2025 Trekell Pet Portrait Competition entry

Here is my entry for this year's Trekell Pet Portrait Competition.  This competition requires artists to use a special shaped birch panel as the support.  This time I painted eight of my chickens, some who are still alive and some who have passed, all gathered in a circle with the sun behind them.  Although it was not my original intention, it looks as though it is from the point of view of a bug on the ground.  So I've titled this painting "You Are The Bug."  One of these special hens I have painted several times before - can you spot her?

Random Project of the Week - Red fox watercolor

I painted a red fox in watercolor recently as part of an online art swap.  I really enjoyed painting this little study and leaning into the softness that can be achieved with watercolor.

This time I experimented with a different technique to transfer my sketch onto the paper.  I photographed my sketch, edited it digitally, then printed it out in a light purple color onto the piece of watercolor paper.  I think this method worked very well for this particular piece.

 

The original pencil sketch (plus notes to myself!).