Rufflections: Paws for Thought
There’s nothing quite like a portrait commission that takes you by surprise—and this particular project, requested by my husband’s cousin, was truly one for the books! The brief? Capture the gentle wisdom and unmistakable aura of Mahatma Gandhi… but with a delightful, unexpected twist: the subject was their beloved dog. When I first received the inquiry, I couldn’t help but smile at the imaginative concept. After all, how often do you get to combine such an iconic historical figure with canine charisma?
From the outset, the collaboration was both playful and thoughtful. My husband’s cousin provided some reference photo's of their dog—a beautiful old pup with soulful eyes and an earnest expression—and we brainstormed together about what elements would best evoke that “Gandhi” spirit. I dove into reference images of Gandhi, soaking in the details: the signature staff, the serene composure, and the iconic draped shawl. The challenge was to weave these motifs seamlessly into the portrait without losing the essence of the dog’s personality.
As I began sketching, I experimented with blending Gandhi’s recognizable traits with the dog’s natural features. The result was a portrait that balanced whimsy with reverence—a wise, gentle dog wrapped in a soft shawl, staff held playfully in her mouth, radiating calm and kindness. Throughout the process, I regularly shared updates and invited feedback, encouraging tweaks to the pose, the background, and even the tilt of those adorable fluffy ears, making sure every detail rang true to the family’s vision.
Looking back, this commission was a joy from start to finish. It reminded me how art can celebrate both history and humor, turning a beloved pet into a symbol of peace and playfulness. Most importantly, it was a collaborative journey—full of laughter, inspiration, and those little moments of magic that make custom portraiture so rewarding. Now, “Peace & Paws-itivity” holds a special place on their wall, a tribute not just to their dog, but to the creative spirit that brings ideas like this to life.
When Inspiration Strikes
This video is from my TikTok page @pawsinpurrfection
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Images That Sparked Creativity
Behind the Paintbrush: The Making of an Aztec Purr-incess!
Behind the Paintbrush: The Making of an Aztec Purr-incess!
Initial Sketch
I can honestly say I really enjoyed designing this project, the collaboration to create this final design went super smoothly and it was one of the first (and genuinely very rare) times where I was happy with the design and didn't need to redraw it at all before sending it for proofing.
First Steps
I spent a long time building shades of brown deeper and deeper until they were the right shade for her, and then used a white colored pencil and Posca Pen to create the light reflections and give them a 3D shape again.
From the Top
I started with some pale creams and cool grays to create a base color, and then slowly started lightening that with a combination of my trusted white pencil, and the good old faithful Posca Pen!
The Details
I got to work with the very long-winded processes of coloring the staff to look like wood - RIP to a lot of colored pencils, your service was much appreciated - before adding in that little glimpse of her tongue, playfully sticking out.
After that it was time to move onto one of my favorite parts of any drawing - The fabric!!!! Personally, I love building the depths and shades within fabric, especially as it folds over itself creating random wrinkles and dips.
..Even More Fur
Using the same base creams and grays I started the process of building her leg fur strand by strand until it had that visible depth of gray and white. I think I can safely say that my thumb joint was not my friend after this project but it was 100% worth it in the end to have been able to recreate that incredible fur coat she has!
The Final Part
For this element of the drawing, we decided we wanted to keep things super simple. Nova doesn't need much to make her happy (just plenty of fuss and snacks!) and neither did Gandhi, so it didn't feel right making her background something extravagant.
I was so happy with this final piece, and knowing how happy the family was with it too makes every single strand of fur worth it!
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