Art
DuBois Pet Portrait Commission
by Anne Kostecki
I was contacted by Emily, who wanted a custom pet portrait for her dear friend. She loved her family dog, who had unfortunately passed away recently. We decided on a 9 x 12 inch painting, and I would be working with several composite reference photos. I combined a photo of the dog with background, and two photos of her friend Lauren. The human figure was the biggest challenge: not only was I combining multiple photos from different angles and lighting, but I didn't have the figure in front of me to double-check the painting. The challenge really pushed me to practice facial painting. When I painted the dog, I found the process to be smooth, almost like I was in a "flow" state. The black fur had interesting shadows of blue and brown. The background was a quick, gently focused suggestion of a tree-lined lake. I was proud of the final result, and both Emily and Lauren loved the painting as a memorial to Lauren's sweet pup.
