As I paint purely from your own photograph it is very important that the image is clear and detailed and the composition is to your liking.  The more detailed the photo the more details I can include in the painting.  Please make sure no parts of your pet are cropped out of your photo as it is very difficult and often unsatisfactory to add in things not visible like missing limbs or tails etc.

The following are a few pointers to guide you to a perfect picture……

  1.     Take photographs outside in good natural light.  Avoid strong sunshine if possible as this tends to bleach out colours somewhat.  A grey sky with an even fairly bright light is ideal.
  2.      If possible try to use a good quality digital camera with a high resolution.  I like to enlarge the image prior to painting and pictures taken at low resolution often become blurred and indistinct.  It is possible to use tablet or mobile cameras as long as the resolution is quite high.
  3.     Take the photograph if possible from the same height as your pet rather than looking down.  This results in a more natural composition.  This may often require you to bend or kneel down to the eye level of your pet.
  4.     Try to fill the whole frame of your image.  If you prefer head only shots then try to fill the whole frame with your pets head.  For full body compositions try to fill the whole frame without cutting off tails, legs, ears etc.
  5.    Obviously all the above applies to pets still with us.  If your pet has sadly passed away look back through your photos for one that you think may be appropriate for painting.  Feel free to send me several and I will offer my opinion on them.
  6.     Decide on a background for your portrait.  I find that a non-descript blurry background works better for pet portraits as it does not detract from the main subject of the painting, namely your pet.
  7.     Take lots of photos.  The more you have the more chance you have of finding the perfect composition.

You can send me several images of your pet if you are unsure and I will gladly comment on the suitability of them for painting.  However the final decision is always yours as no one knows your pet as well as you do.

Please use the CONTACT form to send me the images and to make any notes or comments you would like me to take notice of.  I will always email you if I need clarification on any point.