This dog portrait was done as a birthday present for a friend’s brother from their original photo. I was pleased to do this portrait and enjoyed the challenge of the swimming Labradors.
It is a pastel drawing using both pastel chalk and pencil. It was a welcomed surprise for the birthday because both dogs had passed away.
I enjoyed making this pastel portrait of these two healthy and happy Labrador retrievers. They were young and wiggly! Their owners had a time keeping them quiet for the photoshoot, but they were very sweet. The portrait made the owners very happy.
Labrador Retrievers are very popular dogs in the Upper Midwest of the USA.
Dog portraits are fun to do. This one was started with acrylic paint to rough in the painting. This photo of the second stage is where I start to lay in the oil paint color. I am using oil paint for the finished portrait.
Working with a small format canvas has its challenges. One small stroke can change the expression. Sascha has a very serious look. She is a very sweet family dog, who likes nothing better than carrying a stick in her mouth and shaking it back and forth while walking with you on her country road. This painting, from a photo her Mom took of her, reflects her serious side and her dignified bearing as her family’s protector.
The lack of sunlight has made my progress very slow. I like natural light for painting, but I cannot delay any longer. Today I continue to bring out the details in the portrait of Sascha under artificial lights. Keep on keeping on…
Finished Portrait of Sascha- The Long Haired German Shepherd
