Painting animals is an interesting challenge. Aside from the shading of the body, there are many color transitions in the fur. Especially with Mellie, from the black tips on her floppy ears to the blonde anterior, she requires a very wide color palette. This is best achieved with oil paints. You mix one color, apply a bit of it, then mix another color into the mix and move on. Soft color transitions, soft fur. Mellie is also a fascinating subject because she is very expressive. Here she lies on the carpet as if it were her property. The rug indicates wealth, but I didn't want to paint a portrait of a rug. So I simplified the carpet and painted a ball with it as another possession, a sign that she knows what is hers and seems to like to display her possessions.