Commission a Portrait - Pet Portraits

Commissioning a Portrait

Just send me your photo by email to pets@aspal.co.uk with any special instructions such as any deadline that you may have for the painting if it is a gift for someone. If the photo is of the whole animal please also state whether you want the whole animal painted or just head and shoulders. See the notes about chosing a photo.

I work in pastel or watercolour so please state any preference if you have one. Animal fur looks particularly good in pastel so I usually recommend this but am quite happy to work in watercolour if you prefer.

Watercolour will always be on a white background but pastels can be on coloured backgrounds if you prefer.

This is particularly useful if the animal is white or predominantly white, though I can still work on a white background as there is always plenty of shading so the animal doesn’t disappear into the background! If you want a coloured background please give me some idea of the colour you would like.

Mounts will always be Ivory or Champagne White unless you specify otherwise from the Daler mountboard range.

The colour samples can be seen in the home shopping section at www.saa.co.uk but should be used as a guide only as the colours may not reproduce well on screen.

For a single animal the finished painting is usually in a 14” x 11” mount which is a common standard frame size which means the painting will slip straight into a ready made frame. (Wilkinsons have an excellent range of frames under £10.)

For two or more animals together in one painting obviously the size will depend on the number and type of animal.

Price for a single animal in a 14” x 11” mount will normally be £50 plus £3 post and packing. For two or more animals I will give you a firm quote to include a mount and post and packing. I will always check that you are happy for me to go ahead with the painting and by doing so you are agreeing that I may sell the painting elsewhere if you do not wish to buy it when finished.

Once I have completed the painting I will email a photo of the work to you for approval. Please do not be afraid to reject any painting that you do not think captures the spirit of your pet. If you are not happy with the painting you owe me nothing. If there is something specifically wrong that I can put right I will always try, again with no obligation. All I ask is that if you do not wish to buy the painting you then allow me to sell the painting elsewhere and this is a condition which you are agreeing to when you ask me to go ahead with the painting. If you are happy with the painting then please send me a cheque for the agreed amount or pay by Paypal.

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Choosing a Good Photo

The eyes are the most important feature of any living creature so try to ensure that the eyes are clearly seen. Don’t worry though, if you have green reflections in the eyes as is often the case when using flash photography – this I can overcome.

Usually it’s best to avoid those where the animal is fully facing the camera and those completely side-on. The best portraits are usually slightly sideways so that both eyes are visible, though one may be only partially visible.

I will need to enlarge the photo in order to get enough detail to paint so the photo needs to be of reasonable quality though I can cope with a certain amount of fuzziness.

Phone cameras, although they may have many pixels, often don't have good lenses so are not likely to be suitable.

Having said all this you have nothing to lose by e-mailing the photo to me and I can tell you whether or not I feel I can create a painting from it. If I really don’t feel that I can I will let you know. If I’m dubious I will usually have a go but assure you that you only buy the painting if you really are happy with it. Please never feel you have to buy the finished painting – I can always try again with a better photo. You owe me nothing for a failed attempt.

But the most important thing about the photo you choose is that it’s a good likeness of your pet. I can’t improve on the likeness so if you really don’t have a good photo then it’s far better to wait until you do rather than be disappointed with the portrait, even though you don’t have to buy it if you don’t like it.
For more information please email me at pets@aspal.co.uk or complete the form on the Contact Page

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