Lily & Louis: BIG Small Dogs

BIG small dogs
There are times when my portrait subjects are quite small, as dogs go. And it usually makes sense to use a small canvas. But sometimes I sit in my studio, picturing a small canvas for these tiny critters, and it just doesn’t feel right. So I try the next size up. And that doesn’t feel right either. Next size. Nope.

When I met Lily and Louis, this process didn’t stop until I arrived at 36in x 40in. Or about four to five times life-size. If you met them, you’d know why a large canvas makes sense: they are big attention grabbers! The other cool thing about this particular portrait is that it was a gift from two (generous) friends to another, so the recipient had no clue what size portrait she’d be receiving. But my guess is that she wasn’t expecting something this big, which made it all the more fun to work on.

Here’s Lily and Louis’ portrait as it developed, step by step…

First stroke of paint...starting with a dark background for the whole canvas

Ended up throwing in some green

Measuring out the grid to do the initial composition outline

Canvas is ready...time to start sketching the pups

I like to be really accurate at this stage, but the outline gets covered up quickly

Drawing outline of the center of Louis' eye

Sketch finished, time to paint...

Starting point is chosen randomly. This time: ears.

The stage where I can tell whether the composition will work or not. (Looks good.)

Going with a bark bluish-grey background, starting to use more color

Painting inching along...

Light and dark starting to define L & L's shape more realistically

Getting there...

Lily & Louis' finished portrait

Danke sheon(s)
It took four people to make this portrait happen, so some thanks are in order. A big thanks to Emily, who expertly distracted the pups with cooked chicken while I snapped the 250+ photos necessary to produce one good pic. And a sincere thank you to Lisa, for squeezing me into her h-e-c-t-i-c schedule, which is packed tighter than…well, it’s crazy tight.

And most of all, gobs of gratitude to Martha and Karen (the gift gifters), who began as clients, became the most special of friends, then somehow got roped into client status again. Love you guys!

And thank you for reading,