From
Photo
Technicolor
Portrait
1.
select a picture
In order to capture the likeness of your furry friend, I work directly from a photo as reference. No matter the quality of photo that you have, I can make the portrait come alive. It's my job to work with the photo to make the best portrait.
Occasionally a client will feel like they don't have a photo of their pet that they like, and they have the opportunity to take a new one. In this case, here are some general tips:
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Avoid harsh, direct light. Bright, direct light means dark, hard shadows. Instead, a brightly lit indoor room, or a nice shady spot outside help to illuminate the subject evenly.
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Focus on their face.
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Take a million photos and send them all to me! The more photos I have to work from, the better. Plus, I really, really enjoy seeing dozens of photos of cute animals, even if I end up not using them. Who wouldn't?
Live near Denver? Let's do a photo shoot! Let me worry about capturing the best photo to work from.
Also, if you're hoping to get a portrait of two (or more) animals on a canvas but don't have a good picture of them together that's also ok! I can work some photoshop magic and create a convincing composition of the two.
2.
select a size
* The above prices are for single subject portraits. The minimum size canvas for a two subject portrait is 16x20. Please contact me for pricing.
All of my pet portraits are painted on gallery style wood panels. These panels are 1 5/8" deep. I extend the background color to the side of the panel so that framing is optional.
I paint using a medium called gouache. Gouache is a highly pigmented acrylic water color that has a matte finish - meaning it isn't shiny when dry. I love painting in gouache because of the intensity of color that I can achieve.
3.
email me!
We are going to work together to decide on the best photo, size, and color of your pet portrait.
I've painted a furry friend in almost every color of the rainbow, so head to my gallery and take a look around. I want you to find portrait colors that you like, and especially ones that you don't. I understand that not everyone is going to want their pit bull to be pink. I get it. Whether it's closer to natural hues, or you're ready for a pink dog, I can make your furry friend into any color of the rainbow.
The time needed to paint a portrait varies throughout the year - anywhere from 4-12 weeks. If you need the portrait on a specific date please let me know. I can sometimes accommodate.
Once all the details - photo, size, color, time frame - are finalized I will send you an invoice for a 50% deposit.
*I also offer gift certificates!*
This is especially helpful when you are totally unsure of what your friend's favorite, or least favorite, colors are.
The purchase of a pet portrait gift certificate comes with either a digital or hard copy gift certificate that can be given to the recipient.
If you choose to purchase a gift certificate, the amount you choose to give is up to you. If you plan to gift the entire cost of the portrait full payment of this amount, including any sales tax and estimated shipping costs, will be required when purchasing the gift certificate. If the estimated shipping cost is greater than what is needed I will refund you the difference.
4.
payment and shipping
I accept all forms of payment. I prefer check or cash, but also accept card payments, and will send you an invoice through Square.
All portraits are shipped through UPS. The cost of shipping will depend on the size of the portrait, but generally costs around $20.