offered to take along some artwork from fellow artists in order to promote them overseas. This particular exhibition will be focusing on the Arabian Horse...

... So off to capture the beauty, grace and majesty that is the Arab...

PetPawtraits still at 2008 prices...

2009-01-25T11:30:00.000-08:00

... if you order yours before the end of February 2009!

It's become an annual tradition for me to offer my portraits at a discounted rate at this time of the year before I stock up on paper and pastel supplies for the year ahead.

If you'd like to take advantage of this opportunity, mail me at redraven@gonet.co.za with PETPAWTRAIT 2008 in the subject line and I'll get back to you with more details.

Need to whet your appetite?

If you're a CAT LOVER go here

If you're a DOG LOVER go here

If you're a HORSE LOVER go here

Shout if you have questions, yell if you need inspiration, and don't stress if you don't have decent pics. If you're in or near Jo'burg, I'll come and take some for you!

Cats galore

2009-01-25T01:56:00.000-08:00

I received a cat query the other day. When I checked out my cat links, I realised I hadn't uploaded that many cat portraits, so to remedy that, here are a few of my favourites from over the years...

Rascal, sitting squarely in the bird feeder... I loved the colours in this photo. You can tell it was a still, calm afternoon. But what was that cat thinking, perched in the spot where the birds come to feast? I think it occurred to him that he wasn't getting lucky and a change of strategy was necessary...

KiaKat... A Birman, whose breed had aristocratic origins.
I can't remember this cat's name, nor the reason he was plonked over there with a bottle of wine on his hip...
Chini, another special cat in a lovely setting

The Top Dog 100 Winner

2009-01-18T11:33:00.000-08:00

Each year Animaltalk magazine host the Top Dog 100 event. The 2008 winner is Quadey, aka Ch. Agha Djari's Question Of Honour At Accolades. This champion Afghan was bred in Germany, and is much loved by Ria and Tex Wessels. This portrait was part of their prize winner's package.

Yoshi - a cat with human slaves

2009-01-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

I really never know how a portrait will turn out, something magical happens, and even I am surprised by the end result. The animal spirit never ceases to amaze me...

Belinda had this to say about her portrait of Yoshi:

When I told Theunis which pic I picked for the portrait, he was not too happy, said the pic was not right and it did not capture Yoshs's personality. When he saw your portrait yesterday he could not believe it - I could not either - I just don't know how you do it! You have his left nostril sligthly up -like he is smelling something bad, and his right eye slightly smaller with this look that says man these human slaves of mine - what to do with them!

If you look at the pic its there, but not quite, but its there on the portrait, the colour of his eyes is also perfect! It's really beautiful, I am so happy with it, I am now more sure than ever that you will capture so much more of Voyager in his portait than will ever be in a picture.

Thank you so much!
Belinda

Krismis

2008-12-25T12:23:00.000-08:00

Appropriately named... this graphite pencil portrait of Krismis the Border Collie was a gift from Marietjie Booyens to her sister.

Bruno

2008-12-21T13:54:00.000-08:00

Ali Canavan's gift to her parents was a portrait of Bruno...
Pastels 41x30 cm

Nicky Bassett's Fur Family

2008-12-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

Annie, Rocky and Neo.
Pastels 41x50cm

HHCU winner...

2008-12-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Dayle Mallinson-Spires was the winner of the Highveld Horse Care Unit Portrait competition earlier this year. The give-away was used to encourage Facebook users to join the HHCU's website and so contine to raise awareness around the incredible work done by Bev and the Unit's dedicated staff members. Be sure to look out for another give-way in 2009.
With thanks Meryl Rosenberg over at pixelmagic for her fundraising skills and awesome ideas!

Amy Merritt's Fur Family...

2008-12-21T10:25:00.000-08:00

... these dogs all have an interesting history...
(click the pic to see them in more detail)

Cassidy

2008-11-02T04:27:00.000-08:00

"Cassidy only has 3 legs... she is a gorgeous girl, one and a half years old, cheeky but well behaved." So says Amy Merritt, a past portrait client who has a collection of interesting dogs, some of which she rescued in Qatar whilst living there. She brought them all back with her to South Africa, where she now lives. These include Maddy, Molly and Moe, as well as Shamu.

Amelie

2008-10-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

Amelie is a Dachshund who is owned and adored by actor/director Willie Esterhuizen. As a gift to him from the cast of his current production, Lizz Meiring commissioned this series of mini pics. Three graphite sketches, measuring 8x8cm and framed in black.

Brenda's Rotties...

2008-10-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here they are: King Pie and Queenie

next up...

2008-10-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

I'm currently busy with these two beautiful Rottis - King Pie and Queenie.
They will be together in the same portrait in pastels, 41x50cm in size.

Cassidy will be completed in colour pencils - 20x25cm in size

Mickie, the Boxer

2008-10-06T00:08:00.000-07:00

Progress on Mickie

2008-09-28T02:38:00.000-07:00

Belinda De Bruin's beloved Mickie is finally on the board. I'll be finished with him shortly.

I'd like to thank all of my portrait clients for their patience as I've taken so long with their commissions this year due to my heavy work load. The end is in sight and you will all have your portraits before the end of 2008!

3 Pekes in a row...

2008-09-25T03:52:00.000-07:00

Fondly referred to as the Fur Balls... here are Barbara's beloved Pekes: Pooh Bear and Ming, flanking The Grand Dame, Chu Chu. Barbara describes Chu Chu as her miracle child, it's clear how special she is.

Sharon's beloved Pixie

2008-09-01T13:14:00.001-07:00

Bambi

2008-07-17T12:06:00.001-07:00

Lorna's beloved Bambi - real madam, according to her mom. Bambi is a shy dog and really doesn't enjoy having her photo taken. I had to hide my camera, sneak it out for a shot, and get her attention simultaneously! This was one of the last shots I got... patience being the operative word here.

Bambi - Progess at last

2008-05-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

At long last... getting through the backlog of portraits, some of which I've had since August last year! Thank you to my awesome clients, for all your patience! The good news is that I have resigned from my day job - so I'll have far more time to dedicate to drawing and completing my portrait orders on time.

In the mean time, here is the beginning of Bambi's portrait - it should be completed soon...

Saluki

2008-05-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

The gorgeous Jahmil

Heike's Lovely Dogs

2008-05-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

These portraits have joined the former members of Heike's fur family on the walls in her beautiful home... meet Velvet (the only other dog I know of with that name, my Lab Velvette being the other)...; and Foxies: Klara and Mowgli.

Mikey and the Staffies

2008-01-27T09:52:00.001-08:00

Gina, Mikey and Jimmy. Completed in coloured pencils.

Fiona's Percherons

2007-12-19T11:48:00.001-08:00

Harry Potter and Dobbin Pugs

2007-12-19T11:45:00.001-08:00

These cute Pugs live with Fiona Markham and her family. They were completed in coloured pencil, 25x30cm.

Fiona's Percherons

2007-12-17T10:53:00.000-08:00

Mary Irish Wolfhound

2007-12-10T09:11:00.000-08:00

This portrait of Mary (65x50cm) really does justice to the beautiful nature of this dog.

Sable Corgi

2007-12-05T12:03:00.003-08:00

PST & Poppet

2007-12-05T11:58:00.001-08:00

Sally Ings' cats: PST and Poppet.
Coloured Pencil 25X30cm

Landro GSD

2007-12-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Sally Inggs' German Shepher Landro.
Coloured Pencil - 25x30cm

Grace Parrot

2007-09-17T10:24:00.001-07:00

Grace, completed in coloured pencils. Finished size: 25x30cm.

Little Lolitha

2007-09-08T11:10:00.000-07:00

Belinda de Bruin's lovely Dachsie.

Sweetie

2007-09-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

I also offer portraits in Graphite Pencil. These are very fine, detailed monochrome drawings, so the sizes are A4 and slightly smaller only.

Tabitha Basset Hound

2007-08-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Frances Barratt's Basset Hound, Tabitha.