Drawings

I work with professional coloured pencils. These are good quality and lightfast. I work on good quality heavy, slightly textured, acid-free paper. This is usually white, but occasionally on a neutral shade if the animal is pale in colour and likely to get lost on a white background.

 

I tend to work from a digital photo, as this enables me to zoom in and really see the detail - the reflection in the eye - the growth direction and tones of the fur. Ideally I like to meet my muses - take my own photo and get a good idea of their personality - but of course that is not always possible. Obviously as an owner you know your pet best, and you know which photo is your favourite/shows their personality to best effect. However, I have learned that there are some things to aim for - and some to avoid - when selecting a photo! If I am unable to meet the star of the portrait, to have a few photos is always useful to me as this gives a bit of flavour of personality as well as colours in different lights. We can then discuss which is the best pose for the portrait. 

 

Outdoor photos in good (but not too bright) light are ideal.  A photo at the subject's eye level is generally best - otherwise the perspective can look a bit weird: What the eye and brain can understand in a photo does not always translate well in a drawing! The photo should show true eye, nose and coat colour, and avoid harsh shadows from blocking out detail. The angle of the pose completely depends on the animal and personal taste - for example, I think longer-snouted dogs look better in profile, whereas those lacking a snout may look better facing the camera. Some example shots are given below.

 

To a certain extent I can use artistic licence to overcome small issues (for example, I think it is nicer if a portrait does not contain a collar or harness, though that is personal choice of course, or if the portrait is of two dogs, but the best pose of each comes from a different photo) but the better and truer the photo - the better the outcome.

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Pricing

Working in coloured pencils is rather time consuming. In order to get a good amount of detail, I do not work in miniature. The ideal size of a portrait obviously depends on the space you have to display it (bearing in mind that mounting and framing will add on a good few inches in each direction for best effect) but I think it is good also to reflect the size of the pet. For example, for a German Shepherd (quite a large dog) 10X12 inches is a good size for a single pet. A smaller animal (e.g. cat, or smaller dog) might better suit a portrait of 8X8 inches.

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Below is a guide to prices - we can discuss the ideal size as this will depend on the photo to be used. Square portraits are only appropriate for a single pet and depend on the photo to be used.

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8X8 inches - single pet -  £115

10X10 inches - single pet - £140

10X12 inches - single pet - £150

10X12 inches - two pets - £195

12X16 inches (A3) - single pet - £200

12X16 inches - two pets - £245

12X16 inches - three pets - £290

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Feel free to contact me and we can discuss an appropriate photo, size and price! We can also discuss a timescale for the portrait. This will vary depending on my availability and the scale and complexity of the portrait so if it is required by a certain time (e.g. as a present) it is worth organising well in advance where possible.