Ezekiel and Natasha. 20" x 20" oil on linen. 2014.
This commissioned portrait was worked on for about 6 weeks from the beginning of December 2013 through the middle of January 2014 (I mention this as a note to my future self when I start to grumble about how long a painting is taking).
Ezekiel and Natasha were photographed separately indoors on a white comforter, which turned out to be an ideal light for them. I did several sketches to work out the best way to bring them together in the same painting. The square canvas was requested by the customer and made it hard to find a good balance.
Back in the studio I recreated the setting using some white sheets and stuffed dog toys as stand-ins which helped immensely when I started painting. The background is painted from life.