Alex in the Garden-Final

© Ellen Blonder

I've added details to the hydrangea flowers and put in some ferns in the upper right background. I've also touched up many of the leaves and added shadows and ground covers. I could go on forever, but I think I'd better stop before this gets even busier. With all the different plants, this painting required more work than I anticipated.

Alex in the Garden-Day 10

© Ellen Blonder

Alex got his fur back, and looks much more himself. I also filled in the society garlic flowers by Alex's hind foot and added details to the fallen leaves. Now I just have to finish noodling out the foliage, especially the hellebore on the upper right side.

Alex in the Garden-Day 8

© Ellen Blonder

I'm still slowly working on the foliage to the left while Alex waits for me to add some fur to his body.

Alex in the Garden-Day 7 Detail

© Ellen Blonder

Just getting back to painting some more, working out details in the heuchera and oak-leaved hydrangea before I add the flowers to the society garlic. Alex watches patiently.

Alex in the Garden-Day 6

© Ellen Blonder

I thought Alex should be painted with all his fur, even though it means more work. I'll have to overpaint his shorn self and continue to work on the facial fur. I've also just had time to paint a little more foliage detail since my last post.

Alex in the Garden-Day 5

© Ellen Blonder

Progress is slow. The hydrangea flowers still need details, but I was eager to start painting other foliage in first. Alex went home yesterday, so it's nice to still have him in the painting.

Alex in the Garden-Day 4 Detail

© Ellen Blonder

Summer guests. Little time to paint or post, but here's the hydrangea in one corner of the painting of Alex in the garden. The leaves are just about finished, but the flowers just have an underpainting so far.

Alex in the Garden-Day 3

© Ellen Blonder

Alex is a Cairn terrier, but he's shorn for summer here. I may have to paint more of his fur back on before I'm done.

Alex in the Garden-Day 2

© Ellen Blonder

I put Alex amid plants that are really growing in the garden, although not in this arrangement. I like the contrasting textures and colors among the leaves and flowers that I chose: oak-leaf hydrangea, hydrangea macrophylla, society garlic, penstemon, heuchera and two kinds of hellebore. Alex goes home soon, so I've got to work on him more first. There's a long way to go on this painting.

Alex in the Garden-Day 1

© Ellen Blonder

We're dog-sitting for about a week, so I think I'll paint Alex in the garden, although he was actually posing near my feet at the computer. It's hard to identify him as a Cairn terrier since he was shorn for the summer. He's impossibly cute and round; we've been told he has a much mellower disposition than many of his breed.

Lately, I prefer smooth surfaces to paint on, as opposed to canvas. This is a 16 x 16 sheet of masonite.