Abby is a petite husky mix with an infatuation with the backyard squirrels. Here she sits, patiently posing for my camera, while never taking her eyes off the tailless squirrel rustling in a nearby tree. They have a perpetual rivalry.

This portrait was created as a gift to Abby’s dad, my friend Brian, on the occasion of his 30th birthday. It was important for me to emphasize Abby’s beautiful fur. By using charcol, I eliminated the distraction of color and brought focus to her fur’s depth and variety of gray tones. The drawing surface needed to bring out her fluffiness, so I chose Arches watercolor paper, for it’s lovely texture.