I've been meaning to post this for awhile. This little guy was a surprise holiday gift at Christmas time. It was my first time painting an animal for someone where I'd never met the animal, so I was a tiny bit nervous. What if I didn't capture his spirit, especially the way his owners remembered him?
They gave me several good photographs of him in all the phases of his life. I looked at the photos on and off for a few weeks trying to let his essence seep in to me. I kept looking at his eyes, as they are the most important part of any portrait I think. I asked what kind of dog he was, what was his personality, something again you can sometimes tweak in the eye area. If you know they were a stinker you can adjust things slightly to let that come across. If they are a very loving dog you can adjust accordingly there too.
I made a drawing first incorporating several of the photos in to one image. I posted the drawing last fall. That helped me understand his features better and helped the painting process happen more smoothly too.
I really love making these for people. The most fun part is seeing their reaction, or in this case getting a great email telling me how much it means to them.
Nothing is better than that, helping folks have great memories of the love they have for their animals.