Introducing Hannah, a Labradoodle! I have always wondered just what a dog with this kind of breeding would look like and now I know! Actually, after I got this commission and started talking with her owner I found out that Labradoodles vary alot in what they look like. I was given several photos of Hannah with various different hair cuts and she looked like everything from a Poodle to a Sheepdog. The only Labrador part that I could see was her color. This pose shows her with an in between style.I decided to take a little departure from my usual colored pencil works and paint Hannah with gouache. I felt that this opaque watercolor would best capture the soft fluffiness of her coat and the interesting shades of pale peach that I saw reflected in it. I also wanted to create a very loose, abstract background and this can best be done with a watermedia technique.
I must say that I really enjoyed painting in just a little looser style than what I normally use. The colored pencil is wonderful for control and detail and I often use it in tandem with a water medium to tighten up or bring out certain details especially in the eyes. I have been playing a little more with other painting mediums and have been studying some watercolor artists that paint more loosely and this commission gave me the perfect opportunity to put what I'm learning to the test. I am pleased with the results.
Well, it's time to be off to finish my Christmas cards or before I know it the holiday will be here and they'll have to be New Years cards! Thanks for your interest in my art!
