A Cavalier For Christmas Stage 2

This painting is actually a bit farther along than an initial underpainting–but I forgot to take a photo earlier, oops.

You can see the rough first layer of paint in the ears and legs, while the face is refined quite a bit further. Because Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have such expressive eyes, I typically get them established first and work out from there. Having the eyes in a portrait painted to a fairly complete level helps me see where the painting is going to go. To know what emotion I am trying to convey.

Cavaliers also have a very unique nostril structure that is a breed characteristic. Their noses are almost shaped like little curled hearts. I never paint one without thinking how cute it is.