Isabelle Suzanne is 10 1/2 year old golden retriever and is the light of her family's life. When she chose her fur Dad she gave him kisses and won her Fur Mom over by sleeping as she pleased even with her littermates crawling over her. My customer joked that she herself could sleep anywhere and that her husband adored the kisses. This portrait was to be a gift for my customer's husband just like the pup herself was.
I was given several reference photos and I had made an initial sketch with this one. Wise white face on our golden girl!
This picture is what caught my attention! There was something about this photo that captured this sweet girl. She reminded me so much of the retriever I love in my life. Retrievers rock!
First round with the sketch was more general. The second round more refined.
From sketch to oil pastel base.
I brought color pencil in first with the shadows.
Then defined the eyes and nose. I wasn't digging the blue sky idea in the background. It felt childish and I knew that Izzy's Mom loved the natural earth tones. So I decided to do a full green background.
The full green brought out the gold even more.
"Izzy" Original Oil Pastel 11x14
They were delighted with the finished portrait. Sweet Izzy pops up on my newsfeed every once and awhile now. I don't mind seeing her sweet face pop up.
Details. Details. I bet her ears are as soft as they look.
Details. Details. I just want to kiss that nose.
