Two Mini Dog Portraits

The portraits are mini, not the dogs! These pencil drawings are ACEO-sized. I've posted ACEOs on my blog before - they're art that's always 2.5" x 3.5". ACEO stands for "Art Cards, Editions and Originals" and they started on eBay where I first learned about them.

These portraits are commissioned pieces and the dogs belong to the same client.


"Bella"


"Bruno"

I have plenty of samples of pencil ACEOs on this page of my web site. Some were commissions, others were drawings I did to list on eBay or elsewhere. You can visit this page to see ACEOs in other media (color pencil, scratchboard, ink, etc.)

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German Shepherd Pup - New ACEO

This watchful GSD (German Shepherd Dog) puppy is my latest ACEO (Art Cards, Editions & Originals) drawing. I attended a Schutzhund event a few years ago and took quite a few reference photos of this handsome little guy named Rommel.


2.5" x 3.5" Pencil Drawing

This drawing is available on eBay until 7pm on October 1st. Click on the pup to see the listing.

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New Greyhound Pup Drawing Available

"Got Room to Run?" 4" x 4" drawing of a greyhound pup, pencil on bristol

I've been working on this drawing for quite a while. As is the case with most of my drawings/paintings that aren't commissions, it's been on a back burner so I can focus on the commissioned work. Even so, I'm much farther behind on my commissions than I'd like to be, but I still need to finish some pieces " just for me" that I can make available on-line, through the Auburn Old Town Gallery or to enter in shows (such as the pinto filly scratchboard I did for the upcoming Draft Horse Classic art show).

I took the reference photo for this drawing a few years ago when there was an open house at a local rescue facility. A friend and I took our cameras and had a great time snapping photos of (and playing with) a litter of 10-week old pups. This pup was called "Waffle" and as I recall, he'd already been spoken for at the time we were taking photos. It didn't take long for all the pups to find new homes. All puppies are cute, but it's a rare treat to see greyhound pups.



You may notice that Waffle has a white chin; had this been a commissioned portrait, I would have drawn Waffle's chin the way it is in the photo, but I took some artistic license and made it grey. Things that are obvious in a photo don't always read the same way in a drawing.




Update 10/2015: This drawing is still available and I'll donate $10 from the sale to Sacramento Independent Animal Rescuers. Please contact me at annranlett [at] gmail.com if you're interested in purchasing this piece.

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Abba - Dearly Missed

My latest little portrait is of Abba, a parti-color (two- or three-toned with white) Cocker Spaniel.

Abba - 3" x 3", in graphite pencil on bristol

Abba had passed away and her owner (I know him from the Auburn Old Town Gallery) asked if I could do a small portrait of her to go on the box that holds her ashes. I'm honored that he asked me to create this memorial portrait of his dog. I never met Abba, but I know she meant a lot to him. She was a beautiful girl too, as evident from the photos her owner provided - look at that shiny, wavy coat! I settled on this photo to use, since it showed her face best:



I rotated the photo a bit, so her eyes were level, and I cropped it so that the circle on the box would frame her face. However, I drew the portrait in square format. Her owner will get the original portrait as a square, and a print that he can put in the circle on the box.




This is the greyscale version, so I can see the tones better.

These types of portraits are bittersweet to do - although I never met the dog, I know all too well how difficult it is to lose a beloved pet. I'm aware of that as I work on the portrait and often think of my own pets that have passed. But I'm also happy to provide a piece of art that captures a cherished animal friend.

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One More Moon Bear Drawing

UPDATE - 6/6/09 - the original drawing didn't sell on eBay, so I've moved it to my Bonanzle booth. Click on the image to see the listing.

This ACEO pencil drawing of "Hans" is now available on eBay. Click the image to see the auction listing.


"Hans" - 2.5" x 3.5" pencil drawing

Although it doesn't say in the listing (because eBay is touchy about charity listings, and I don't have an official letter from the charitable organization), I will donate &8 of the final sale price of "Hans" to Animals Asia Foundation to benefit their moon bear rescue efforts. You can read more about AAF in my previous post.

I listed my other moon bear ACEOs (see previous post) on ArtByUs, but I've decided to go back to eBay for this one. Although I like ArtByUs and there are no listing or commission fees, there's also no traffic. My drawing of Rosie has a bid, but that's it - disappointing to say the least. That bid is only because of a moon bear fan who had asked to be notified when that drawing became available. I'm trying to raise money to help the bears, so let's hope this new drawing sees a bit more action. If you'd like to buy other moon bear art, please visit my Bonanzle booth where I have reproductions of my Hans and Rosie drawings and the original Lia drawing.



This is the reference photo of Hans - provided by AAF.

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