Nova...

This is Nova, a commission I received last month - the first commission I have had in months!  This has been painted/drawn using Derwent Drawing and Coloursoft pencils on pastel paper.  Finding the right shade of paper was a performance - I sent away for a pad of assorted pastel papers as on the cover of the pad there was the exact shade of pale sage green that I wanted.  The pad arrived and the cover still looked to have the correct shade I wanted - but inside, the paper itself was a brown shade.  So I went to a good art shop that I know only to find they did not have the right shade either.  I ended up going to Hobbycraft where they had exactly the paper I needed - wish I'd gone there straight away!

Sadly, this little dog passed away a few days before I finished the portrait. I know the customer is very pleased with the portrait as she has ordered another one of her other dog.  I hope this one will live for a bit longer!

So while I wait for photos for the second picture, I can return to a painting of bears that I started and had to abandon./  Feels good to get back to my artwork after a very miserable summer...