Seamus Growls

"Keep moving, Pal."

This portrait commission was a memorial for a beloved family pet, Seamus. Apparently, Seamus was quite the character and loved going for rides in the car and growling at people who passed by the vehicle – in a "keep moving – nothing to see here" kind of way.

This hobby (or habit) was so amusing to the family that one of them commissioned me to memorialize it in a second portrait.

The final portrait was a square format.

I like square portraits for some reason. I think they force me into a compact composition that helps focus all my efforts on the face, which in nearly every case is the main item in the portrait. A friend once said she was going to commission me to paint the paws of all the cats she ever had, all lined up in a row, but she could never find photos of all six cats paws. I'm sure there are differences between paws, but I wonder if they would be significant enough for us to tell them apart.

Seamus was a favorite portrait to do. I had fun working with all the details of his fur patterns as well as the mouth and eyes.

Seamus (digital, 24x24)

Love your pet forever!

I create custom portraits from your photographs, so you can love your pet forever. I paint all portraits digitally by hand (not photo-filtered – not A.I.) to create beautiful and lasting portraits printed on artist canvas and delivered to your door ready-to-hang.

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About the Author

Topdog is Steve Merryman, a retired graphic designer, illustrator, and unrepentant asshole. Steve can usually be found working on a portrait commission or some other artwork. Steve fills his days by painting, writing, shootin' guns, cuttin' trees, hiking with his dogs, and savoring a beer or two, all while searching for the perfect cheeseburger. He studiously avoids social media and is occasionally without pants.