From Blurry Snapshot to Breathtaking Beauty: Boris' Story.
When Josie contacted me about a portrait of her horse, Boris, she had a clear vision: a powerful A2-sized painting for a special spot in her home. Boris, a horse with a genuine passion for events, needed to be captured with his 'game face on'. The only challenge was that the specific reference photo Josie loved was a little blurry when zooming in.
While a clear photo is always the best starting point for a portrait, this project was a wonderful opportunity to go above and beyond. I spent time with other high-quality photos of Boris, meticulously studying his unique colouring, the distinctive marks on his face, and the intricate details of his tack. I particularly loved painting the metalwork of his bridle and the pink markings on his nose, which are really defining. To achieve the beautiful texture of his coat, I used a splashing technique, carefully building up the many flecks in his fur.
The creative process unfolded over 25 hours, and I kept Josie in the loop every step of the way, sending her images of the initial pencil drawing, the tonal underpainting, and various stages of development, always checking in to ensure her vision was coming to life. This collaborative approach meant that by the time the painting was complete, it was exactly what she had imagined. We even discussed the best framing options and the final varnishing, making sure every detail was covered.
Josie said “The painting captures Boris's spirit and determination beautifully , and I can’t wait to see him in my hallway every day! It's so much more than I expected, so life-like and it really captures his game-face. The whole process was really enjoyable. It felt like I was part of the journey. We even talked through the varnishing options and how Boris would look great in a float frame - not something I’d heard of. That’s definitely something I will do in the future once the painting is fully dried in 6 months or so. The whole experience was great and made me feel rather grand - like an art collector!"
Also commenting on the journey, Denise revealed that “what many people perhaps don’t realise is that a painting will go through what I call ‘an ugly phase’, which is a tricky thing to handle when keeping a client updated every step of the way! There’s definitely a level of trust you have to put in the artist - a kind of leap of faith to know that the painting will emerge beautifully in the end. That’s why I feel it’s important to show these interim stages - a painting doesn’t go from zero to hero in a few strokes - there are many hours and many twists and turns in getting to an artwork that deserves a special spot in your home. Josie was great with the entire process and just left me to it, knowing that her pride and joy would emerge from the canvas.“
The out-takes on delivery day!
Boris' impression of a giraffe, whilst asking for another Polo mint!
Myself with Boris. I thought I gave the portrait its last lick of paint! Seal of approval?!
