Welcome to our latest blog post about Loki the Bichon Frise – Oil Portrait – created by Nicholas as a Christmas gift. We were delighted to receive an email from Jen Moallemi in 2018. Jen is a returning client who commissioned an oil portrait of Lulu a few years ago in 2018. Jen’s family absolutely loved Lulu’s painting, which now hangs proudly in their home. You can read all about Lulu’s oil painting on our blog post. So when they welcomed a new Bichon Frise named Loki, Jen emailed to commission another portrait as a special Christmas gift.
“The Lulu painting was such a huge hit (it is hanging front and center in their house). I was hoping to have one made of my in-laws’ new dog, Loki.”
Of course, we were thrilled to take on this commission! Bichon Frises are so wonderful to paint. Their soft fluffy coats, beautiful expressive eyes and their happy faces always make for not only beautiful oil paintings, but also fantastic to paint or draw.
Painting Loki’s Oil Portrait
Loki’s portrait was traditionally hand-painted in oils on a 16 x 12 inch fine-grain linen canvas. As Nicholas always says – and I agree, oil paint is the perfect medium for capturing the texture and depth of pets with white coats like Bichons. The natural translucency of oils allows for delicate layering, helping to create a rich, three-dimensional effect. Unlike other mediums, which can sometimes make white fur appear flat, oils provide depth and warmth. Soft transitions between hues, bringing their coats to life. Not only that, but being able to paint a contrasting background really allows the subject to stand out and be centre stage.
We chose a subtle background to complement Loki’s fluffy white fur. This also matched their other portrait, ensuring that he remained the focal point of the piece. As with all our oil paintings, Nicholas built up the layers of paint to create realistic fur texture and lifelike detail. Also making sure to capture Loki’s personality and character. After completing the portrait, we sent photos of the finished painting to Jen, who emailed this…
“It looks amazing, thank you so much!! They will be thrilled :)”
Loki the Bichon Frise – Oil Portrait
It’s always an honour to create a second portrait for a returning client. We love seeing Lulu and Loki’s family cherish their paintings for years to come. If you’re considering an oil portrait of your own pet, whether as a gift for a family member or a special friend, we would love to hear from you. Take a look at our Oil Dog Portraits Gallery to see more of Nicholas’s work. If you ahve any questions about commissioning a portrait Contact us here to discuss your ideas.
Why We Love Painting Bichon Frises
Bichons are one of the most beautiful breeds to paint in oils. Their curly, cloud-like coats have a natural softness that works beautifully as an oil painting.
If you have a white or light coloured pet, oils are an excellent choice for a portrait. Painting a white pet doesn’t just mean using a tube of white paint! Far from it. If you have a white pet, just sit and notice all of the colours the coat has in it. From bright warm sunshine to the cool light of the evening. There will be shadows and highlights and gentle colours that make up the colour of the coat. By layering tones from warm creams to cool blues and greys, we can create soft highlights and delicate shadows that bring your pet to life.
Commission Your Own Oil Portrait
And finally, we hope you have enjoyed reading about Loki the Bichon Frise – Oil Portrait by Nicholas Beall. Nicholas takes great pride in traditionally hand painting every portrait with care, ensuring a lifelike painting for each client. Whether you are looking for a Bichon Frise portrait, a Golden Retriever oil painting, or a custom pet portrait of any breed, we would love to work with you. Get in touch with us today to discuss your own pet portrait commission!
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