This is an acrylic painting of a collie called Theo and a pomeranian cross Jess. It was commissioned as a 40th birthday present for my client’s wife. I painted their dogs’ portrait in May this year. The client wanted the two dogs in one painting with a blurred shaded background and for the dogs to be the focus of the portrait.
We agreed on a blue and brown background which worked well with both Theo and Jess’s fur colour. I placed the dogs quite close together in the painting and cropped it slightly to focus on their faces. The client also asked me not to detail their bodies as much as their heads which put more focus on their main features.
The painting is 30 x 40 cm in size. I worked with acrylics on stretched canvas. First, I drew a sketch with a mixture of yellow ochre and burnt umber. The second step is to colour block the entire portrait. I then work in thin washes of paint to create more depth.
The client was very happy with the finished painting:
Hi Ivana, That looks fantastic, it really captures their personalities and the bond between them, thank you so much.
Derek, Wicklow, Ireland
Initial sketch 
Colour blocking 
Collie reference 
Pomeranian cross reference 
Pom cross portrait detail 
The finished Painting