Having a special dog who brought me so much joy regularly was quite wonderful. I did drawings of him all the time, especially as he slept. Other people liked my drawings and asked for portraits of their pets which I happily did. In the past few years, I had not taken many pet commissions due to the passing of my wonderful Red Heeler, Australian Cattle Dog, who was my main sidekick. He inspired me daily and went on every hiking adventure I trekked in the United States and Canada. Most of my outdoor memories are with him. Creating portraits for others was very hard after his passing.
Now, I have a blue heeler, 2 years old. He has helped me bring my focus back slowly by sketching every now and then, and creating canvas paintings again. Being asked to be a part of a person’s memories is an amazing feeling. I try to understand the feeling a person has about their pet and ask certain questions so I can place these emotions into the brush strokes. Getting a color scheme from clients is also an enjoyable part of the experience. I start with the eyes of an animal and focus on their expression or how their person described the pet’s character.
Once the eyes are painted, I develop the nose and mouth with certain details in mind. People message me about what their favorite memories are involving their pet’s mannerisms. Watercolor allows layering and a build up of texture with an emphasis on fur or hair to show expressive traits. I like using soft backgrounds to bring the image of the animal forward. If I choose to add details to the background, I also add highlights to the animal in order to bring the focus back to the subject.
This commissioned subject is someone’s cat and beloved pet. I created this with Winsor Newton Professional Watercolors on Arches Cold Pressed Watercolor Paper. The painting above is on a 4″ x 6″ sheet of watercolor paper. This space allows me to focus solely on certain attributes of the face to ensure each person’s happiness with their animal’s appearance. I was very pleased to work on Emme’s portrait recently because the lovely eyes of the animal fascinated me with such intensity. She is a very special part of her family and I was overjoyed to paint her. Please contact me HERE if you are interested in a commissioned Tiny Painting of your loved one!
I fully understand wanting to capture a loved one’s memories in a portrait that can hang on a wall and bring a smile to one’s heart every time it is seen. When I finish a painting, I hope I brought a moment to life such as how a person’s animal always made a certain face, or a tilt of their head. Reliving a happy memory is a marvelous feeling. Being asked to commemorate someone special to a family member is an honor. I am grateful for being blessed with two magnificent friends and the memories shared with both are timeless.
-Karen Hilliard
Also, if you would like another way to show support, I have a few options. “Buy me a coffee” which is a way for anyone to contribute to the creative process behind the paintings. Fuel the artist so to speak. Here is the link if you are interested. The funds go to supplies and gas to get out to the trails. I truly appreciate the support and the fact that you are liking these blogs, as well as my art posts. I am working hard to bring you all fresh content! Here is the link to my Instagram where I try to post daily. You can also find me on Facebook at my art page Karen Hilliard Art.
Please leave your Social Media handle on the “Buy me a Coffee” page so I can thank you in my Instagram/Facebook Stories! If you would like to 🙂
Thank you again for all of your support!
