OSCAR the Black Labrador
12” x 12” oil on board
For anyone considering having a painting done of a black animal- this is a great example of how to photograph them…with the light shining to one side of their face/body. This creates shapes of light and dark that help describe the form. The larger format meant I could make my brushstrokes bigger and bolder and the space above him allowed the feeling of him really slumping across the bottom, spilling over the edge of the frame, relaxed. Previously I have done black animals on a red background to make the black ‘glow’…but here he was lying on a turquoise/blue rug so I decided to run with that colour and limit my palette to shades of green/blue to black and white. I’m always looking to try new ways of tackling the painting and I’m really happy with how it came together.