AFTR Update

"Along for the Ride"

18x24 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Well I didn't get as much done as I'd have liked. The basket and the handle bars are looking good though.

Instead of painting all day, I fulfilled a x-mas promise to my wife by setting up a stereo in her studio. Now it sounds great in there.

Bri-

Along for the Ride Update

"Along for the Ride"

18x24 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Today, I put what will probably be the last brushstrokes on the background. I want it to appear out of focus and blurred by the motion of the bicycle's movement.

I've added some details to Lucy's face, put a collar and tag on her as well. The client asked for jewels on the black collar and that will be done using Golden Interference Paint. When the light hits it from different angles it really lights up. The paint has an iridescent quality to it.

Stay tuned as this painting progresses.

Bri-

Nikki Update

"Nikki"

12x9 acrylic on canvas
$350.00 unframed
SOLD

I've added her tail, enlarged the eyes a little and fluffed up her ears.

I've really enjoyed painting this little dog.

Bri-

X-mas Coffee Hounds

"X-mas Coffee Hounds"

5x7 coffee and ink on paper
SOLD

This was the card I made for my wife this X-mas.

Our little dog is the one closet to you, the viewer, and our big dog is laying in front of the tree. There is a 60 lbs. difference between the two, and the little one fits under the big one without ducking.

If they were fish they'd be the kind that swim through the aquarium castle. They both love to go under furniture, and each other.

Bri-

Coffee Penny

"Coffee Penny"

9x6 coffee and ink on paper
$25 unframed $5 for shipping in the US
Email:dogbri@q.com to purchase

The Coffee Hounds are going to look better, starting today.

It may seem like I got an early x-mas present, but I've had this scanner for years. Last night I realized I had a rack system that would fit in the corner of my studio. So I will longer be photographing them, I'll just scan them directly.

This is a dog named Penny from NYC. I had painted one of her sisters on the Animal Planet TV show K-9 Karma. Hopefully, I'll get another 15 minutes someday.

Bri-

New Brushstroke Style

"Brushstroke Big"

9x6 coffee and ink on paper
$25 unframed $5 for shipping in the US
SOLD

After completing the coffee and ink painting of "Coffee Playtime" I knew I needed to do something different. I felt I didn't have enough control over the ink in that piece.

It might seem that I would have more control over a pen verses a brush. In reality a brush works better and faster. So yesterday I went out to Ryder Brothers, our local office supply store and bought some drawing ink. The funny thing is the local art supply store didn't carry it. Go figure.

If you can't tell, I love working with the drawing ink. It's awesome.

Bri-

Lebron Final

"Lebron Licks His Chops"

14x11 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I made some subtle changes to the tones on his chest and added some touches of orange to his tongue. I'm very happy with how this turned out.

While I was finishing this painting the snow has been falling off our roof. It comes crashing down with loud thuds. It's really sunny here today, but I have a feeling there's more snow on the way.

Bri-

Lebron 02

"Lebron Licks His Chops"

14x11 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Shading is all that's left to do. Shading, just a little shading.

Okay, so shading is the most time consuming part of painting, but it's also what brings life to a piece.

I've had a little trouble with his left side, because the photo I'm working from has a dark shadow, and his form is lost in it. Ah, the simplicity of painting a black dog against a black background.

Bri-

Lebron

"Lebron Licks his Chops"

14x11 acrylic on canvas
$400
SOLD

If I didn't have a winter solstice party to go to, I'd finish this painting today. Excuses, right?

I need to make some adjustments to the proportions of his chest. It's a little broader and not quite as long as I have it right now.

If you look close to his right side you'll see where I made some corrections already. I use a similar color to the background color to correct mistakes. One of the things I love about painting is that the medium is also the eraser.

Bri-

Kaleigh Waiting

"Kaleigh Waiting"

18x36 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I went through quite a few books on tape while painting this beautiful greyhound. I love doing large work and dogs that have brindled coats. I've done a few but always forget how much time I spend getting the coat just right.

Here's the list of books I listened to.
"What I Talk about When I Talk about Running" by Haruki Murakami
"Brimstone" by Lincoln Childs and Douglas Preston
"Petria Thomas: Swimming Against the Tide" by Petria Thomas and Andy Shea
"Still Life With Crows" by Lincoln Childs and Douglas Preston

Now I'm going to get started on a new painting.

Bri-

Mika

"Mika"

7x5 acrylic on canvas
$200
SOLD

So no coffee hound today. Well, Mika the dog is coffee colored.

The picture I had to work from on this piece was very small, and it was a little difficult to see the details of her face. Thanks to a second photo I was given, I was able to see things the main picture lacked.

In the end I was happy with how it turned out. My two favorite elements are the tongue and tail.

Bri-

Coffee Playtime

"Coffee Playtime"

9x6 coffee and ink on paper
$25 unframed $5 shipping in the US
E-mail me to purchase

These are our two dogs Zephyr and Bettini playing.

Because we don't have carpet in our house now, they rarely play like this, because neither one gains traction.

They still get their exercise by running with us four to five days a week.

Bri-

Coffee Grey Hound

"Coffee Grey Hound"

9x6 coffee on paper
$25 unframed $5 shipping in the US
E-mail me to purchase

Someone had recommended that I do one of a greyhound running as if it had just had a lot of coffee. So here it is.

Bri-

Nikki

"Nikki"

12x9 acrylic on canvas
$350
SOLD

This is Nikki and she lives in Bend, OR. I've been working on this painting all week. There's just a few minor changes I'd like to make. Darken the fur above her right eye, and some other minor shading on her paws.

I really love the way this has turned out and think it will go great with the other painting I did of her sister Gabriel.

Sorry no coffee hound today. Tomorrow I promise.

Bri-

Coffee Beagle

"Coffee Beagle"

9x6 coffee and ink on paper
$25 unframed $5 for shipping in the US
SOLD

I did this little guy based on a picture I saw on Pet Finder. His name is Forrest and is available for adoption in Estacada, OR.

I just love the look of longing that beagles have and Forest was no different.

Bri-

Decaf Dexter

"Decaf Dexter"

9x6 coffee on paper
$25 unframed $5 for shipping in the US
SOLD

This is Dexter, and he was a play pal of our dog Zephyr when we lived in NYC.

Once when Zephyr was still losing his puppy teeth. Dexter got blood from a loose tooth all over him. I had to reassure his owner that none of the blood was Dexter's.

This is another coffee hound that seemed great without any ink being added. The reason for the title is, I was using decaf sumatra.

Bri-

Commissions Update

"Along for the Ride" & "Kaleigh Waiting"

both SOLD

Each of these paintings is coming along exactly the way I want.

Sometimes a little slower than I'd like of course, but that's the way it works. Painting happens in real time.

In each painting I do I always see elements that I want to improve while I sit looking at them. Sometimes they are quick improvements and other times it takes hours to get where I'm happy with it. I spent roughly four hours working on a 10" square in the upper left hand side of the "Kaleigh Waiting" painting, and now I get to spend at least that much time on the right side.

These pieces are both great for me creatively and I can't wait to see what they look like tomorrow.

Bri-

Swimming in Coffee

"Swimming in Coffee"

9x6 coffee and ink on paper
$25 unframed $5 shipping in the US
SOLD

Our dog Zephyr is my training partner. I run with him 4 to 5 days a week and in the summer he's been known to swim a mile or two at a time with me. There is nothing he likes more than swimming.

This coffee hound painting is based on the first time he every swam. I was visiting a friend in Meredith, NY and we were picking blue berries out by this little pond. I figured I'd see if he liked swimming by throwing a stick in the water for him. Out he went, as fast as he could. To this day we can't be around water with him, unless we let him swim in it.

Bri-

Espresso Lab

"Espresso Lab"

6x9 coffee and ink on paper
$25 unframed $5 shipping in the US
SOLD


I've taken a little break from coffee hounds, because of my commission work. This is the first new one in about three days.

I brewed a shot of espresso each except one that ended up unused. What a waste of that beautiful elixir, eh?

Well, back to the big acrylic paintings now. I prepped two canvases today and will continue to post new commission updates, so stay tuned.
Bri-

Along for the Ride 02

"Along for the Ride"

18x24 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

This painting is working out quicker and slower than I'd like at the same time. I'll explain.

The background is coming along to slowly, because it's a large amount of the image and will take greater time than the subject. Lucy, the dog, came quickly and I can't wait to paint more of her and the bicycle. However, with the background on this painting taking up all that space around my subject I have to work on it first.

Well, my dogs need a walk so I'll have to come back to the paintings in a little while.

Bri-

Kaleigh Update 04

"Kaleigh Waiting"


18x36 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

I've started to add the red to the bed Kaleigh is waiting on. At first I wasn't sure I was going to like the red with other colors I was using, but with the pink in the highlights it works really well.

The main photo I'm working from is back lit and some of the defining features of her face are lost. To compensate I'm getting them from other photographs. Her right ear is what's hardest for me to define at this point.

What I really like is how Kaleigh's eyes are coming out.

Bri-

Along for the Ride

"Along for the Ride"

18x24 acrylic on canvas
$1800
SOLD

This is the beginning of a new painting. I flushed out the main frame work of the dog and the bicycle. Next I'll start to add elements of the background to the painting.

I also need to get rid of the top tube on the bicycle. I had been working from a photograph of our dog Bettini in a basket on my bike, which has a standard frame. The owner of the dog in the painting, however, is a little girl. I decided it would be more appropriate for the bike to have a drop tube instead.

The dog is named Lucy and is so cute. In the picture I'm working from her tongue is out and bright pink, just like the bicycle. My wife likes this painting so much she wants one just like it for our collection.

Bri-

Kaleigh Update 02

"Kaleigh Waiting"

18x36 acrylic on canvas
SOLD

Here's a current work in progress. I have the dog in it with a darker base color than is her real fur. However, since she has a brindled coat, it helps to have the darker base to work the lighter colors over.

Today, I have made adjustments to some of the proportions, and added defining marks in other base colors that will provide me guides as I go along.

I'm really happy with how this is working out, but I need to go make dinner, so I have to walk away from it for a while.
Bri-