Reference image
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Casper - Springer SpanielOur Springer Spaniel Casper, just loves water and swimming and I knew this image would end up on my easel at some point. I liked the movement of the water as well as the sparkle from the sun and knew that the bold Acrylics would be the best medium to work with for this portrait.
MEDIUM: Acrylics on board
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All framed up!
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CREATING THE PORTRAIT:
An Acrylic painting can change drastically throughout the creation but the process always follows the same path as every other painting - I lay the foundations first and then continue applying with colour placement. Any textures that will be added to a painting will be placed at this earlier stage and the appearance of the painting at this point is very loose. Once perspectives and details are in the correct place, I go on to the next stage.
The great thing about painting water is that you can play around with colours and details without paying too much attention to the photographic reference image, that said, water is very complex and can be a challenging subject and to ensure I get the right amount of effect and realism, I use a rigger brush for definition and refining - takes a good few hours but as you can see, the time and patience really does pay off. The Highfield frame, a whitewashed effect frame with black edging was chosen specifically for this portrait, as it compliments the water theme so well. We have 2 other doggies, so I will create 2 more to match!