Trooper is an English Setter - specifically a Llewellin which is used for hunting. He is eight years old and in absolutely magnificent condition for a dog of his age.
The photos used for this painting had been taken in the field when Trooper was actually working. For additional reference material, Trooper was brought to my studio so I could meet him and take more photos.
He was a joy and full of personality. It was fun to see him working back and forth in our front yard looking for birds. We live very close to a training facility and I think he recognized the scent in the air and thought our yard another field to work (not that our front yard is that big but it wraps around a corner with a lot of hedges).
The photos I took helped me to see his markings. His hunting collars somewhat blocked my view of the markings at the top of his neck. The background was adjusted a bit to strengthen the composition. The actual photo didn't have any height variation in the foliage and we wanted some more pizazz to the background. Hope you enjoy viewing the painting as much as I did painting it!!
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