Acrylic Painting of a Springer Spaniel Swimming at a Local Lake
CASPER
Portrait size: 11" x 14"
Casper was our Springer Spaniel, full of energy and character. Like most Springers, he loved to run, a lot! Whether across open fields or through the local woods, but he would always be the first in the water, whether a lake or the sea. This painting shows him in the QE2 Park lake at Woodhorn, Northumberland, a place we often walked. Swimming wasn’t his obsession, but when he did take to the water, he came out in his own time!. Capturing him mid-swim was a way of preserving one of those memories that I remember him so well from.
Adding the fine detail
This piece is the first in a series of four portraits of our dogs. Pip passed away at the age of 15 in 2015, followed by Cas in 2018. Haze and Storm both passed away within six months of each other in 2023. I wanted to create a meaningful tribute to each of them by developing a series of portraits that would, when completed, hang together as a cohesive display. Each painting features the dog swimming in a body of water; while not all of the dogs were fond of swimming, particularly the yellow Labrador, who was the least inclined, the water serves as a unifying element across the series. This approach allows each dog to remain the focal point of their individual portrait, with the water theme providing visual cohesion while also featuring subtle variations in each setting. Now part of a set, this piece will be adjusted further to harmonise with its companions. Since they’ll be hung together, the blue-green tones in the water will be softened for better cohesion.
An early stage of the painting where contrasts are being added to create depth before the fine details are then added.
The unique aspect of this portrait, as with the others, is the intention to incorporate a personal element into the artwork. I will combine ashes from Casper and Storm into their respective paintings, and include hair from Haze in both his and Pip’s portraits. Since I did not have access to Pip’s hair or ashes, given my limited acquaintance with him and the fact that he was Haze’s dad, I thought that incorporating a small amount of Haze's hair into Pip’s portrait would create a meaningful connection between them.
The importance of creating a cohesive set, means this piece will undergo further adjustments to align with its companions. As they’ll be displayed together, the blue-green tones in the water will be softened to ensure visual harmony across the group. The final portrait will be updated once the edited version is complete, though the progress images will remain to document its original form. This highlights the flexibility of acrylics, even in later stages, the surface remains adaptable. As the piece was left unvarnished, refinements can be made without resistance.
