Cards Ordered

Image sized for the xmas card.  Lost a little at the top, but I planned it that way.  SH cards should come by Fri.; ours next week.  *Few*  What a weight lifted getting them done.

BTW, second year we've done them on Cyber Monday to take advantage to the extra discount:  60% off.  Otherwise they regularly run a 50% off for xmas cards.

Photographed Prints Outside

BW moon.

Yellow moon.

Deciding between these two.  Or I may color up another one, but right now overall I'm liking the yellow moon over the bw moon print.

Darker print plus

Started with a darker print.  Color saturated.  I'll try a lighter one next.

***

Tried color on the moon.  Don't think it works.

Silvering the Castle

Same print as before.  Silvered the castle, added a tad more color here and there.  Darkened it more in Paint Shop Pro.

I could touch up the chop and use this print I suppose.  But I really should color some more and choose between.

Pastel Test

Testing pastel on a lighter test print.  Almost got the critters.  Might add color to the castle (I have a silvery pan pastel that might work ok).

Test Print

Best of the test prints.  I like the lights and darks.  Tan color will be added to some of the beasties.

Moon

BW image.  Moon needs more carving.

Stars and Castle

Now I work on the moon.  Think I'll save that for tomorrow when Tina an I do art together.  Then it'll be time for a test print.

May add more detail here and there, but I'll be adding pastel color to some of the critters so details aren't that important.

Putting Stars Upon Thar

Moving in on the castle.

More Trees

Carving more snowy trees.  Starting to think about the stars.

Ta-da on the snow and trees.

Trees

Carving snow and trees.  

Carving My Chop

Had to make sure I got it in there, so I went ahead and carved it before I carved away any more snow.

Almost Done with Doggies

Almost done with the doggy bottoms.  Then the snow, et al.  I added more stars.  Trees will be white with a little detail.

***

More Carving

Time for a stretch break.

One Doggy Bottom at a Time

carving doggy bottoms  ;->

Time for a stretch break.  And to ice my shoulders.

bw view, to see how lights and darks are working out

Carving

Good start.  8-]

Ready to Carve

Tweaking the cartoon a bit, but I think I'm ready to start carving.  As long as the castle is facing the right way, anything else can be dealt with.  ;- p

Block

First error.  Transferred the cartoon without flipping it first.  I can adjust ~ reverse the castle and Oscar's ears.  Then I can go with the flipped image.

Carve this.

Print this.

I also smallered up the castle.  It was too prominent.

I think it looks ok the reverse of how I first envisioned it.  More room for my chop anyway.  Or not.  Doesn't matter.  Maybe I'll incorporate the chop into the image.  

Ok.  Carve this.

And print this.

Cartoon

Board sanded and stained.  When it dries I can transfer the cartoon.

Enlarged the cartoon to fill the page.  Board is wider, so I can add trees on the sides.

I may smaller up the castle and moon, so there can be more sky.

Sassi (on left) can be smaller; border collie can be a little bigger.

Last Addition

That's it.  I cut and pasted and squished in one more doggy bottom.  No more critters, unless it's a bird or a turtle.  ;- j

Lighter version for better detail.

Sassi on the left has to be smaller; border collie can be a little bigger.  Otherwise I think it's ready to go.

Need to prep a board ~ probably 9"x12" if I have one.  May have to order it, I'll see.  No larger.

Latest Sketch

Howliday Moon

Horse Bottom ~ Raudagull

Raudagull

Sketch ~ Howliday Moon

Generic still.  Want to try Oscar, a better Gabby.  Size them better.  A better Meechee.

Size is variable.  I can have more trees on the side, more stars in the sky.  Then I can make it match the card shape.  Probably longer, so I might add a dog or two more (or just more trees).

Starting to draw SH dogs.

Doggy bottoms

Collecting doggy bottoms.

Chiron

Fae

Beth's dogs

Gabby

Signy puppy

Signy-Oscar

Signy-backyard

Eusebius - Joe K's cat?

any short hair from the rear would do

generic cats from rear

generic border collie ~ wrong coloring

generic border collies

hard to catch Signy in action  ;->

Another view of Gabby