Custom Pet Portraits in Pastel

Being an animal lover myself, I understand the importance our furry friends play in our lives. Is a home really a home without a pet - for me that is a definite no. I spent many years whilst living abroad in countries where animal welfare is severely lacking, rescuing animals. Very full-filling but often so heart-breaking. I still remember everyone of those rescues, the sad cases and the happy endings. Now that I am back living in the UK, I volunteer at Cats Protection.

Pet portraits are a wonderful way I combine my love of animals with art; I strive to capture each pet's unique personality, creating a personalised piece of art to keep for years to come. My portraits are offered in pastel, as this is a wonderful medium to create fur and soft textures.

Due to the worry of pastel being smudged or damaged in transit, I don't risk shipping/posting pastel portraits. Therefore they are only available to clients living either near Loughborough, or near Poole in Dorset.

Portrait Details

The price of the portrait depends on the size you would like. From experience I find portraits that focus on the head, in particular the eyes, work the best. So I primarily offer head studies which include part of the neck. Dogs and horses definitely work best when focusing on the head. Sometimes though cats might look good in a pose, like the example below. This will often depend on your photographs (see more info on photographs below).

Price list

Sizes are approximate and may vary slightly. All prices are quoted unframed and are for one subject without a background.

Size 1

A good size for single study, head/neck for a cat, or small dog breed.

Paper Size: 30cm x 24cm

Image Size: 20cm x 15cm

Price (unframed) : £80

Size 2

A good size for a single study, head/neck for a dog or horse.

Paper Size: 40cm x 30cm

Image Size: approximately 25cm x 20cm

Price (unframed) : £100

The Process

1. Please Email me a selection of clear, close up photographs of your pet. I normally work from one main photo, however also referring to others for the fine detail. Please see below for tips on how to get a suitable photograph, a good photo is so important.
2. After analysing the photographs, I will then contact you with a proposed composition. Once we have agreed on a composition and an approximate completion date (please do tell me when ordering if it needs to be ready for a certain date), a 10% deposit is required to secure the booking.
3. During the portrait process I will post "work in progress" images on my Facebook page and IG so that you can see how the portrait is progressing. If it is a surprise present for someone, please do let me know and I will email you private updates.
4. Once the portrait is complete and you are completely happy with the portrait, it will be ready for collection.

The Photograph

The photograph is a really important part of the process, the better the photograph the better the portrait. Remember, I don't know your pet like you do and have to go completely by the photograph. The best portraits are ones that capture your pet's natural expression - be it happy, mischievous, alert or grumpy!

Below are some tips to help capture that perfect shot:

The best way to get a good composition, is to firstly make sure you are close enough to your pet and get down to the pet's eye level to take the photograph, not from above or below. Fill the photograph with your pets' head and shoulders, not the background.
Try to get the face angled (turned) slightly, preferably not straight on. Use treats to direct their gaze; probably a two-person job!
You need to have a good source of light to get a clear photograph with no redeye. The best thing to do is to go outside, ideally on a bright but overcast day. Don't use the flash.
Patience is key. Take lots of photographs to get that perfect shot. The portrait will be done from one main reference photograph, however, it is nice to have a few others to check the details.

Payment

Before starting your portrait, I will require a non-refundable 10% deposit which can be paid by PayPal or in cash. During the process I will share with you several stages that the portrait goes through so that you can see it developing and comment accordingly. Once the portrait is complete, I will send you a preview before the final payment is made and prior to collection. I want you to be completely happy with your Pet Portrait. Final payment can be made by PayPal or in cash.

Framing

Most people prefer to choose their own frame to suit their taste and décor, therefore all my portraits come unframed. When framing, please note you will need to use mounts or spacers so that the glass doesn't touch the actual drawing; a minimum of 1/4 inch should me maintained between the drawing and the glass cover. This can be achieved with a double mount, or by using a spacers.

FAQ

Below is a selection of commonly asked questions.

How long will the portrait take?

Please allow 4-5 weeks for your portrait; each portrait takes many hours of work. Please let me know when you contact me if you require it for a specific date.

Can you draw any animal?

Yes, I have drawn bearded lizards to camel portraits in the past.

Does my portrait come framed?

I don't frame the portraits as I find most people like to choose their own frame according to their budget and what suits their home.

My photograph isn't very clear, can you work from it?

You are welcome to email me the photo for me to have a look at it, however, please be prepared for a no, I really need to see the detail to be able to produce a good likeness.

Can I have a full body study drawn?

At the moment I am only offering single head studies due to the timescales involved to complete each portrait.

Can my portrait include a background?

I generally don't do backgrounds as I find this distracts away from the pet; I want them to be centre stage.

If your question isn't covered, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Pet Portraits