What's funny about this trend, is that some of these photos look bizarrely grotesque. Anyone care to predict the next inane photo trend involving pets?
The Pet Portraiture and Animal Artwork of Alicia VanNoy Call
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dogs. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Dogs in Tights
What's funny about this trend, is that some of these photos look bizarrely grotesque. Anyone care to predict the next inane photo trend involving pets?
Thursday, August 1, 2013
All About The Dogs
You all know that I paint pet portraits. Did you also know that I'm a writer/illustrator? This means that I practice the skills needed to be successful in children's books, but that I also READ a lot of children's books. As my teen and tween children say, "You're never too old for a bedtime story." In honor of school starting up again, here is a list of my favorite children's books all about dogs.
Hondo & Fabian by Peter McCarty - I love the illustrations. They're soft and nostalgic-feeling.
Say Hello To Zorro! by Carter Goodrich - Goodrich is one of the best character designers in the business. And these character designs will have you giggling.
Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby - When this bored Dachshund gets a taste of the great outdoors, he might never go back!
Ball by Mary Sullivan - Couldn't find a cover for this one, but it's a delightful monosyllabic story told in pictures and word from a dog's point of view.
Black Dog by Levi Pinfold - This book is just gorgeous, with beautiful and highly detailed illustrations rendered in acrylic paint and a sweet story about bravery and hope.
Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee - Boot and Shoe spend every moment together, but when a mischievous squirrel splits them up, they don't know what to do.
Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman - This was a favorite of my oldest daughter when she was a toddler. Plenty of humorous drawings and fun rhyming.
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion - A classic.
How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Dogs? by Jane Yolen - There is a whole series of these "How Do Dinosaurs. . ." books. I have the first one memorized. Mark Teague's playful illustrations make the clever text come to life.
Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters From Obedience School by Mark Teague - This tongue-in-cheek correspondence is entertaining for children and grown-ups alike.
The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey - Another classic.
Ribsy by Beverly Cleary - I read this as a kid. I clearly remember the great drawings.
Puppies by William Wegman - Another photo book. These Weimaraner puppies just melt your heart.
The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-time by Mark Haddon - This book isn't about dogs, but a dog figures in the reason the main character starts on his adventure. This novel is young adult fiction, probably recommended for ages 14 and up. The protagonist is a teen, but this book is a very good read for grown-ups too.
Santa Pups by Jerry Polatta - This book isn't out yet, but my hero Will Terry did the illustrations. Here's a sneak peek of some concept drawings. Will Terry specializes in brightly colored and vibrant illustrations featuring animals. So keep an eye out for it. It's sure to be great fun.
The Wolves In The Walls by Neil Gaiman - Okay, so this book is technically about wolves, but they're similar, right? As a writer, my favorite overall writer is Neil Gaiman, so I am very happy whenever he releases a children's book. This book is dark and a little creepy, but overall very funny. The illustrator Dave McKean uses his collage/digital/painterly style to great effect.
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen - This book isn't about dogs at all. It's about a bear looking for his hat. But it's fantastic. I had a laughing fit when I read it in the bookstore and I've read it to lots of people, most of them grown ups.
What are your favorite books about dogs?
Hondo & Fabian by Peter McCarty - I love the illustrations. They're soft and nostalgic-feeling.
Say Hello To Zorro! by Carter Goodrich - Goodrich is one of the best character designers in the business. And these character designs will have you giggling.
Underwater Dogs by Seth Casteel - Who knew when this pet photographer started taking underwater photos of pooches that they would eventually be compiled into a book. Seems like a no-brainer, and this book is sure to bring lots of smiles.
Ball by Mary Sullivan - Couldn't find a cover for this one, but it's a delightful monosyllabic story told in pictures and word from a dog's point of view.
Black Dog by Levi Pinfold - This book is just gorgeous, with beautiful and highly detailed illustrations rendered in acrylic paint and a sweet story about bravery and hope.
Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee - Boot and Shoe spend every moment together, but when a mischievous squirrel splits them up, they don't know what to do.
Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman - This was a favorite of my oldest daughter when she was a toddler. Plenty of humorous drawings and fun rhyming.
Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion - A classic.
How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Dogs? by Jane Yolen - There is a whole series of these "How Do Dinosaurs. . ." books. I have the first one memorized. Mark Teague's playful illustrations make the clever text come to life.
Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters From Obedience School by Mark Teague - This tongue-in-cheek correspondence is entertaining for children and grown-ups alike.
The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey - Another classic.
Ribsy by Beverly Cleary - I read this as a kid. I clearly remember the great drawings.
Puppies by William Wegman - Another photo book. These Weimaraner puppies just melt your heart.
The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-time by Mark Haddon - This book isn't about dogs, but a dog figures in the reason the main character starts on his adventure. This novel is young adult fiction, probably recommended for ages 14 and up. The protagonist is a teen, but this book is a very good read for grown-ups too.
Santa Pups by Jerry Polatta - This book isn't out yet, but my hero Will Terry did the illustrations. Here's a sneak peek of some concept drawings. Will Terry specializes in brightly colored and vibrant illustrations featuring animals. So keep an eye out for it. It's sure to be great fun.
The Wolves In The Walls by Neil Gaiman - Okay, so this book is technically about wolves, but they're similar, right? As a writer, my favorite overall writer is Neil Gaiman, so I am very happy whenever he releases a children's book. This book is dark and a little creepy, but overall very funny. The illustrator Dave McKean uses his collage/digital/painterly style to great effect.
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen - This book isn't about dogs at all. It's about a bear looking for his hat. But it's fantastic. I had a laughing fit when I read it in the bookstore and I've read it to lots of people, most of them grown ups.
What are your favorite books about dogs?
Saturday, July 6, 2013
First Big Arizona Adventure
We haven't been in Arizona very long. we moved the rest of our stuff down here last month and mostly it's been uneventful. Besides my purse getting stolen, which technically happened in Utah, there hasn't been much exciting to report. I have been painting, shipping out prints and paintings, looking for work, suffering from insomnia and missing people in Utah. Which leaves me feeling like this most of the time:
The 4th of July was our first big adventure in Arizona. And I categorize big adventures as something out of the ordinary. We spent the day with my brother's family out in San Tan Valley (forty minutes from Tempe, where we are currently living). Family which, for the moment, consists of his wife, Rachel, their baby, and Rachel's mother visiting from Conneticut. We played games, we ate food, we had a nice relaxing day. Which is why I didn't expect to feel like this the next day:
And here's why. Rachel suggested we go to a fireworks show she found online, at a golf course about twenty minutes away. There was a charge (Rachel offered to treat us), which seemed reasonable, considering the event online offered pie and ice cream, unlimited popcorn for kids, cold beverages and glow sticks while we watch the show. So after dinner, off we go in two separate cars to the show. We arrive at the golf course, thinking we will just go into the club house, pay the fee and find a place on the grass. Oh no. Not that simple. The Show (which I will now capitalize), was purportedly at the 15th hole. Now ask me: Do I golf?
No. I do not golf. And neither does anyone in that group. So we set out to walk to the 15th hole to see The Show. The amazing fireworks show for which all of this would be worth it. It was 8pm, 104 degrees, and we were all carrying backpacks, blankets, water, etc. One mile of very hilly golf course later, we're still looking for the 15th hole. It's almost dark, we're hiking through the desert (there were golfing greens, but mostly we were surrounded by sagebrush, creosote, cactus and sand).
We were hot. We were thirsty. People were getting blisters from their sandals. Finally, my brother consulted Google Maps, and we tried to gauge how far it would be. We estimated from the satellite picture where we thought the 15th hole would be and decided to cut across a wash instead up hiking up and around the next mountain. So we start across the wash. Tyler is ahead of me. Suddenly he stumbles sideways, beginning an epithet and cutting it short (the kids were with us).
Tyler: Oh SH--!
I thought he was falling and breaking his ankle. Apparently everyone else thought so too. But his next exclamation, "SNAKE!" told us otherwise.
We had been crossing the rocks single file, but in the next five seconds, the hiss of a rattle had us scattered forty feet apart. Cyndal told me later she saw the snake "jump" (that's 14 year-old lingo for "strike") at Tyler's ankle. Yes. We walked through a RATTLESNAKE HABITAT. No really. Officially. It was actually labeled. Rachel told me she saw a sign a while back that said "Stay on trail: Rattlesnake habitat", but she didn't think it applied to this wash.
A while later (I was getting sore) we climbed up the mountain ANYWAY and finally arrived at the fifteenth hole. We sat on the trail at the top of the hill and watched The Show, which consisted of fountains seen from 400 meters away. Like this:
But smaller. Rachel took the three youngest kids down to The Show to see if they could score some of the ice cream, glow sticks and cold beverages. Nope.
By now our group looked like this:
My brother and I went back to the clubhouse to get the cars (luckily it was mostly downhill at that point) and we drove to a convenience store where Rachel treated us to snacks and cold beverages (she felt bad) and we drove home in everybody-drives-home-after-a-fireworks-show traffic.
The three positive things that made our evening not a COMPLETE bust.
1. We could see the entire East Valley from our golf course mountain and the fifty or so fireworks shows that were happening all over the city. Like this:
But smaller.
2. We caught a massive fireworks show on the way home and stopped in a church parking lot to see the finale. Like this:
Seriously. Short, but awesome.
3. We have a great story to tell. Rattlesnakes, pitch dark 104 degree hikes and .... well, that's most of the story.
Cyndal said she had fun. She is able to find the silver lining. Something I hope she got from me?
And agreeing with Tyler, that next year, while he stays in and plays piano, Cyndal and I will hand out sparklers to the kids and take extended exposure photos in our drive way before we eat popsicles.
The End
The 4th of July was our first big adventure in Arizona. And I categorize big adventures as something out of the ordinary. We spent the day with my brother's family out in San Tan Valley (forty minutes from Tempe, where we are currently living). Family which, for the moment, consists of his wife, Rachel, their baby, and Rachel's mother visiting from Conneticut. We played games, we ate food, we had a nice relaxing day. Which is why I didn't expect to feel like this the next day:
And here's why. Rachel suggested we go to a fireworks show she found online, at a golf course about twenty minutes away. There was a charge (Rachel offered to treat us), which seemed reasonable, considering the event online offered pie and ice cream, unlimited popcorn for kids, cold beverages and glow sticks while we watch the show. So after dinner, off we go in two separate cars to the show. We arrive at the golf course, thinking we will just go into the club house, pay the fee and find a place on the grass. Oh no. Not that simple. The Show (which I will now capitalize), was purportedly at the 15th hole. Now ask me: Do I golf?
No. I do not golf. And neither does anyone in that group. So we set out to walk to the 15th hole to see The Show. The amazing fireworks show for which all of this would be worth it. It was 8pm, 104 degrees, and we were all carrying backpacks, blankets, water, etc. One mile of very hilly golf course later, we're still looking for the 15th hole. It's almost dark, we're hiking through the desert (there were golfing greens, but mostly we were surrounded by sagebrush, creosote, cactus and sand).
We were hot. We were thirsty. People were getting blisters from their sandals. Finally, my brother consulted Google Maps, and we tried to gauge how far it would be. We estimated from the satellite picture where we thought the 15th hole would be and decided to cut across a wash instead up hiking up and around the next mountain. So we start across the wash. Tyler is ahead of me. Suddenly he stumbles sideways, beginning an epithet and cutting it short (the kids were with us).
Tyler: Oh SH--!
I thought he was falling and breaking his ankle. Apparently everyone else thought so too. But his next exclamation, "SNAKE!" told us otherwise.
We had been crossing the rocks single file, but in the next five seconds, the hiss of a rattle had us scattered forty feet apart. Cyndal told me later she saw the snake "jump" (that's 14 year-old lingo for "strike") at Tyler's ankle. Yes. We walked through a RATTLESNAKE HABITAT. No really. Officially. It was actually labeled. Rachel told me she saw a sign a while back that said "Stay on trail: Rattlesnake habitat", but she didn't think it applied to this wash.
A while later (I was getting sore) we climbed up the mountain ANYWAY and finally arrived at the fifteenth hole. We sat on the trail at the top of the hill and watched The Show, which consisted of fountains seen from 400 meters away. Like this:
But smaller. Rachel took the three youngest kids down to The Show to see if they could score some of the ice cream, glow sticks and cold beverages. Nope.
By now our group looked like this:
My brother and I went back to the clubhouse to get the cars (luckily it was mostly downhill at that point) and we drove to a convenience store where Rachel treated us to snacks and cold beverages (she felt bad) and we drove home in everybody-drives-home-after-a-fireworks-show traffic.
The three positive things that made our evening not a COMPLETE bust.
1. We could see the entire East Valley from our golf course mountain and the fifty or so fireworks shows that were happening all over the city. Like this:
But smaller.
2. We caught a massive fireworks show on the way home and stopped in a church parking lot to see the finale. Like this:
Seriously. Short, but awesome.
3. We have a great story to tell. Rattlesnakes, pitch dark 104 degree hikes and .... well, that's most of the story.
Cyndal said she had fun. She is able to find the silver lining. Something I hope she got from me?
But this morning, I'm feeling like this:
And agreeing with Tyler, that next year, while he stays in and plays piano, Cyndal and I will hand out sparklers to the kids and take extended exposure photos in our drive way before we eat popsicles.
The End
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