![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLChPg7krUZAN6_EvvVdc4gIdj77CG8S7BUaDRvzEsC07FYs_s44KQIm10zbumQ_s3Z60ZzAXMBQrG1bVVDN_0h1k1I8Eng2qd2jywTw79zvUsH27qsHqRhFLAKeDlWg8S20GsD5Q8twE/s400/cali+final.jpg)
This gorgeous girl is named Cali. You may remember I painted her brother
Hawk several months ago, and I was thrilled when it was her turn for a portrait. I've never seen a Rattie with her coloring before, such a pretty smokey gray with gold eyes. Isn't she beautiful?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAKjkc9_HhB4P5jQ8w68VLoDJNehV_m1xAB4GNV_9nmOptIFIhbKWhiMmzCV611DL44dVVowilHcyanD00x1Gw_60OLqJ_9DM18NLNidNURAPd3bHc6qAtvaTzPBcaTK_bUzdH-UWzPU/s400/cali+crop.jpg)
I'm told that Little Miss Thang here is a bit of a diva, and I'm guessing she's a total daddy's girl too, since this is to be a Fathers Day gift. So I tried to play up that side of her personality in her portrait.
I love it when owners tell me about the personalitiy of their dog when they commission a portrait. It gives me a connection to the dog and I love trying to capture their disposition and individuality in paint.
Since I've been busy, busy, busy, I decided to compile the work-in-progress photos into one post.
This was a fun size - 8 x 8 inches, acrylic on Ampersand Gessoboard.
The sketch:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9X2JDt5rwitVlC10xqNxpTKn6vGg4YyaQj4FlhyphenhyphenlAq37Wao5UNGy_QulfGke36FXCAHpK-5356ZeiOm51cAIGF78xwuaqd7zgqeT-UknB9icxxw13GT4SawWxeZNkiGIOSjg9SJ7jrwg/s400/cali+wip1.jpg)
Laying down the underpainting:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RCU7p9ncJy7Oli5L-jRD_fYaSd35b8RlKocS2cMIQXpbN-yY39JXPGInYud0Z96vanbjQlrW5-TnmEgynMsSkJY4R7vbFfgBHakzfcOAfyzK4AIoBi9JpsZc1s6tUVCCijZ_Dl8B1W8/s400/cali+wip2.jpg)
Laying down the background, getting a feel for what I'm going to do with it:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeR3KN3qVU58qGwWfrDmTrf4hfCU9szjCvrO5xjDfWdwIxiUmDDSk2bHYG1hp8uyIu-zJspVvkV06DIgPfECmi3riiPOYxsQa_fbE6dBtqpDNeIN5qMNkcSJ0iwSPckkoc9Q2CQ0QDqrk/s400/cali+wip3.jpg)
Yikes, "ugly stage!" Every painting has 'em, haha.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxctx64TuGW5X_9EnlIIRBXX0hD83LJwJ8SlXnd21Xn1o0i6x8MVJWnlaBRJg-SKfgygjuFYaUxl_cmfLUc6S_8_Fm7vgTiYkgPfReDKMFfmy8RF6weKrtDnpfbOK0cNbQr-mte-zCTsM/s400/cali+wip4.jpg)
Working over the underpainting, starting on details of the ear and eye:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSk1YDQKGW9q6Qov0rvhRgyg_rvq7uhdM9SD-ZWXVhS1BCikR3zuYaJ5233SA1ypJhtHtSQvNmPXi-OsHZE0cPpE6MzgGGhkFBr9mCf5T6MjjfNpw8ks0Fl-Y-PmlgK1e33UyC_JRxW4/s400/cali+wip5.jpg)
Nose, neck and collar:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwC5as9K0zi5ouYEicNkX0bHZ-PcNZZL5XKgok_KjRLJ_HQwIoMuUMdWF-G9nDxqnTtcuqxb67kaOIsKdy6rykyQDetWzSySSJrJMYArY1zKbWyiL8ymAuLItpQYHiWfYkKyKh6y-D8s/s400/cali+wip6.jpg)
Almost done, just need to refine the details and finish the background:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnRoym6Nthe_42iftkWKZO7AaGTOAgmBPN0NFuhrTzPuVsKwaOg8KBE1Mt_PgqwQx9ODceou4xt4H87TkVKsRBF0S3eij_NxxLvyHNnSLvoKgIxKzpqXtyiFmTF0vzgSEx7DJQFOsaOM/s400/cali+wip7.jpg)
Finished portrait:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLChPg7krUZAN6_EvvVdc4gIdj77CG8S7BUaDRvzEsC07FYs_s44KQIm10zbumQ_s3Z60ZzAXMBQrG1bVVDN_0h1k1I8Eng2qd2jywTw79zvUsH27qsHqRhFLAKeDlWg8S20GsD5Q8twE/s400/cali+final.jpg)
I had so much fun painting this little doll. I hope her daddy likes it.