Magnolia Blossom acrylic portrait magnolia flowers

Neither Terri nor I were really happy and certain the other Buddy image was correct; actually I knew I took a big chance on the other reference picture as it was just an odd angle for the photo, pretty close up - lesson learned in the future, don't risk it.  However, not a loss as I learned some things from that and am sure that's one of the reasons he's coming faster.  Think it was on Rita's site that one of her teachers said you should do a picture 20 times so you really learn it. 
So Buddy and I have taken a bit of a breather from each other while I pondered what do to with him from a different reference piece and what do him in.  One thing I am trying to do better is the thinking, or I should say the pre-thinking part of the pictures.  This is a similar angle to the first image, but is turned just enough so that it shows more of the blockiness of the features, especially the nose/chin/jowl area.   When I get tomorrows post in I'll add in the reference picture so you can compare.  Just too hot now to go out on the porch - hoping for some rain showers so it cools it down a bit.  So we have been avoiding each other, I look at him and he has been shooting the evil eye at me when I go about my daily business.  
But go figure, since today is someone's special birth day and tomorrow is a holiday, July 4th our independence,  I really didn't want to get up and go to work.  Instead of running downstairs this morning to jump right into my weight lifting exercises, I started to putter and play with Buddy instead and he just started popping out.  Yes I did do my exercises but kept finding reasons to come into the art room while I was getting ready.  We were really communing and things were rocking and rolling and then I had to go to work.  Darn that work just intrudes on lots of things.  Anyway got in a bit more work here this afternoon before we go party up to celebrate the birthday boy's time and will try to get enough down tomorrow to let Terri take a look Thursday to see if this is more his, "Boo Boo's" look.
This is back to the colored pencil, no charcoal this time around, and still a lot more work to go, but just blocking in the tones now feels good and then will begin to tweak the fur and other textures as I get him fleshed out.