The Story Behind Sammy’s Portrait
Steve Foutty from the USA contacted us in early 2013 about commissioning a portrait of his much-loved black Labrador, Sammy. He enclosed a couple of photos that he thought would work well for an oil painting and told us all about Sammy’s favourite things—especially spending time near the boat with his favourite retrieve toy.
We usually work from one main reference photo to capture the pose, but it’s always helpful to receive more pictures so Nicholas can really get to know the dog’s character and features. The more photos the better!
Nicholas painted Sammy on a 16 x 16 inch canvas, and the scene was a joy to bring to life. The final painting truly captures Sammy’s personality and the setting that meant so much to him and his family.
