Portrait of Chocolate Lab in Progress

I now have three dog portraits on easels in my studio and keep rotating between them. My Latest addition is Graci, who is Bear’s sister. Their owner has commissioned me to paint brother and sister , although they are not really from the same mom, but rather shared a brotherly, or is it sisterly love?! Anyhow, I had to start on Gracie because she is the darker of the two Labradors and I had to make sure that Bear does not get too dark.

Did you know that a Labrador is a dog breed that was originally found in Newfoundland, Canada in eighteenth century? Labradors are intelligent dogs that are friendly and gentle. My daughter has a chocolate-colored one and she is the sweetest dog you could only hope for.  Since they are smart, gentle and friendly, labradors make great pets for households with children and infants. I did not know this but I found out that labs are  one of the most popular family dogs in the US and Canada. They are used as hunting, guiding and search dogs and especially love the out of doors. I will be painting a large portrait of Graci and Bear in one out of door setting as soon as the smaller paintings are done and can’t wait to put them in a setting befitting to the nature they so adore.

Labradors come in three colors such as chocolate, black and yellow. My client said she liked to refer to  Bear as  ”Milk Chocolate” and Graci here as “Dark Chocolate” . I refer them as dark and darker, it’s quiet a challenge to bring that fur alive when you are leaving in the realm of brown earth tones.  Well enough chatting, I need to get back to the German Shepherd painting and work on some grass.

Gourmet-Dog-Treats-Pawtastic-Bones by Two Tails Dog Bakery

Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/chocolate-labrador.html

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