Thinking of a gift to give a fellow pet lover? Something unique and one of a kind? Why not a portrait of their favorite pet? How about a beautiful painting of their dog when it was just a pup, or perhaps a fetching painting of kitty in full colour?
A custom pet portrait will hold a special place in the heart of the person who receives it. It is a loving gift that will create memories that will last a lifetime. Whether it is of a current pet or of one who has passed away, a custom pet portrait can be given as a unique gift to commemorate any occasion.
I want a pet portrait … What do I need to do?
- Get good clear digital photos, they are the best to use, However a traditional photo can work as well. If the best pose doesn’t have the best lighting or colors, Deena can use other photos of your pet to get the colors right.
- Talk to the artist and decide on size of the canvas, background and anything special you had in mind. collaboration with an artist before they start working is a great way to make sure everyone understands what they want and can do.
- Sign an agreement which should include the size of the portrait, basic composition, and timeframe
- Be prepared to give a deposit. This can be anywhere from 10-50% of the cost of the portrait
- Ask to see a proof if possible before the finished product
- Find or discuss with the Artist the perfect Frame. Either the artist can supply you with a frame, or you can take your new portrait to your picture framer to have framed
- Bring it home and hang it on the wall and invite all your friends over to admire your new art!
What to look for in an artist?
- It’s important to choose an artist who is well-verse in painting pets. Find an artists who specialize specifically in custom pet portraits.
- Start searching by either asking for recommendations if you saw a picture that you admired. If not start a search on google with search terms such as “pet-portrait”
- Browse the artist website site to see their style. when you have found a variety of pet portraits sites, bookmark them all so that you can revisit them later to compare.
- Do not choose a pet portraits artist based only on price. There are no rules where pricing is concerned for artists – artists set their own prices. You could be paying anything from as little as $50.00 to 1000’s or more depending on who you choose to commission. You need to be looking at the quality of the artwork not the cost. Just find something that fits your budget.
One of the best things I remember was visiting a friend of mine in New York, right in the foyer was this massive full-sized portrait of Leroy my pal the French Bulldog. He looked fantastic and it really made an impact when you entered the apartment. His he was in living oil on canvas, with a bench underneath, and his leads and collars hung beautifully beside his happy face.
We had it done, for Leroy’s first birthday, we did not want to forget how cute he was as a puppy” I over heard them tell my owner.
So I though woof! I need to know more about pet portraits and see what it entails. So I turned to Deena, from Pet Portraits by Deena. I am a wagging fan of her Facebook page and I love her clear and clean portraits that she had created with dogs. She does cats and other pets too! However being a dog I was interested in how one goes about painting a dog.
So I decided to get an in-depth interview with an artist who specializes in painting pets. Everything you ever wanted to know what it is like painting pets and were afraid to howl…
Please come back tomorrow have a seat and enjoy my interview with Deena!
