DOG DONE - Now On to the Background

                                      Now for the Background!

Thursday, 2 days hence, this finished dog portrait is to be done and a digital image sent to the Gallery. Will I finish in time? That is 'la grande question'!  Deadline painting is always to be eschewed. Why, I ask myself, again and again, have I become a 'Deadline Painter'?  I wasn't before, in my 'real life'. In fact, I've lectured others for years to take care of it when it first occurs to you, don't dawdle, make it happen way earlier than others expect it. Those are the lessons of being successful, or at the very least, perceived as successful.  But now, I'm retired..and I'm no longer driven to do what I think is required of me. In fact, I deliberately Don't do what I perceive is required.  Oh my! The liberation of this! And I'm okay with it! 

Painting notes:  For years, I've heard and read about pastelist who do not use fixative at the end to freeze the image in place, but rather, DURING the process. I totally get it painting this essentially black/ white/gray dog on a dark background. His outline has to weave in and out of the dark background. This is best done by putting down the dark, fixing it, adding the light, fixing it, and going back in with the dark. Otherwise, the dog would have a burgundy mist as his outline!