This wee pug was the subject of my latest commission for a surprise 40th birthday present.

I’ve always enjoyed doing pet portraits in the past. Capturing the likeness and character of an animal on canvas is challenging.

This commission was such a fun picture to work on. I love Buster’s quizzical expression. Once I got his face painted in, it was like he was trying to figure me out while I was painting the landscape around him. The customer provided a photo to work from and wanted the background included to remind the birthday boy of a day on the west coast.

I think Buster looks pretty chuffed with the result. He even loved the bonus mug bearing his portrait.

Pet portraits are a great gift. Take a look on my commissions page to see some of my past work.