Hedge & Hog - Pet Portraits

Hedge & Hog, Pet Portraits - September 2022

This was a recent pet portrait I was commissioned to create by my sister for one of her close friend's 40th birthday gifts of her two cats, Hedge and Hog.

I created the portrait working from photos that I was sent, sketching the initial outlines in pencil before outlining in ink and gradually building up the detail and tone of their fur using watercolour paints. To add in the final finer details I used black pen and pencils to pick out the texture of their fur and whiskers.

Below I've included a few of the shots I took from each stage so you can see how the portraits progressed and the different stages it took to create the final image you see above.

Portraits of Hog & Hedge, after the initial pencil sketch has been outlined and the first washes of watercolour applied

Gradually building up the fur and tone detail on Hedge the tabby cat using a variety of paints and brushes

Hog portrait progress shot once all of the watercolour detail has been added to the page

Going over the outlines and adding in additional detail to Hedge's fur and features using fine liner pen

The final stage is use pencil to pick out the finer fur detail of the cats

The finished portraits of Hog & Hedge after the different sketching, painting and drawing stages I use to create them

Finished framed portrait of Hedge the tabby cat

Finished framed portrait of Hog the tabby cat

"Thank you for my absolutely gorgeous gift ❤️ 

The likeness is astounding. You have such a talent! You’ve captured flouffball Hedge’s (brown) bumbling aloofness alongside that moody mare taunting stare where she wants to be loved and swipe her murder mitt in equal measure

Hog (white) is the needy multi-coloured runt who rules the house. You’ve caught her tiny stature but top dog come get it attitude. I could tell immediately what photo this look was from!

I cannot wait to get these on the wall and admire them every day"