layering with a knife

Strawberry & Gilbert a colorfuland textured knife painting of sibling tuxedo cats

Here is a brief stop motion showing the accumulation of knifed on paint layers. The painting is a commissioned pet portrait: Strawberry & Gilbert, 2022, acrylic on board, 11” x 14”, Elizabeth Lisa Petrulis (Collection of Smith-Brown Family, MA). For the double portrait the clients shared photos on the internet. After reviewing several photos of … Read more

A SHORT SHOW & TELL on VARIATIONS part 1: Mark Making & Seeing

Felt tip pen drawing of a recumbent fluffy white dog. Grey with white and black accents. Artist Elizabeth Lisa Petrulis.

Variations on Butterscotch (Drawings) When I first got my new paint pens I made three quick drawings from the same reference photo. (Thanks, Kathy Hsiao, for the photo of Butterscotch.) I really got a thrill. The pens reminded how much I love to draw. Making these variations, I was merely getting a feel for the pens … Read more

UPDATED VIDEO on making “Megaphone”

Black and white painting of two dogs, one seen only by the tip of its nose through his medical collar.
Dog with floppy ears and a loose scruff looks sideways at an others noes protruding from a medical collar. High contrast black and white painting by Elizabeth Petrulis
Megaphone, 2014-15,  Medical Collar Series,  acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 36″, Elizabeth Lisa Petrulis  BEFORE
Black and white painting of two dogs, one seen only by the tip of its nose through his medical collar.
Dino and Mookie in Megaphone II, revised 2017, acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 36″, Elizabeth Lisa Petrulis  AFTER

I have updated the video on the making of “Megaphone. Since I last posted a video showing the progression from drawing to finished painting, I realized I was not actually finished. As you will see,  near the end, I dispensed with the strict technique of layering black washes on a white surface. Instead I began mixing values adding white, gray and black over each other. At this point I had also begun using acrylic mediums (particularly glazing and mat mediums) another departure from painting the Original Dog Studies. It may be subtle but there is more detail and refinement. Here then is the updated video.

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Chihuahua Legs, a new old painting

black and white painting of two Chihuahuas. One pawing at the face of the other.

Petrulis Chihuahua paintings, featuring chihuahua Legs center, on display at Gaslight Art Colony
Chihuahua Legs on view in my solo show at Gaslight Art Colony 2015.

I don’t know why I didn’t share Chihuahua Legs earlier .Doubt? Procrastination? It’s already been seen in public.    Is it done? I don’t know. I think so. Mostly.   Ok, so while I was editing I added just a smidge more paint. A new old painting.

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