As you have probably guessed, I love dogs. So when a client commissioned me to sculpt her Irish Terrier dog as a surprise birthday present for her husband I was very excited. I have a soft spot for bearded dogs and this, coupled with the Irish Terrier’s stunning colour, made the commission irresistible.
As with all my dog commissions, I set my client homework. When making a sculpture (as opposed to working in two dimensions) there are particular angles I require to help build an accurate picture of my subject. When the first photos of Keo came through I was thrilled. What a character! Such expressive ears and eyes and lovely proportions.
Between the client and myself we came up with a pose that was very Keo. I felt it had to be informal but still give a nod to his elegant lines and proportions. You can follow the process of making the Irish Terrier sculpture from the very start on my Facebook page.
Wow! I think he is incredible Nick, thank you. I love the paws and nose, and all of him! He’s gorgeous. Many thanks for a fun process and brilliant end result.
Once I started work on the dog sculpture, just adding his characteristic ears made all the difference. Already Keo was starting to shine through. Creating a wiry coat with depth to it took many hours of concentration but it was worth all the effort.
Keo’s expressive eyes were the most important part of the sculpture. I had to make sure they were absolutely the right shape. The particular angle they were looking at helped to tell his story. When the sculpture was finished I decided on a matt glaze. The Irish Terrier dog commission was delivered by my art courier on my client’s husband’s birthday. I’m pleased to say it was a big hit, although I’m not sure what Keo thinks of his doppelgänger!