COMMISSION: "ABBY'S PUPS" ORIGINAL OIL ON CANVAS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Abby's Pups"

12x12" oil on canvas

COMMISSION

 

This is a commission I just completed of my friend Abby's Cairn pups named Darby and Forrest.  Sorry for the glare on the photo folks...the lighting is terrible early this morning!! sigh!  I'd never painted these types of dogs before....it was fun to play with all that hair going every which way, and a challenge as the photo I had wasn't the absolute best, so we had a photo session so I could see detail as well.  A good challenge for any artist to put two of anything in one canvas...you might just LOVE one, and the other one you fight with.  These little guys went rather well, but as you can see in the photo I moved Forrest on the right over a bit to fit the square composition.

 

Darby

 

Forrest

 

Cairn pups are mostly white as I've learned, but in reality both dogs have gotten quite dark...however, we decided to keep Darby lighter for contrast, so the challenge was to make sure their little faces and markings were decidedly "them".  I sent a preview to Abby and she just loved it, so I will call this one a success!

 

I thought a lot about the "black" in them, and have put a bit of color within the dark for added interest.  They were sitting in their owners laps in the photo, but the portrait was all about their faces, so I gave the portrait a rather "painterly" look.  Their eyes are little black marbles, so I replaced the white scary from the photo with the eyes I saw from my reference photos.

 

I don't do many commissions, but this one was interesting to me, and for a friend, so I was glad to attempt it.  I'm keeping these photos on the down-low as it is a surprise for Abby's hubby!  Hope he likes it as much as Abby!

 

I've just picked up a new "temporary" gallery in Wheat Ridge for a 3 month show beginning in October, so I will be quite busy creating new work and juggling work from my other two! WHEW...and, the holidays are right around the corner and I have a wonderful mother who is wanting some fun stuff!!  SO, off I go (oh yes, still making curtains and painting furniture....photos when things are completed!

 

HAPPY CREATING!!