Kratos (2023)

Kratos was created as a family commission, though the process became something more intimate than simple likeness. Pet portraiture often carries a weight that human portraiture sometimes doesn’t: the responsibility to preserve not only the subject’s form but their spirit, their way of being seen and remembered.

In this piece, I wanted to capture that specific tension between strength and warmth. The subject’s posture is alert, yet softened by a half-smile that speaks to trust. There is no background narrative here, only presence — a sense of companionship rendered in light and texture.

Painting an animal one knows personally changes the rhythm of observation. Each brushstroke feels both technical and affectionate, a way of retracing memory. What results is a portrait that feels alive without movement, familiar without imitation. It holds the subject’s energy rather than their exact likeness, a record of personality as much as anatomy.

Painted digitally in layered strokes that mimic classical oil technique, Kratos combines broad underpainting with finely textured glazing to build volume and warmth. The palette centres around raw umber and burnt sienna, with muted violets used subtly within the shadows to echo the softness of skin beneath fur. A dark neutral background isolates the form and directs focus to the face, enhancing both realism and intimacy. The final surface was left slightly visible in texture, allowing the brushwork to suggest the vitality of living presence.