Unpublished drawings
One day in 1978 my wife Jenny asked if I would draw a motif of her three breeds (Pomeranian, Italian Greyhound and Yorkshire Terrier) for her pedigree forms... And so I began drawing dogs - though Jenny never did get her motif! I drew dogs over the next three weeks - each night I would plan the next day's drawing and each morning I was enthusiastic to begin. Please note the inference - in those days I drew one dog a day - now I need a month or more!
These drawings were produced in 1978 on cheap typing paper, using the dining-room table as a drawing board.
The Boxer, the newest of the four studies above, shows a variety of techniques, many of which I still use today. The use of "indenting" is evident above and to the right of the Boxer's eye and an understanding of three-dimensional form is also beginning to appear.
Gradually the work improved then, in one drawing, it made a significant leap forward. This unsigned drawing from late in 1978 of a Chihuahua was the first to really exceed my expectations. Although lacking in texture and rather basic in approach, it possesses a solidity missing from the earlier work ... and it has a degree of independent "life"!
Up until this time I was using photographs in dog annuals for a source. Now I only work from my own references.
Gradually the work improved then, in one drawing, it made a significant leap forward. This unsigned drawing from late in 1978 of a Chihuahua was the first to really exceed my expectations. Although lacking in texture and rather basic in approach, it possesses a solidity missing from the earlier work ... and it has a degree of independent "life"!Up until this time I was using photographs in dog annuals for a source. Now I only work from my own references.
• Progression of Boxer studies •
1978
1979
1980
1988
Bulldog 1978
Afghan Commission 1982
Zimbabwe commission 1983
Australian commission 1983
Cat commission 1983
Old English Goat study 1985
Pony commission 1982
Cat commission 1986
"Winston" 1987
Duvet cover design 1987
Pillow Slip design
This duvet set design, which took 500 hours to complete, was produced in collaboration with Cotswold Designs for Wardle Fabrics. By mid-1987 printing screens had been manufactured and trial runs of the duvet produced in a number of different colour-ways. Response from buyers at that year's Frankfurt show was promising and the RSPCA had endorsed the design. Then, just three weeks from production, Wardle Fabrics' parent company closed the factory down and dismantled it. As each of their fabric mills was autonomous, the project died with the works. I was on commission-only — financial reward... nothing! ...
Cotswold Designs came to the rescue with the Shoppers and fleece-lined Dog Rugs, all of which have now sold out.
Cotswold Designs came to the rescue with the Shoppers and fleece-lined Dog Rugs, all of which have now sold out.
Springer Spaniel and PheasantIn the Fox-Silver collection, USA
Springer Spaniel and PheasantIn the Cussons collection, UK
Cocker Spaniel (France) 1987 
"Ziggy" 1988
Springer and cats 1987
"Mindy" 1988
Cockatoo studies 1988
"Charlie" 1988
Sammy 1989
"Old Number 16"Herdwick Ewe commission 1990
By the end of 1990 I had a four-year waiting list for commissions. An increase in fees in 1994 finally slowed the growing list of commissions to a trickle. Commissions are currently priced around £750-900 for a 12" × 9" (image size) head-study, less for a whole animal and £2500 or more for a study involving a complete scene. These prices should be compared with the time taken to complete a study, which respectively ranges from 75-hours to 250-hours. Commissions are now rarely accepted due to time constraints demanded by my online teaching at Drawspace.com, organising and running my international workshops, and other business commitments.
All images copyright © M J Sibley
