Skip to content
Menu
TRUE IMAGE FINE ART
  • HOME
  • GALLERY
  • ORDER INFO
  • PRICES
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • CONTACT
TRUE IMAGE FINE ART

  • Instagram
finished cocker spaniel dog portrait on canvas

Simba the Cocker Spaniel in Two Portraits

Posted on December 3, 2022December 3, 2022

I created two portraits of Simba a few weeks ago. Her owners lost her a few months ago due to old age and they miss her so much. They wanted to have some unique artworks of her in their sitting room to keep their memories fresh.

pet portrait of a cocker spaniel dog
Simba the cocker spaniel dog, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 40 cm
Reference photo for Simba’s painting

One was a painting of just her, looking very happy lying in the sunshine. The other was an old black and white photo of her walking with the family kids when they were babies. This was unusual in a way, the clients wanted some colour highlights in the drawing, so I added some colour to the kids’ shorts and Simba.

pencil portrait drawing of a boy and girl walking their cocker spaniel dog
Two children walking with Simba the cocker spaniel, graphite and coloured pencil on paper, 50 x 50 cm
Reference photo for the drawing

Simba, being a cocker spaniel dog, had a beautiful coloured coat. I always find it very challenging and at the same time rewarding to paint or draw curly or long haired dogs. There is so much detail to include, but once I make sense of what goes where and make sure to stand back to get an overall likeness things just come together beautifully. It is a very satisfying process be it very frustrating at times, I feel like I am in a fight sometimes and then things just fall into place :).

detail of an acrylic painting of an english cocker spaniel
Simba’s painting in detail

The client was delighted with the finished portraits. Hazel and James came to collect their artworks in my studio and went straight to their local framers to get them framed for their sitting room.

Good evening Ivana, Oh my god! I am blown away by your work…

Hazel in her email, Trim, county Meath, Ireland

The painting is 60 x 40 cm in size. I suggested a longer portrait format to respond to the shape of Simba in that position in the photo and Hazel agreed. It works really well I feel. I took some photographs when working on the painting and when the painting was finished. I worked on standard edge canvas, with a fine grain, which allows for a lot of layers of paint and detail.

dog portrait sketch
First stage – line sketch
colour blocking dog fur in a pet portrait
Colour blocking Simba’s fur
colour blocking background in a dog portrait
Colour blocking the background
finished cocker spaniel dog portrait on canvas
Finished painting on canvas
finished dog portrait on canvas
Finished painting on canvas, side detail

For the drawing, Hazel and James decided for a square format I suggested. I moved Simba a little closer to the children to make her appear a little larger in the drawing. After seeing some artworks on my Instagram page where I used colour highlights, Hazel enquired about me doing the same with her drawing. She had an idea of using the colours she has in some existing artwork in her sitting room, so we settled upon a blue and pink for the children’s trousers, and Simba’s natural tan fur colours.

detail of a pencil sketch of two children and a dog
Detail of the children drawing

Related

About

I am a portrait artist based in county Kildare, Ireland. You can follow this blog to see my current commissions and news from my portrait studio. I post scans of finished portraits together with works in progress.
You are welcome to leave comments to any post. I am always happy to hear from you.

Links

  • Follow me on Instagram
  • True Image Homepage
  • True Image on Fine Art America

Categories

Archive

RSS RSS

  • Megan and Charles walking with their sheep
  • A Couple Portrait in Sardinia
  • Simba the Cocker Spaniel in Two Portraits

Latest Portraits Blog

Hello! Thank you for visiting my blog! I am a portrait artist based in Kilcock, county Kildare, Ireland. This space showcases my latest portrait projects. Please feel free to have a browse and if you have a query, you can contact me at info@trueimage.ie

Categories

Previous Artwork

©2023 TRUE IMAGE FINE ART | Powered by SuperbThemes & WordPress