Bailey: An Early Christmas Gift

Bailey was an early Christmas gift commission (ordered in September! Yay! I love early orders). The customer included several great, clear photos. But the one that really stood out to me was a quiet, contemplative shot of Bailey near an open window. The lighting caught the eyes just right and the shadows left just enough mystery to make the image interesting.

From there it took a bit of work to unify the colors. I took several runs at it and finally settled on warm earthtones.

Of course the centerpiece of this portrait is Bailey's eyes. That's usually the case; I've found that if I can capture the eyes and give them life, the rest of the portrait instantly falls into place.

So, yeah, the eyes are key, but with this portrait I really liked working on the forelegs. The combination of light and shadow, brown and blues was tricky, but the end result was a richly rendered feast of interesting shapes that combined to define the form.

Additionally, what makes this portrait captivating is the contrast between the chaotic angles in the background (the shadows, sunlight, window and back wall) and the tranquil, dignified pose of Bailey. This painting suggests a dog that is calm (at least for the moment) and confident in what looks to be a topsy-turvy environment.

Bailey is an 18x24 portrait with an image wrapped edge on stretched canvas.

If you're curious what my pet portraits cost, see my current pricing page.