Skittles: Custom Tortoiseshell Cat Oil Painting

This original 8x8 inch oil painting captures the curious upward gaze of a cat named Skittles, hand-painted on a studio-prepared wood panel as a special holiday gift.

Balancing Bright Highlights and Personal Details

I really enjoyed working on this portrait because Skittles has an incredibly expressive face. The collector originally enquired about a smaller rectangular size, but we decided on an 8x8-inch square canvas to frame her head and shoulders closer to a natural scale. This format gave me the perfect amount of room to capture her intense, wide-eyed expression and prominent whiskers. I also made sure to include her signature collar, complete with a gold bell and her heart-shaped name tag, shrinking the tag slightly from the reference photo so it wouldn't distract from her face.

For the background, the collector chose a soft, solid light green that brings a beautiful outdoor energy to the piece. This cool backdrop creates an amazing contrast with the rich oranges, warm browns, and creams of her tortoiseshell coat. I applied the professional oil paint thickly using heavy impasto strokes to give her fur a tactile, multi-dimensional texture. By packing her bright green eyes with luminous highlights, I ensured her alert gaze remains the unmistakable focal point of the artwork.

Why I love this commission

• Character-Focused Portraiture: The composition captures a sweet, looking-up perspective that perfectly highlights the cat's personality.
• Complementary Palette: The soft green backdrop beautifully amplifies the warm ginger and tortoiseshell tones of the fur.
• Tactile Fur Texture: Thick, visible layers of oil paint create a rich surface that brings out the softness and pattern of the coat.
• Custom Name Tag Detail: Including the custom collar, bell, and pink heart tag ensures the painting functions as a unique personal keepsake.

Technical Details

• Original Oil painting by Alai Ganuza
• 20x20 cm (8x8 inches)
• Handmade prepared wood panel
• Certificate of Authenticity (COA) included
• Worldwide tracked and insured shipping via FedEx