From where I started in 2023 to where I am today.
When I look at these two Miniature Schnauzers side by side, it's hard for me to believe that I created both of them.
My journey back into art started in 2023 after being away from drawing for more than 10 years. I already had an established career working in CT, but there was still another dream I wanted to pursue: having my own small art business.
So, after all those years, I decided to start drawing again.
And it was rough.
There's an old saying that if you don't use it, you lose it. I definitely felt that way when I picked up art again. I had to get reacquainted with Photoshop and, in some ways, relearn how to draw. Things that once felt familiar didn't come as naturally anymore.
But I kept going.
Why Dogs?
I've loved dogs ever since I was a little girl, so when I started thinking about what I wanted to create for my art business, dog stickers seemed like the perfect place to start.
I began practicing and slowly getting back into the groove.
At that point, I didn't really know what I wanted my art style to become. I knew I wanted my dogs to be cute and have personality, but I didn't want to go completely in the kawaii direction. No shade at all to artists who work in that style! There are some amazing kawaii artists out there. I just saw a lot of it and wanted to find something that felt a little different and more like me.
Finding your own style while also trying to stand out is difficult. I'm still working on it today.
My earlier designs leaned more toward a cartoon style, but over time I started moving toward something I've come to call Charm Realism: blending more realistic rendering, lighting and form with the exaggerated personality and charm of a cartoon character.
And one of the dogs there near the beginning of that journey was the Miniature Schnauzer.
Why a Miniature Schnauzer?
The Miniature Schnauzer is actually my favorite dog breed.
I fell in love with them because of a Schnauzer owned by one of my grandmother's neighbors. His name was Chico.
I had never seen a Schnauzer in person before I met him. Chico was already an older dog by then, but I thought he was absolutely adorable. From that moment, I knew I wanted to have a Schnauzer of my own someday.
There's just something about them.
They look like little old people. 😂
Maybe that's my medical career kicking in, but I absolutely adore them.
So naturally, when I started creating my early dog designs, I had to make a Miniature Schnauzer.
My First Schnauzer
The first Schnauzer didn't come easily.
I went through several sketches and revisions before I finally got him to a design I was proud of. Some of those early phases were pretty rough, especially since I was still trying to find my way back into drawing.
But I didn't give up on him.
Looking at the finished design today, there are obviously things I approach very differently now. My understanding of form, values, lighting and rendering has changed considerably.
But I wouldn't change my original Schnauzer.
He has his own charm.
More importantly, he represents where I started.
Finding My Style
As I continued creating dogs over the next few years, I started realizing what I wanted my artwork to become.
One of my biggest struggles was lighting and values. A lot of the time, I felt like I was simply guessing where the light and shadows were supposed to go.
So I kept studying.
I kept drawing.
I kept refining.
I also joined an art club and received substantial help in pushing my skills further. I began paying much more attention to things like silhouettes, storytelling and giving each character a distinct personality.
Instead of only asking myself, "Does this look like the breed?" I started thinking more about:
"Who is this dog?"
"What's happening here?"
"What story does this pose tell?"
Those lessons became extremely important when I decided to return to the Miniature Schnauzer.
Returning to the Schnauzer
For my new Schnauzer, I didn't want to simply redraw my original design with better rendering.
I wanted to tell a story.
The inspiration actually came from my childhood Shih Tzu, Meeko. He apparently didn't appreciate being left home alone for too long.
Whenever we'd come home, we'd open the door and Meeko would immediately run away and hide.
That was usually our first clue.
Then we'd look down at the floor and, sure enough, he'd left us a little "present." 😂
Years later, that memory of Meeko gave me an idea for an illustration about a puppy getting revenge on his owners for leaving him home alone.
However, I wanted my sticker to be a little more G-rated.
So instead of having the Schnauzer poop on the floor, I figured destroying a slipper was probably more palatable—and funnier.
And that's how my Grumpy Schnauzer Puppy came to be.
Pushing Myself Further
This illustration became one of the most demanding pieces I've worked on.
I spent weeks—closer to months, really—refining it.
I studied reference photographs. I used 3D models to help me understand lighting, shadows and volume.
And then there was the slipper.
I actually went to the store, bought a real slipper and cut it apart so I could study what a torn-up slipper would look like.
Sometimes you've got to suffer for your art.
And apparently sometimes a slipper has to suffer too. 😂
There were times when the process became exhausting. Being a perfectionist certainly didn't make things any easier.
But I kept pushing.
I wanted the fur to have volume. I wanted the lighting to make sense. I wanted the anatomy to work. Most importantly, I wanted that little Schnauzer to have a personality.
I wanted you to look at his face and immediately know:
He's mad you left him home alone—and he's not sorry about what happened to your slipper.
A Little Piece of the Original
Despite how much my artwork has changed, there was one part of my original Schnauzer that I didn't want to leave behind.
His eyes.
When you look closely at the two designs, you'll notice that the eyes and eyebrows have a similar design.
That was intentional.
I always liked the personality those eyes gave my original Schnauzer, so I carried that little detail into the new puppy as an homage to where this journey began.
The rendering changed.
The anatomy changed.
My understanding of lighting changed.
My approach to character design changed.
But there's still a little bit of that first Schnauzer looking back at me through the new one.
And I love that.
Where I Am Today
I genuinely believe this is my strongest Charm Realism piece so far.
When I look at it, I'm proud of myself—not because I think I've mastered art. I haven't. There is still so much I want to learn.
I'm proud because I know how much I struggled to get here.
Hard work really does pay off.
Sometimes pursuing something you care about is difficult and exhausting. There are moments when you wonder whether you're actually improving at all.
Then occasionally, you get an opportunity to look backward.
For me, these two Schnauzers gave me that opportunity.
The first Schnauzer represents the artist who picked up drawing again after more than a decade away and decided to try.
The new Schnauzer represents what happened because she kept going.
And three years from now, I hope I'll be able to look at this 2026 Schnauzer the same way.
Don't Throw Away Your Old Art
There's one thing I regret as an artist.
I didn't save enough of my artwork from when I was younger.
I wish I had.
So if you're an artist reading this, don't throw away your old artwork just because you don't think it's good anymore.
Save it.
One day, you might look back at something you made years ago and realize just how far you've come.
We all have to start somewhere.
I still love my original Schnauzer. I wouldn't change a thing about him because he represents that particular moment in my journey.
And just like a Schnauzer, maybe we all get a little wiser with age.
Sorry. I couldn't resist. 😂
Still Learning
My Charm Realism journey isn't finished.
I want to continue studying. I want to continue accepting constructive critiques from friends, family and experts. I want to keep improving my understanding of lighting, values, anatomy, storytelling and character.
Most of all, I want to keep creating.
If you're an upcoming artist—or even an experienced artist struggling with your own work—keep practicing. Don't give up just because something isn't coming together as quickly as you'd hoped.
Sometimes progress is difficult to see while you're in the middle of it.
Every once in a while, look back at where you started.
You might surprise yourself.
As for me, I can't wait to see where my art is three years from now.
The Grumpy Miniature Schnauzer Puppy sticker is currently being printed and will be coming soon to Rad Tech Artist.