Digby: Custom Happy Dog Oil Painting

I painted this 10x10-inch oil portrait to capture the bright and joyful energy of a dog named Digby.

Exploring Light and Texture

This commission was a great opportunity to focus on something I love: finding hidden colors in light-colored fur. The collector is a fellow artist who specifically mentioned my approach to lighter coats, so I spent a lot of time building up the cream and gold tones using professional oil paints. I chose a deep, solid blue for the background because it creates a powerful contrast that makes the warmth of the subject really stand out. It was important to me that the final piece felt as joyful as the reference photo.

I used my signature brushwork to give the painting a lot of life and movement. If you look closely, you can see the painterly texture where the layers of oil are applied heavily, especially around the ears and the tongue. I didn't just use white for the fur; I tucked in soft pinks, yellows, and even cool teals to show how the light moves across the surface. I painted this on a handmade wood panel to ensure it has a physical, high-end feel that works perfectly as a stand-alone piece or as part of a larger collection.

Why I love this piece

• Bold Color Contrast: The deep blue background provides a striking backdrop for the golden and cream tones of the dog.
• Focus on Light Fur: I used a wide palette of subtle colors to give the light fur depth and dimension without losing its brightness.
• Signature Brushwork: You can see the thick, physical layers of paint that give the artwork a unique tactile quality.
• Handmade Quality: Every step, from preparing the wood panel to the final details, was done by hand in my studio to create a lasting heirloom.

Technical Details

• Original Oil painting by Alai Ganuza
• 25x25 cm (10x10 inches)
• Handmade prepared wood panel
• Certificate of Authenticity (COA) included
• Worldwide tracked and insured shipping via FedEx