Pet Portrait Process
Learn about the simple process of commissioning a custom pet portrait.
Pet portraits were one of the first custom painting orders I got when I started selling my work. I have been growing my portrait portfolio for more than ten years and this is my 4th year opening spots with the online gallery Well+Wonder for the holiday season. Each year they have completely sold out, and they make excellent gifts for loved ones who adore their pets! I always receive messages that the family members who opened their new paintings as holiday gifts cried and cherish the portraits, and I love making people cry in the best way! Whether for a new furry family member or to honor one who has recently passed away, these certainly make heirloom gifts that can be enjoyed for many years to come.
When you place your order, you can email me one or several photos of the pet. I will email back with my preference to work from, cropped to 9x12 dimensions (or the dimensions of your order if you choose a different size). If the photos you send are not something I can work with, I will give you advice on how to take a better photo.
I will draw (with paint) the animal and block in the main sections of color, leaving out any fur texture, and facial details. I will send a photo of this sketch to you, to make sure you like the overall size and placement of the animal in the rectangle before I continue on with details.
Once you ok the sketch (hopefully within 12-24 hours!), I will complete the painting and send a final photo.
When the final photo is approved, the painting will dry for 10-12 days, then I will varnish and ship to you!
Here are some examples of portrait sketches and how they look when completed.
