Mila | Custom Miniature Australian Shepherd Pet Portrait
With her gentle head tilt, enormous dark eyes and beautiful tricolor markings, Mila has the kind of expression that immediately draws you in.
Mila is a 1½-year-old tricolored Miniature Australian Shepherd and the subject of this custom acrylic pet portrait. She is one of two dogs I was commissioned to paint by my former high school English teacher, who has also entrusted me with painting several members of her family. I loved that this latest commission brought the family’s four-legged members into the story, too.
What captivated me most about Mila was her expression. I wanted this original dog portrait to capture not only her distinctive black, white and warm copper coloring, but also that inquisitive head tilt and the wonderfully soulful eyes that give her so much personality.
Using loose, expressive acrylic brushwork, I built her coat with layers of warm and cool color rather than trying to render every strand of fur. Softer edges around the coat contrast with the more defined features of her face, keeping Mila’s eyes and expression at the center of the painting.
There is something especially meaningful about creating a custom pet portrait of an animal who is so much a part of a family. Mila’s painting now joins a growing collection of portraits I’ve had the privilege of creating for this family—a connection that began long before I ever imagined becoming an artist.
Artwork Details
Artist: Kara Manza
Medium: Original acrylic painting
Subject: Mila, tricolored Miniature Australian Shepherd
Style: Expressive contemporary pet portrait
Category: Custom Dog Portrait / Original Pet Portrait / Miniature Australian Shepherd Art
Austin, Texas artist