This wee Jack Russell was lovely to make up, and thanks very much to Karen for commissioning him. I have a very soft spot for Jack Russells having owned one when I was a lot younger. Jack (as he was imaginatively called) was a very hardy wee dog - my dad used to take him hill walking every weekend, so I can't imagine the number of miles he got under this belt! He was a little barrel of muscle and had mad half hours where he zoomed round the livingroom, much to our amusement!
Back to this wee Jack Russell. He has the most adorable heart-shaped markings on his face, with darker fur above the eyes. I made up a 'fur' cane to create the darker fur which was a lovely blend of tan and darker brown. I used a plain tan for the face markings as well as the markings on his back.
What I love most about creating wee dogs is being able to match the shape of the face and the markings to the canine model. I've become a keen observer of dogs when I'm out and about, and Jack Russells have quite an elongated, dainty face which has a rather fox-like quality. And those ears! Well, they are so perky and flop over so obligingly that they are a joy to make!
I used a wire armature to reinforce the tail, and created the impression of crooked "Queen Anne" front legs (although I don't tend to define the legs to any great extent). I so enjoyed getting to know this particular dog, and next on the agenda is to make a miniature version of Jack, my old dog. Watch this space!
Oh, bless him - he's absolutely adorable... such a look of anticipation on his little face :)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing the mini Jack!