Saturday, August 30, 2008

Pet Portrait Process

Say THAT three times fast! (pet portrait process, pet portrait process,...) I recently finished a pet portrait for a woman, Heidi, who is giving the painting to her husband, Tolis for Christmas. The subject of the painting is their beloved dog Spotty, who unfortunately has passed on. Since I am currently taking commissions for the holidays, I thought I'd take a moment to share with you the process involved in creating a custom pet portrait.

First, Heidi came to me and said that she was thinking of having a portrait of Spotty done. She wanted it based on the first photo she ever took of him, and she thought that a portrait of him would be a nice way for her and Tolis to remember him. This is the original photo she showed me.
Heidi and I discussed what she liked about the photo and how she wanted Spotty represented in the portrait. We also talked about whether or not she wanted a detailed background or a non-detailed background. Next we discussed canvas sizes and pricing. Once Heidi was satisfied with how Spotty was to be depicted, I drew up a contract to be sure she got exactly what she wanted. Heidi gave me a half-down deposit, and I happliy began painting Spotty's portrait. In addition to painting the front of the canvas, I also painted all four sides of the canvas. This way the painting was ready for immediate frame-free hanging. Once I finished, I emailed Heidi with a photo of the finished product to guarantee her satisfaction.



















I assumed that she was satisfied when she replied, "Omg! Tears in my eyes! It's beautiful!! It looks JUST like him!" Heidi then sent me the balance payment and I sent her the painting of her immortalized Spotty.

If you're interested in a custom pet portrait or other fine art, please feel free to contact me. I would be honored to paint a subject that is close to your heart.

2 comments:

Cici said...

That is an awesome portrait of him! You're just so wonderful!

elaine said...

Your work looks great! Do you offer oil enhanced painting for photographers? We often need oil enhanced portraits for bridal sessions. http://www.elainemcdonaldphotography.blogspot.comCan you send me some prices? elaine@elainemcdonaldphotography.com