Watercoloring for a Friend

So doing commissioned artwork can be a weird thing:  I get an email or a phone call from a stranger.  They send me pictures of their home or their dog, or their alpaca. And I'm asked to create a painting based on a flat, 2 dimensional image.

It usually works out fine, especially if the client sends me several shots of the same subject and I can really get a feel for a place.  If I can't get a good read on a subject, I'll ask for more pictures or politely decline the work.

While painting I think a lot about the people who live in the house, or who own the dog --or the alpaca or the horse-- and I wonder about them:  What are they like? Did they play soccer or bacci ball in this yard with their kids like we did with ours?  Did the dog know any tricks or have any weird habits like my little basset hound, Roxy does?

The cool part about creating a painting for a friend, as opposed to a stranger,  is that I'm usually pretty familiar with the subject.  I've been to the house, explored the yard and petted their dog.  I have a more personal feel for the place or the animal.  And if I haven't seen it in person , I know the owner and often have heard stories about the house or of their beloved pet.   

This is a coworker friend's home and the resulting painting I made for her.  I don't know her that well, but I feel much closer to her after having rendered a watercolor of something beloved to her.  I've found it's true with many friends for whom I've done home or pet portraits:  I pay close attention to all the details of their home or of their pet and come to a more profound understanding of what's important and dear to them.  

It's a lovely keepsake for a friend and also a gift to me to have learned more about her.