Yorkie Terrier Portrait
Jasper the Motorcycle Dog
Watercolor on Cold Press Arches
Jasper is a dog who gets around!
We met him and his human mom and dad at the 2014 Annual Whiskers Walk in Lancaster. They had just pulled into the parking lot…only they weren’t driving a car, they were riding motorcycles. Jasper had his very own carrier seat strapped to his dad’s bike. He wore a bright orange safety vest as well.
We ran into the family a few more times during the afternoon. Even though he is a small dog, Jasper was confident and comfortable in the crowd of bigger dogs. We loved his smile!
I actually needed to draw out this painting of Jasper twice. The first time, my black mix crept into the flesh tones of Jasper’s dad, and I couldn’t scrub out the pigments. On the second attempt, my background mixed greens wept into the top of Jasper’s head. I scrubbed out the greens the best I could and decided to live with it. Drawing the painting out a third time would have condemned it to one of the accumulating “to-do” piles in my studio. Perhaps you are wondering, “Rachel, why don’t you just use watercolor masque to preserve the whites?” I actually have found a masque that I am comfortable with, and will use it in a pinch. I also, in my later middle age, have figured out how to soften the hard edges of paint that dry around masque. But apply masque is dreary to me personally. And as I’ve said before, if painting becomes drudgery, you may as well spend your time cleaning the bathroom.
Please note that all copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist.
