Irish Terrier Dog Sculpture

Nick Mackman Dog Sculpture

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.

Irish Terrier Dog sculptureAs 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.

Nick Mackman Dog Sculpture

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.

Irish Terrier SculptureKeo’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!