Skipper: Custom Yorkie Portrait Oil Painting

This original 6x6 inch (15x15 cm) oil painting captures the bright, affectionate gaze of a Yorkie named Skipper, hand-painted on a premium studio support.

Capturing Big Personality on a Small Canvas

I loved working on this sweet mini commission. The collector wanted a budget-friendly holiday tribute for her mother’s Yorkie, Skipper. While we initially looked at a few funny, mouth-open candid references, we ultimately fell in love with a photo highlighting his perfectly perked ears and wide, glassy eyes. At a compact 6x6 inches, a tight headshot crop was the ideal solution to bring out his tiny facial features and keep the portrait feeling intimate and close to a natural scale.

To give the painting a clean, modern frame that makes his soft features pop, I went with a solid, vibrant lavender-purple background. When painting golden and tan coats, I love playing with complementary color shifts; I layered rich mahogany browns, warm caramels, and light creams into the highlights of his face, while cooling down the shadows on his chest ruff with soft teals and pastel blues. I applied the professional oil paint thickly using crisp, energetic impasto strokes to give his fine coat a tangible sense of fluffiness and life. Finished with a protective studio varnish, this small-format archival heirloom is built to bring a lifetime of smiles to any wall.

Why I love this commission

• Intimate Small-Format Frame: The compact 6x6-inch square layout perfectly frames Skipper's perked ears and signature alert look.
• High-Contrast Lavender Backdrop: The solid purple background creates a beautiful, contemporary vibration against his warm tan fur.
• Expressive Glinting Eyes: Extra attention was dedicated to the high-contrast highlights in his eyes to give him a deeply loving and soulful presence.
• Chunky, Energetic Textures: Thick layers of traditional oil paint build a physical, tactile surface that beautifully describes his soft coat.

Technical Details

• Original Oil painting by Alai Ganuza
• 15x15 cm (6x6 inches)
• Professional oil paint on premium studio support
• Certificate of Authenticity (COA) included
• Worldwide tracked and insured shipping via FedEx