Lily

Lily

Lily, originally uploaded by debifitz.

This is the photograph for my next pastel. It is the second time I have done this mare... the first was for this client's mother. She is rather special... especially to them! The plan is to do a more detailed progression. But I do have some time constraints... I need to get this done so that I can personally deliver it on my trip the end of this week... We shall see about that. I think this one is going to take a while.  It was requested that I do more progression photos of the back ground process... I have 4! The bg that I am using for this piece is not the one behind the horse. I chose to do another one from the same farm. A little more picturesque and with more depth.

Lily #1
pastel on PastelMat
private collection
19"X26"
I have started by placing where I want the trees and the darker areas. I try to work from left to right and from back ground  to foreground.  I use this hatching technique that helps to set the bg apart from the subject.  Although I do a hatching on the subject also, in the bg I will be a little loser, more impressionistic.  The idea is to have the back ground    enhance the subjects.

Danny & Ron's Rescue 2013

Danny & Ron's Rescue 2013, originally uploaded by debifitz.

That time of year again! Here is my latest piece for two of my favorite friends Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw. They have set up this amazing dog rescue project... Since hurricane Katrina, they have placed 5,000 (!!!) dogs and a few cats! They have even rescued a donkey and a llama! The cow in this piece is Lorena... one of their many pets! I could not find a good photo of a llama... was afraid it would come out looking like a big shaggy dog!! This is the 4th calendar cover I have done for them...it is such an honor! The calendar is a great fund raiser. Each month is a dog that has been rescued... photo with a brief story. The calendar has just gone to press and will be available the first of October.

Their website is... www.dannyandronsrescue.com

Next year we are going to be doing them on their pontoon down in Wellington, Florida... their winter home! Should be fun! I always have a great time taking the photos for these projects! This last photo session we did in Camden, S.C.... their home base.  I spent two days with them... always an adventure!  They have at least 20 to 30 dogs that live with them in their home!!!  About 10 are permanent residents. The others are just there until they are adopted.  Lots of barking... but amazingly no fights!  They are trying to see just how each dog reacts to other dogs, people, children, cats and horses.  That way they find the best match for their forever homes. They micro chip each dog and have a contract signed so that they get the dogs back for whatever reason the match does not work out.  They are truly AMAZING people!  And I am so blessed to have them as such good friends!

Abe,Sara,&Clayton

Abe,Sara,&Clayton, originally uploaded by debifitz.

oil on canvas
private collection
28"X36"

www.djfitzgerald.com

This one was really a challenge and the reason I have not been blogging this summer! I have been working on this one forever it seems! The initial photos were taken 6 years ago! They finally decided what they wanted to do 2 years ago ... but they wanted a more recent photo of Sara. So I took a few head shots of her... at the correct angle with the right lighting etc... I have done this before, but for some reason this one was harder to make it work. Another thing... the initial photos were 35 mm and of the whole bodies.... so cropping down to the upper half left me little details in the photos.... I am so spoiled to digital! I still feel like I could work on it some more. But I have other clients that are getting impatient, not to mention some bills that would like to get paid! So I have to let it go.... I delivered it to its home yesterday and the client and subject were happy... She wants me to do a portrait of her son and another one of her two dogs! So all is good!