An unusual view

We had some trees removed today. We have a line of trees between the house and studio and the large ones are a worry in big winds. Some are 70' tall and one came down in the big storm in 2007 just behind the house.
 Here are a few pics of the view from the top of the tree and the tree lopper.

The easy bit at the bottom - those rounds were frighteningly heavy when they fell ! This one always threatened to drop big limbs on the studio in big winds so i'll feel safer now.

Great view but you can keep this job! It would keep you fit!

This is where the next photo is taken from..a bird's eye view...

A different perspective of the view! The mountains are larger than they appear here.It's a wideangle panorama.The dam is near the house and if you look closely the little pink thing in the middle of this side of the dam is me!

Ground view of the same dam.

Some more pics of me on Zeuss - still trying to get that perfect shot

Seeing I can't show you what I am painting at the moment I thought I'd show some more photos of me on Zeuss.
Still trying to get the perfect photo.We used to be a lot softer but as I only ride him 20mins a week these days he is a bit less relaxed than usual .
I was using a bit more hand than usual to get him to look nice for the photos .He also stresses a bit and flaps his lower lip.I'll post a few stressy ones at the end.

I think he was thinking of spooking at something in this one..Makes him look nice though..lol's. I'm going to ride him today for the first time in 10 days..He went better than on the day of the photoshoot! There was a goanna wandering around . Lucky he knows them.We went and stood under the tree trunk it was climbing up..lol's.
 Last time when we did the photoshoot there was a feral deer down at the arena. The first time he saw the deers he freaked but now they are his friends ( thank goodness or I wouldn't have enjoyed being on his back! ).

Here are some stressier photos..

His lower lip is flapping away here..He was great today nice and soft and relaxed.

I'm using a bit more hand today.I usually warm him up & then get into it but the camera was out so I was trying to get results quicker..

Here he is when I used to ride him before I bought him in  1999.This is ready for the Morpeth medicine trailride. There used to be a bloke who would provide a whole lot of horses for people to ride..Some of the horses + gear was a bit dodgy..lol's.Zeuss was one of the good ones.

 When we first started.. We've come a long way!
He always had a great temperament and is intelligent and sensitive. When I first got him he was hard to pull up ( never been properly broken in) and would only walk or canter. He had a really uncomfortable trot so everyone used to just make him go straight into a canter. Now he has a lovely trot.He also used to stumble really badly down onto his knees.
 I was worried he was a wobbler ( they fall down and are dangerous) so I had him vet checked when I had him on trial before I bought him .He didn't lunge at the time so I ran around in a circle leading him and fell head over heels.The vet laughed & said the horse isn't a wobbler but the owner is! lol's..
He used to buck me off a lot.Once again because he was never properly broken in.Someone jabbed him with sharp spurs when he was a 2 year old.He is a very free moving horse but the rider forgot which horse he was on and used spurs on him. Z did a bronc act. As he is so sensitive for ages after if you grabbed a bit with your legs ( if he stumbled etc) or even brushed his sides he'd freak and buck..
I did a lot of desensitising ground work and the dressage has been great as now he understands leg aids means something and I'm not out to get him. We get along pretty well these days. I'm proud of how far we've come.

Some tips to keep your photos good quality

Important tip!

I often get people contacting me wanting a portrait and the only photos they have are from Facebook and the quality isn't good enough to paint from..They take the photos on their camera or phone and then upload them to Facebook.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Facebook automatically reduces the size / quality of any photos when you put them up so they take less time to load and also because thats' the way it's set up.
Often the horse or pet has passed away and thats' the only photos they have and I have to tell them we can't do a portrait + they don't have any decent photos of their animal because as soon as you enlarge the photos the eyes are blurry etc.

TIP - Before you put the photos onto your computer make a folder up and name it -original and your pets name and date e.g -original Rusty 1 -10 - 2012 .You can then download your photos from the camera to your computer and put the photos in this folder.
When you download to the computer make sure that the camera doesn't automatically make them smaller and doesn't erase them afterwards. Keep a copy on the camera until your finished.

Do not do anything with these photos!!.
They are your original / master copy.
Make a copy of that folder on your computer.Now you can upload the photos in this copied folder to Facebook , edit them etc . Make sure you give the copied folder another name so you don't accidently change the master ones -e.g - Fb photos of Red 1 - 10 -2012
Once all this is done you can erase them off the camera if you wish.
 This way you will always have decent quality photos of your animals and if you want a portrait created at some time - even after your pet has gone - we can do a great portrait.

Goanna & Ducks

We've had several generations of wild ducks grow up on our place. This spring we've had 2 lots one 11 one lot of 2. It always seems to be the woodducks that succeed.
We have some tame black ducks but they always have their ducklings too late in ther season. They need to have them early before it gets too hot and the goanna comes around. I always thought that if they had a next in the dam on floating weed they'd be safe but it appears even that isn't so.
The Goanna was around this morning swimming in the dam and crawling around the edges.

He was swimming when I saw him but by the time I got the camera he was patrolling the edges watched on by nervous ducks.

These are our latest lot of wood ducks. They are almost at the flying stage so they are fairly safe but they looked a bit nervous.

This one shows his size better. The ducks in the photo are the black ducks who have never got the timing right to get a brood to survive him. If they have ducklings when it's cool he's still 'hibernating?' He disappears in winter. He eats the egss or small ducklings.

Christmas isn't far away - hasn't the year flown?

If you have been trying to think of a gift that will make an impact and be treasured a portrait of a pet or loved one can bring generations  happy memories.

Portraits are much more alive, last longer and have more impact than a framed photo.
I can put back the emotional connection that a photo loses.

I'm taking Christmas portrait bookings at the moment and places are filling fast.Portraits take many weeks or even months to create so don't leave it too late to have your custom portrait created!

All you need do is email me with your ideas and send me your photos.If you are local I can come and take suitable ones. I can supply your portrait custom framed with your pets name on it ready to place under the tree ( or on the wall..lol's).

Sally - one from the archives

I've been creating a large oil portrait of  Jethro a great dane and he is taking a long time so I don't have any new portrait to show you.I thought I'd show you an earlier portrait of Sally.

Danielle contacted me to have a portrait created of Sally for her husband for Christmas. I went and took photos when he wasn't home and here is the portrait and what they thought of it.

 

Sally

30 x 40cms framed pastel

' It looks exactly like Sally with her big & bright eyes , big black nose
& her ear's very alert just like a Panda Bear.'.
You have amazing painting skills.

Danielle

"Jason loved it!"

Danielle

Zeuss & I

I thought I'd post a few pics of Zeuss and I so you can get to know us. He was a bit lean when these photos were taken but has filled out not with spring feed.
 He's a 15.3hh TB gelding 20 year old. He used to buck me off regularly so I got some riding lessons and have been playing around with dressage for the last 9 years.We do half pass , counter canter and shoulder in etc but have never done a full test or gone to an event as I don't have a float or car capable of pulling one.

When he used to buck me off I started doing natural horsemanship and we've been doing variations ever since. The groundwork gave me the confidence to keep him. He wasn'tnasty just super sensitive and he didn't understand leg aids..

He has his ears back (above) but he enjoys it as much as I do.. here I am running and have asked him to come with me. This is free in a 25 acre paddock.
Some of these pictures were taken recently when a friend came up and we did a lot of other things but this is the only pic that must have been flattering lol's..

 

We get along pretty well these days..Scratch that itch please!

 

Over the years he's been trained in a lot of ways. He's pretty cluey. I started doing stockhorse type training and although my dressage instructor tells me not to do sideways at a halt I can't help myself at times! Z likes it too as he knows that this signals the end of the session..lol's I then do a turn on the haunches or forehand to line him up next to the mirror so when I get off and fix the covers he's in the right spot to remount.

This photo is a bit different...I did have 2 mirrors but one blew over in a storm and we have never replaced it. Bummer now I don't have one I can check my lateral ( sideways) work in..

 

A happy chappy..'phew it's finished!' ( cripes mate it's only half an hour!)

 

Good boy..

 

 

 

 

I'm a winner in the 2012 Hunter Business Excellence Awards

On Friday I was announced as a winner in the 2012 Hunter Business Excellence Awards. 

 

Thanks to everyone who supported me and a special thanks to my referees.

I didn't mention it earlier as I was waiting for some photos from the night. There should be a segment with  official photos on the awards night in the Maitland Mercury and Cessnock Advertiser this week.
I was the first one called up onto the stage and managed to walk up without tripping over and made a speech so I'm happy! lol's
I now have 3 winning awards and a HC from the Business Awards.I'll have to make a place to display them in the studio.

 

 

I'm not sure the colour goes with my outfit..lol's

They are beautiful awards. I have a purple , blue and white and now the orange one.They are hand blown glass from Ogishi Glass at Pokolbin and they change the colour and get fancier every year! If I'd have known I was getting one and what colour they were I would have dressed to suit..lol's

 

In memory of Mickey

Mickey was killed in an accident and his portrait was a secret birthday gift to provide memories of him in better times.

 

 

Mickey

 20 x 25cms

 Framed pastel

The paintings I was creating at the State dressage championships

Here is the latest on the lovely warmblood. He's almost there but I need to figure out the finishing touches so I'll put him aside for a while.

 

 

 

Here he is finished

 

 

 

For Sale

$1050 AUD

Soft and Kind

46 x 46cm

Oil on gallery wrap canvas

Price includes shipping Australia wide.
Overseas people you can purchase with the button. Shipping will be extra. For a rough price estimate email me.

                                                              

 

 Here is an update on Rusty a demo I started back in June and did a bit more on the weekend.Rusty passed away several years ago and I want to cpature his kind face. He is probably the demo that is the least finished.

 

 

 Rusty

26 x 34cms

 Pastel

My demo painting of my horse Zeuss - not quite finished but I had a frame so I put him in to show everyone what he'd look like framed.

 

This photo is the most accurate for colour. I thought he was finished in the light of the venue but when I got him home in the studio light I decided he needs more. I'm not quite sure what yet but I'll put him aside and come back later for the finishing touches.

 

 

Zeuss

roughly 30 x 40cms

framed Oil

 

 

 

 

Here he is hung at the venue. The rocks slant back so it isn't the most flattering place to hang paintings but it gives an idea.

 

 

 

Me in the early stages of painting Zeuss. Blogger has changed and I can't choose a size of photo any more..

 

Here are the paintings hung on the back wall. I couldn't get them all in the one photo so here is the LHS ones..

 

 

 

 

RHS- Thanks to Robyn and Rhiannon for loaning me their portrait for the weekend.

 

 

 The whole display.The paintings on the back wall are a bit obscured here.

This morning and roos

There have been heaps of roos around the house lately. This was the relaxed group this morning before I disturbed them walking over to the compost spot..

 

This ones a free loader that should have left home ages ago! Its' certainly double jointed! 

I expected it to fall out of the pouch as mum hopped off..

'Hi mum do you think you can pass down a bit to eat ?'

 I'll have a bit of a snack while I wait..

 ( I bet mum is thinking ..now if I jump off quickly maybe I can get rid of him...lol's)

Here is my latest secret pet portrait Peppe.

                                                                                Peppe
                                                                     30 x 35cms image
                                                                            Framed Oil 'Oh, Sue, it's just perfect! You are so talented, beautifully captured. Dad will be in tears...
I think that's a good thing...!
You are a superstar. Thank you so much.'
JH Melbourne
 Peppe was unveiled yesterday. 

Ski roo

For Sale

 $325

 Skiroo 
30 x 40 cms  
Oil on gallery wrap canvas

 After some really bad winter weather the  roo in front has had a lightbulb moment and found a better way to get around in the snow - skis! His mate can't believe what he's seeing -
" What the..!????"
I cross country ski and this painting was inspired by a photo I took of a cocky little joey looking at me resting back on his tail .I thought he'd look great on skis!

The creation of Kerry & Huey

I've started on the painting of Kerry and Hughie.I've roughly blocked it in with acrylic.
I can see Hughie's head is twisted a bit and the bottom of his nose needs to come towards us a bit. I'll fix that later.
Everything is very rough at the moment but I do like the feel of it so I'm pleased with what I've done so far.

I'm changing the angle of Hughie's head from the photo so I'm winging it a bit!
It will be a 50 x 60cms Oil on gallery wrap canvas.

 Here's the latest on Kerry + Huey. I would probably prefer to have them without a background but I don't get the chance to do many backgrounds with commissioned paintings so I want to get some practise.
I'm still not happy with Huey's head. I don't have a photo to paint from.I've changed the angle.I have some photos but none are exactly what I need. I could cheat and cover it up with the bridle but I prefer to get it right first and then put the tack on.

 I've roughly done the arena sand and started on the trees.I'll have to think about what I want to achieve before I do much more.

 I got enthused yesterday and go a fair bit done of Huey.He's roughly done.I have to do a bridle and finish off a few bits.
I really like the way he stands out at the moment. It's much easier to get the horse , pet etc to stand out if you just have a simple colored background as then you can select the colour to best show them off. The challenge will be to finish off the background and place him in a setting without losing the impact.

Boy it's SO much easier painting a horse from a photo where they are in the sun and have gloss on their coats!
I was never happy with my equine entry as it was taken on an overcast day and I made up the sunlight and gloss on the coats. That's never as successful as having a decent photo to start with.
I also put a different photo of the front horses head and neck on the existing body.. a recipe for problems..lol's
If I go in it next year I'll make sure the photos are of horses in the sun with glossy coats.It will be so easy then.

If you are after a portrait of your horse try to get some sharp flattering photos taken in sunlight. If you don't look great in the best photo of the horse I can always use another suitable photo to put a nicer face on you!

I've changed Huey in this painting - made his head less tucked under and raised his front leg more so he is more active bit I still want that happy relaxed look the original photo had.Just an improved version.

I have another photo of Kerry from a similar angle but she is happier so I'll use that face for the portrait. Unforthunately it won't be easy as the photo isn't very sharp or clear.

Today I was going to start on the background  but realised I need to roughly paint Kerry before I do. I need the horse and rider roughly done - at least blocked in with colour before I'm able to decide where I need light and dark areas and which colours to use.
 So here is the latest.  

I've finally started to do the background. I want to get that done and make sure I have the general feeling I want before start on Kerry face and arms or do anymore to Huey.

 I'm pretty happy with the setting now. It's not finished but I'll come back in and fine tune things once it's dry and I have Kerry and Huey finished.
I'm leaving Kerry's face until I'm in the right frame of mind as then it will come much 
easier .
There is still heaps to do. I have to paint Kerry's face and arms then come back and refine both her and Huey , add the bridle and then subtle touches to the arena and background.