Watercolour - Pet Portraits

'Rea'
Watercolour: Pet Portrait

When painting something specific such as an owner's pet, I find it best to begin with an accurate sketch. You don't want to lose the spontaneous nature of watercolour but you also need to  have an accurate likeness.  I have sketched and painted my own dog from life but she seemed to be constantly moving so I find for pet portraits, photographs are very helpful.

 

My Border Collie will be my next challenge. To capture her nature I need a facial expression that eludes to her high  intelligence and an action shot that shows her energetic side. Although the photos below are cute, they are not quite what I am looking for. This means more time behind the camera before even starting painting.