Cockapoo portrait - Noodle's story
Noodle's portrait was commissioned by Marilyn as a surprise birthday gift for her daughter.
From the photographs she sent, I chose one face-on image that had almost everything I needed - a great expression, tongue out and plenty of Noodle's curly coat.
There was just one small problem. His dark eyes had almost disappeared amongst all those curls.
Using that photograph as the main reference, with a quick check of the others for his eye colour, I created an original hand-drawn Cockapoo portrait ready for a birthday surprise.
Breed: Cockapoo
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Medium: Coloured pencil & wax crayon
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Size: A4
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Commissioned by: Marilyn, Yarm, UK
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Created from: One main reference photograph
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Occasion: Surprise birthday gift
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Breed: Cockapoo ★ Medium: Coloured pencil & wax crayon ★ Size: A4 ★ Commissioned by: Marilyn, Yarm, UK ★ Created from: One main reference photograph ★ Occasion: Surprise birthday gift ★
A birthday surprise for Noodle's owner
Marilyn wanted to surprise her daughter with something a little more personal for her birthday - a hand-drawn portrait of Noodle.
There was just one catch: it had to stay a surprise.
So while Noodle's owner knew exactly which expressions and little details made him look like himself, she couldn't exactly be consulted. Marilyn sent me a selection of photographs and trusted me to take it from there.
Thankfully, Noodle gave us plenty to work with.
One great photo, one missing detail
From Marilyn's selection, one photograph stood out straight away. Noodle was facing the camera, tongue out, with exactly the sort of relaxed expression that made it feel like the right one.
The only problem was his eyes. Between the lighting and all those curls, they were almost completely hidden.
Rather than changing a photograph that already worked, I kept it as the reference for the portrait and used Marilyn's other photos simply to check Noodle's natural eye colour.
Sometimes the best photo doesn't show absolutely everything - and that's okay.
Not sure which of your own photos to choose? My photo guide should help.
Creating the portrait
Noodle's curly coat is a mix of deep blacks, softer greys and warmer tones around his muzzle - so there was plenty going on between all those curls.
I built the portrait gradually using coloured pencil and wax crayon, keeping some areas loose while adding more definition around his face.
His eyes needed the most careful touch. I brought them forward just enough to sit naturally within his darker fur, without changing the expression that made the original photograph such a good reference.
The finished portrait
Once Noodle's A4 portrait was finished, it was ready for the difficult part - keeping it secret until Marilyn's daughter's birthday.
The original pose and expression were all still there, with those previously hidden eyes now sitting naturally amongst his curls.
Then it was over to Marilyn to pull off the surprise.
What Marilyn thought
★★★★★
“We couldn’t have been more delighted with a portrait of my daughter Alex’s Cockapoo Noodle. It was a very special surprise for her birthday. We were amazed how Jonny captured Noodle’s personality, his eyes are incredible. Very highly recommended. Thank you so much.”
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Planning a pet portrait surprise?
Send me the photos you have and I'll help with the rest - including choosing the strongest reference for the portrait.
Whether it's for a birthday, another special occasion or simply a very good excuse to surprise someone, I'll create an original hand-drawn pet portrait that's unmistakably theirs.
Perfect for surprise gifts
Photo selection help included
Drawn entirely by hand