My preferred surface to paint on is stone, specifically flat, smooth river stone. If it is very carefully cut to flow with the overall shape of the finished painting, it will make for a very interesting final presentation and will be suitable for display on any table or mantle. Once I get the stones home, they have to be very carefully cut and ground to a glass smooth surface. They are then sealed many times over to ensure the stone does not absorb the paint. Once the art work is complete, it is set in a hard wood base . The natural, colour grain and density must compliment the subject. For some of my Golden Retriever stone paintings, I like to use ebony from the Uganda (also used to make piano keys). This beautiful, dark, incredibly dense hardwood, once worked and polished, provides a very attractive, yet not overpowering format to display one of my most challenging and favorite subjects. Time is a hidden luxury for all of us, however, for my one-of-a-kind stone or masonite paintings, it is not a factor. Generally, I can spend months on a single painting before I sign my name on the bottom right hand corner. Commissioned work on Masonite or River Stone: Commissioned work may be requested to be completed on masonite or smooth river stone, set in a hardwood base.Click on the links below to see some examples. Example 1Example 2Example 3 Click Below for examples of masonite paintings. Example 1Example 2Example 3 Interested parties: I work from photographs, the clearer the better. I generally take my own photos, however, this is not always a possibility.The photo should be crisp and up close. Backgrounds are very important to the overall presentation and I like to paint them in a very realistic manner. Thus again, clear photos are nice to have as a reference. I really enjoy painting animals, however I also welcome the challenge to paint any outdoor topic ie. boats, landscpaes, old farms etc. Prices; starting at $1000.00 plus shipping