Strawberry Smoothie & Owl Friend: Custom Digital Portrait

This digital portrait is all about the little details that make a childhood memory stick—like the crinkle of a straw and a favorite toy covered in band-aids.

A Sweet Moment in the Garden

I had so much fun working on this piece. My goal was to take a candid summer photo and turn it into something that feels like a classic oil painting, but with the flexibility of a digital medium. I focused on the way the sunlight hits the pink hat and the vibrant red of the smoothie. It’s not just a copy of a photo; it’s a celebration of a specific, sunny afternoon. I spent extra time on the stuffed owl friend because those little stickers and the band-aid on its chest tell such a great story about the owner’s personality.

Even though this was painted digitally, I used my signature brushwork to keep that thick, buttery feel. I wanted the texture of the dress to look like real fabric and the background to have the same energy as my physical paintings. By using high-contrast colors and bright highlights, I made sure the subject stands out against the leafy garden backdrop. This piece was created to be printed at a large scale, 40x40 cm, on museum-grade paper so the colors stay as vivid as the day I painted them.

Why I love this commission

• Story-Driven Details: I made sure to include the "emergency" band-aid and stickers on the toy owl to capture the real life of the subject.
• Painterly Digital Style: I used custom brushes to replicate the thick impasto look of oil paint, giving the digital file a physical, tactile soul.
• Vibrant Outdoor Lighting: I focused on the warmth of the sun and the rich greens of the trees to create a sense of place and atmosphere.
• High-Resolution Quality: This was built specifically for a 40x40 cm print, ensuring every brushstroke is sharp and clear.

Technical Details

• Custom Digital Illustration by Alai Ganuza
• High-resolution file provided
• 40x40 cm (approx. 16x16 inches) museum-grade physical print included
• Vibrant color profile optimized for archival printing
• Worldwide tracked and insured shipping via FedEx