Meet Jess. She is the most beautiful border collie dog whose portrait I had the pleasure of painting for the holidays. She was quite the character, moving around all the time. This happy collie would not sit still for a photo. Her owners, my client’s parents, shared their life with her for 16 years! What an amazing time to have had such a faithful friend. Sadly, Jess, passed away in 2025. Therefore, my client, Jean, wanted to give her parents something to remind them of Jess as a Christmas gift. Thus after much thinking, she decided to contact me to have a dog portrait painted on canvas. I was more than happy to oblige.
The photograph I used for the painting
Jean was looking for a small sized painting, deciding on a 20 x 20 cm size. Because she could not find a good photo of this lively dog as an adult, she emailed me an image of her as a puppy. Coincidentally, this is the most gorgeous photo of Jess and really shows her happy character. For this reason, I wanted to translate her good nature onto canvas and make it a really special and unique gift for her owners. They are heart-broken over her loss.
What my customer thought of the commission
Jean was delighted with the finished painting. I emailed her a scanned image of the canvas when finished. I use a professional scanner here in my studio to reproduce my work accurately. The Epson scanner does a great job and this way my clients can see exactly what the painting or drawing looks like in real life. Of course, holding a painting or a drawing in your hand is a different story, the texture of the fine grain canvas or the hot pressed paper I use. But at least the scan is the closest I can provide.
Hi Ivana, Wow, I love it, you really captured her playful personality. Thanks again….
Jean when she received the scanned image, Kilglass, county Roscommon, December 2025
Jean emailed me again after she received the painting in the post just before Christmas:
Hi Ivana, Painting arrived & I took a peak! I absolutely love it. Thanks so much, wishing you a merry Christmas.
Jean upon opening the parcel before Christmas
Painting Process and Colours
I painted the portrait in a few stages. Firstly, I applied a line sketch with yellow ochre acrylic paint. This was to capture the likeness of this lovely puppy. I wanted to make sure I get the lovely expression down, so the client can see their pet in the portrait. Only by having my own dog did I realise that each dog has their own personality and looks, even within the same breed.
Secondly, I grabbed my wide flat brush and used a mixture of hues to create a colour blocked portrait. I wanted to mark down the hues around the entire canvas. Throughout the painting, I used Winsor & Newton professional acrylic paint. The colour I used wer Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, Venetian Red, Cerulean Blue, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Lemon and Titanium White. I painted the portrait in warm mixtures. Lastly, I detailed the painting with a small round brush, especially around Jess’s eyes and muzzle. There was only so much I could get in due to its small size.
Postage
I posted the painting well wrapped after I applied two coats of satin varnish. Firstly, I added a few business cards and a care guide leaflet to the back of the canvas. I then wrapped the canvas in tissue paper and attached a cardboard sheet to the front of the canvas to protect it from being pierced. To complete the package, I wrapped the painting in two layers of cardboard. I try to re-cycle cardboard to be environmentally friendly.
Commissions
Why not contact me with your own project ideas today? You can fill out my contact form below, or simply email me at info@trueimage.ie with your photographs or just requirements. I will be more than happy to discuss even unusual requests.
