Tag: custom portrait

Tickle Dolly

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. As a college graduation gift, Cici commissioned this very creative, slightly surreal portrait which LITERALLY melds a few of her daughter Ellie’s favorite things! You might notice that the doll leans against the pillow and also reaches INTO the pillow’s image to wrap her arm around the terrier’s neck! Ellie has had “Tickle Dolly” (named for the tickly lace on her bonnet and dress) since she was a baby, and it still travels with her. Cici also sent photos of their beloved Jack Russell terrier, Maddie, and decided that this terrier pillow should stand in for her in the painting. Cici was brimming with helpful input and ideas — she referred to a specific green chair from another portrait when envisioning the background, and even sent a Photoshopped mock-up of the magically entwined doll and pillow!

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Gigi Giraffe

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

9″x12″ acrylic, 2011. I absolutely love the design of Carter’s stuffed toys, and I’ve had a blast over the past few weeks painting several adorable specimens. They have such amusingly exaggerated proportions and that sweet, rather blank expression often seen on contented babies. The simply-rendered eyes and lack of a mouth borrow from the Sanrio school of less-is-more. This portrait of Gigi the giraffe, commissioned by Bill for his little daughter, will be an Easter gift. And here’s a watercolor sketch I did a few years ago of our own “Jingle Giraffe.”

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Bubble

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. I’ve been recieving some challenging projects of late, several of which involve painting beloved lost toys. In the case of Bubble, there were only a couple of very old, blurry images and a lovingly detailed desciption for me to work from. Bubble, an all-cotton stuffed doll, belonged to Denise, who lives in Hong Kong. Her mother purchased it for her in Australia before her birth, and Bubble has reclined against the pillows on Denise’s bed all her life. But a couple of months ago Denise’s mother took Bubble to the cleaners and the doll was lost. Devastated, Denise commissioned this portrait to commemorate her long-time friend.

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Dooced

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Oh my goodness… I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be able to completely change someone’s world by typing a few words! I’m so grateful to Heather Armstrong for posting about this painting. This blanket belongs to her younger daughter Marlo, and when I saw this terrific photo of it I knew I had to paint it. I don’t know how long it will last, but I just love the steady stream of loyal Dooce readers who are contacting me with their wonderful stories and photos!

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Fuzzy Dog

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Wow, this dog is FUZZY! I had to do a bit of grooming to sufficiently reveal the eyes and facial features before I could paint him. As part of a great combo baby shower gift, my sister-in law Kris purchased this super-fluffy dog and commissioned a portrait to give along with the toy.

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Bumpy Bear 1

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

5″x7″ acrylic, 2011. This is one of two little portraits which will flank previous group portrait ordered by Megan this past winter. This bear was bought for Megan’s nephew Broden in memory of her father, who passed away before Broden was born. The grandkids called her father “Bumpy,” and they were all taken to Build-a-Bear to get “Bumpy Bears” to remember him by. I love they way multiple toys with the same name are so commonplace in Megan’s family…I believe there are three Bumpy Bears and two Franci!

Thanks

belongs to Megan’s nephew Broden.

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Odie

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Odie’s family has some amusing naming practices when it comes to toys. Nina’s mother named each toy she recieved at her baby shower after the person who gave the gift, leaving the baby to rename them as she pleased later. Baby Nina, now just about to turn ten, renamed this stuffed dog “Odie,” after the family’s own pet! Nina’s grandmother Pat will give this painting to Nina for her upcoming birthday.

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Slush

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Hmm, I’m hearing a lot of stories about toys initially being given to one ambivalent sibling and then ending up in the adoring hands it of another. Lucky Slush is such a toy! The cleverly named Slush, a stuffed husky dog, was given to Lisa’s daughter by her cousins. She liked Slush a little, but wisely transferred ownership to her then two-year-old brother Matthew. He immediately loved slush and has nearly worn his head off with affection (and with swinging him around like a lasso by his leash!)

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Blabla Babies

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Campbell has had her “Blabla Babies” since she was very small, and even now at three and a half, keeps them close at nap and bedtime. These dolls clearly have a wonderful, huggable texture, and I love the little bird and heart motifs woven onto their chests! This painting will be a gift for Campbell from her grandmother, Dotti.

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Liam’s Lambie

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Jennifer At Your Toy Portrait

8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. Recently, New York Family Magazine featured my portraits and also ran a giveaway. Here is the painting of the winner, a lamb blanket belonging to 20-month-old Liam. Liam’s father Stephen entered the giveaway perhaps hoping to preserve Lambie in as many ways as possible after it had recently gotten lost. Liam was fairly despondent without it, and when he had finally managed to fall asleep with a substitute toy, his parents ordered a backup “Lambie II.” The next morning they were relieved to find that Lambie had just been left behind at daycare!

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