I printed some backgrounds with a Gelli plate and I had some old acetate from my biological illustration projects. The acrylic paint sticks nicely to to the acetate. This is Kina, my yellow Lab from the 90s.

April showed up at the shelter when my mom was looking for a friend. For this one, I did a preliminary sketch as well. A square format adds composition challenges, but also really focusses attention on the expression.

Animals definitely have expressions. A Labrador Retriever can be particularly expressive when making a silent request for food or a walk.

Using gouache lets me plan a painting with light layers and add depth with more layers. If I make a mistake, I can wipe off a forgiving paper like Arches 140lb cold press. I do a sketch underneath to make sure the proportions are right.