Painting commission for Ashleigh

In late 2024, Ash asked me to do an A3 drawing that combined several photos of her with her partner, his late mother and their two Great Danes. I had too much going on with caring for a new baby, other commissions and getting back into live wedding paintings. So, I unfortunately turned her down as I couldn’t complete it in time for Christmas.

Fast forward to early 2025, Ash returned with an April deadline - her partner’s mother’s 10 year anniversary of her death. I created two mock ups on Photoshop for an A3 drawing and a 20x24in painting. We both fell in love with the painting mock up and I got started straight away.

The more photos I need to combine, the trickier it gets. You need to consider perspective, scale, colour temperature and lighting, and make sure they all match in a natural and believable way. I also had to create a body for Dylan’s mother, since all the photos Ash could secretly source were of her head and shoulders.

It took about a month to complete, which is longer than usual. I could only paint for an hour or two late at night in the dark corner of the bedroom beside the bed where my baby would sleep. We also went on a week long cruise, which was a really nice break! I still can’t believe I managed to complete it on time.

Here’s the completed painting in acrylics on canvas. I wanted to make the overall painting warmer with a softer background to bring all the focus to the foreground. Ash picked it up, gifted it to Dylan for his mother’s birthday instead and now it’s hanging in their living room.

These are the commissions I enjoy doing and I’ve done quite a few of them. They’re very challenging but so rewarding. I love that I can use my skills as an artist to combine photos together and bring your loved ones back in such a unique and special way.