Portrait Sketches - August 2026

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Black-and-white sketch of a bearded man in a cap and glasses, wearing a white shirt; KPD is signed on his shirt. — Bobbi, digital illustration.

The "dog days of summer" is an expression that goes back to Ancient Greece, as it is in late summer that Sirius, the "Dog Star" in the constellation Canis Major, rises and sets with the Sun.

Sketch of a bald man with glasses in a black shirt and suspenders, standing against a white background with smoky doodles. — THAT neighbor, digital illustration.

Before science proved otherwise, the ancients believed that Sirius contributed to the sun's heat, rising late summer temperatures.

Black-and-white sketch of a stern woman with curly hair in an off-shoulder black top, against a faint abstract background. — Delores, digital illustration.

The ancients, particularly the Romans who were obsessed with signs and omens, also believed that the dog days of summer brought with them bad tidings, drought, and disaster.

As of this posting, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the dog days of summer have already passed, but as is often the case in times of great historical upheaval, the bad tidings continue with little regard for the calendar.