The most often painted breed of dog? Labradors!

Face it. People love their Labrador Retrievers! Black, yellow or chocolate, they love them.They live with them, sleep with them, play with them and enjoy them! So perhaps it is no surprise when I share with you that Labs are the dogs that I create the most portraits of.
Enjoy a few recent ones that I have done!

Bailey 14 x 18 pastel

The Perry labs

Another "Perry" lab

Page Labs 24 x 30 oil

Trio of Labradors! Following a work in Progress

There is no doubt that oil portraits "pop!" They are challenging in the sense that the artist (lol-me) has to work quickly to lay in the colors and work wet paint into wet paint to blend. Of course often I have to step back, let it dry before adding details.

Oil in progress Three Labs" 24 x 30

This large oil is a work in progress meaning, I'm just not done with it :-)

Although the owners handed me photos of their "boys", none were what I need for the "pop" factor. So I went back later and snapped quick photos with my old Nikon D70. Good for what I do so need to update to fancier more expensive models!

This is a large 24 x 30 oil and I gave them several choices initially. I like to do rough sketches so that the client gets a feel for what I'll be creating for them, and the actual size-a HUGE plus! Nope just sketches-no photoshop for me!

I usually wait and let collectors see the finished work but the dogs are completed enough for them to see what I first showed them in a sketch so after teaching a class this morning, I'll run down and let them have a peek!
 

Smokey Mountain Labrador

Sandy spent 17 years as a much loved companion to her owners. When she passed they realized that they did not have as many photos as they thought they had. I combined several photos as well as my knowledge of the Labrador retriever breed to create Sandy as they remembered her. Here she is,in this 16 x 20 pastel, smiling and back in a favorite area, hiking through the Smokey Mountains!

Shhhhhh-a Christmas gift for the owner's wife!

Who doesn't love a Labrador? Yellow, Black or Chocolate, these easy going family favorites live up to their goofy reputation! Such was the case with Sawyer and Fred who delighted in having me create their portraits in pastel. OK. Maybe it was the ham biscuit but I know for a fact that their owner was thrilled!