Sunny Joy: Custom Fluffy Dog Oil Painting

This 8x8-inch oil painting is a custom piece I created to capture a truly joyful, wide-eyed expression on a handmade wood panel.

Collaborating on Color and Light

I loved working on this portrait because it was a true collaboration with the collector. Originally, I had planned a more contrasting green background, but after exploring different options together, we decided to go with a soft, sunny yellow. It perfectly matches the happy, bright personality of the pup. Painting lighter fur is always a fun challenge because it allows me to bring in unexpected colors like soft pinks, light teals, and warm peaches into the coat to give it volume and life without losing its brightness.

During the process, we made a few adjustments to get the details exactly right, like rounding out the fur profile above the eye and refining the highlights to ensure the expression felt perfectly natural and alert. I applied the professional oil paint thickly using visible, expressive brushstrokes to give the coat a beautiful, tactile texture. This original painting is fully finished with a clean varnish and serves as a custom heirloom that brings a warm burst of happiness to any room.

Why I love this piece

• Collaborative Background: The choice of warm yellow provides a soft, glowing backdrop that enhances the overall cheerful mood.
• Expressive Eye Detail: I paid special attention to the shape of the fur around the eyes and the catchlights to create an alert, loving gaze.
• Richly Textured Fur: I used thick, painterly layers of oil paint to give the light-colored coat a sense of real depth and softness.
• Studio-Prepared Support: Painted directly on a handmade wood panel that I prepped right here in my studio for long-lasting durability.

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