Emily-Rose Alcock Art

The first animal I ever painted professionally was as a gift for a friend. It was that painting that ignited my pet portrait business. So what was different about these paintings to any other genre that I’ve ever painted?

Loyalty and connection. When I paint an animal, I feel a strong connection to its character and expression akin to the way Beatrix Potter probably felt when she painted her friend Peter Rabbit, and the subsequent friends that were born from that.

But deeper than that, for me, animals offer with ease what many humans struggle to provide – loyalty and unconditional love.

There’s a point during every painting when I’m absorbed into the character of the animal and that is when I paint their eyes and nose. Even if the end effect of the painting is illustrative, I like to encapsulate the glassy appearance of the eyes, and the cuteness of the nose.

If captured correctly, the eyes tell their own story. They express without words needed. They connect with and captivate the viewer.

I use numerous layers of watercolour, beginning with the lightest colours and tones and working my way up to the dark. The secret to a realistic eye in my opinion, is the use of light upon the dark and mimicking the light spots. Combined with the darker shading around the edges that bring roundness and three dimension to its surface. Following that, the area surrounding the eye is an important focus – are they deep set like Hendis or do they require less shading to bring them forward?

Expression is everything.