David Freedman has painted 140 dogs in watercolours, and a total of 283 illustrations of the dogs in different poses, with detailed descriptions of each breed by Craig Whittle. The text is informative and personal and it's clear that both illustrator and author are dog lovers. This is not a book focused on dog breeds in Australia and New Zealand—it covers dogs in all countries and is written in a style that is not bound by location. It is a book for all dog lovers.
The Illustrator: David Freedman F.R.A.C.S Born in 1944, David Freedman has been exposed to art all his life. His father Harold Freedman was one of the most successful Australian artists of his generation. David grew up watching him producing graphic art in his home studio in Boronia at the foot of the Dandenong ranges. David commenced medical training in1963 and specialised in surgery in 1974. He then had a 42-year career as a general surgeon working in rural centres around Australia and the South Pacific. Plein Air painting, his principal hobby, was the perfect escape from the stresses of this very demanding profession. On retirement he was free to pursue his passion for painting full-time. In 2019 he published Plein Air Painting General Principles and tips for Beginners, followed by an illustrated book reflecting on his surgical career and his love of painting. During the Melbourne COVID-19 lockdown he worked as a studio painter and published a coffee table book entitled Australia’s Birds which included 240 illustrations. Australia’s Birds in Watercolour, a second and updated edition with added species, was published in 2023. To refine his technique for painting in watercolour, David has studied under internationally recognised artist Greg Allen. He adapted from the relative freedom of painting scenery in different media to the more disciplined field of illustration in watercolour where the outcome is bound by the need to produce a relatively accurate image. In the case of purebred dogs this involves depicting a work closely resembling the standards set down for each breed. The Author Craig J. Whittle Born in 1975 to English immigrants, Craig Whittle has had a lifelong interest in books and writing. Raised on Sydney’s northern beaches, he has lived in Brisbane and currently resides in Melbourne. His first job—following his father’s footsteps—was in the television industry, and he works in film and television to this day. He is a passionate dog lover, having been raised in a dog-loving household, and has rarely been without a dog, having had many purebred, mixed breed and rescue dogs over the years. This book is his first major work as an author.
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