What to expect

Knowing What to expect when commissioning a pet portrait will give you ease of mind. Follow the steps below as I worked with the client on creating Buddy's lovely portrait in pastel pencils. I have drawn many dogs, cats and horses and am very proud of my returning customer base, sharing their happy experiences from new puppies to sometimes difficult times and creating an everlasting memory of their beloved pet.

Selecting a size

There are two standard sizes to choose from A4 and A3 and the prices on my commission page will give you an idea as to how much it will be for an individual pet (Get in touch for additions.) Take into consideration that your artwork will have a mounting board around it and a frame, so choose a suitable size to fit your space on the wall. All artworks will come in a mounting board.

Photos and mock up ideas

I work from photographs as pets (unless sleeping) don't stay still for long and you will know your animals character best. The photo's are crucial, as poor lit or very low resolution images will reduce my ability to add lots of detail, however if the only photo is a hard copy I will discuss the available options with you.

Buddy's owner wanted him surrounded with flowers and berries and sent me an image she drew to give me an idea of what she had in mind.

We selected that photograph of him as it had great natural light and showed off his cute, perky demeanour. The eyes have a brightness to them so you can really see all the colours and the collar makes it very personal as it not only shows who he is but also that he is yours.

After the selection process I found some images of flowers and arranged them around Buddy. I edited the image in photoshop to clearly show where I was going and gave multiple choices of flower arrangements. This is the image that suited best and the one we decided on. The mockup serves as a guide before I start work and the images may slightly vary in colour on computer screens to what is achievable when painting/drawing.

Pay deposit

I take pride in creating life-like artwork that still has a painterly quality to them so I only work on one commission at a time as I want all my focus to be on your artwork. I take a 30% non-refundable deposit as I turn away (or reschedule) other commissions and save that time slot for you.

Shipping

I secure all images with a foam core board and fix a mounting board to it which can be used when framing. Pastel drawings will have a glassine paper insert to protect it during transit before securing the image in a clear cello sleeve. The image is then bubble wrapped and placed into a cardboard box (never a rolled tube). I will contact you with the different shipping options.