Wait For It....

At last, my final painting told me: 'Ding!' It's done. I asked my friends on Facebook for suggestions on the title - the working title was The Treat.

Wait for it. Mixed Media Painting By Laura Hoffman

So far, my best friend, Jean Pasco, suggested my favorite so far, which is Wait For It....
which is exactly what these two ladies are doing. The gold is in hand, and it's all about IT, the goal, the treat.

I am getting ready to show new work over the weekend at the annual summer SCBWI conference that begins tomorrow! This painting will be part of the Penelope series.

Lately, being surrounded by wiener dogs (dachshunds) has really affected my choice of subject matter. We paint what we see, what we think about and what we love. This series will end up being part of a book - a work in progress coming to you soon.

Does a Painting Say 'Ding' When it's Done?

I've been painting this straight (kind of realistic) and have let this artwork sit for a couple of days.

My Mom and Dad's dog is in the background, with our Penelope dog in the foreground. The treat has not yet been visually revealed to them yet the scent has their complete attention.

These two are mature lady dachshunds who excel in the doggie-art of sleeping, cuddling and eating.  Now the promise of food is all there is.

Now I'm back at it, painting away on The Treat. Here is the work in progress:

The Treat (Work in Progress) by Laura Hoffman

This will evolve, this is just how the painting looks right now.

My ever present question remains: When do you know this is done? When to stop "dipping the brush?"

Here is the sketch:

Clean Pencil Sketch for The Treat by Laura Hoffman

OK, back to it....

New sketch: The Treat

The Treat  Sketch by Laura Hoffman:  July 17, 2013

Here is a new sketch - hot off the pencil today.
I'm going to paint it with all this energy emanating from the hand. It's all about that magic moment in time when the goodie is offered by their human.

This is Penelope and her aunt Ginger - two older lady dachshunds who are shamelessly motivated by treats.

Illustration Friday

Penelope in Bed, Mixed Media

This week's theme for Illustration Friday is "Sweet."
I couldn't help myself.
Here is Penelope in Bed - and this is really how my dachshund goes to sleep.

Illustration Friday