Spike the tall brindled boxer mix is paired with his best buddy Chester, the little white Scotty. These dogs are both great challenges for artists. I was very pleased at how Spike turned out especially. If you google brindled dog portraits, you will see how many artists have struggled with this in the past.

Pastel has allowed me the flexibility to soften and layer the necessary colors to make these dogs ultra realistic. I have also varied the background to allow a darker color behind the white Scotty to allow him to ‘pop out’ of the picture. It is hard not to be overshadowed by a big friend like Spike. I painted a soft green background behind Spike to allow him to not only ‘pop out’ but also in a complimentary color to show off his red/brindle.