Remember I can only paint what I can see. If the image isn't detailed, your pet portrait will also not have many painted detail. Here are a few tips on how to take a good image to paint from:

1. Lighting: Your pet is lit by natural daylight. Take the photo outside or near a window. Please avoid taking a photo of your pet while they are in the shadow. 

2. Image Quality/Size: The quality of the image must be quite good for me to see enough enough detail. Please avoid adding filters they tend to lessen the quality of the photo. Photos need to be in sharp focus and a high enough resolution that I can zoom in closely to capture the details. Photos taken with natural light are preferable.  

3. (Optional) Height: For a “traditional” look, shoot from your pet’s eye-level. Take the shot level with your dog’s eyes, so their bum isn’t above their head.

It’s as simple as that: take the picture outside, make sure your pet fills the camera/phone screen, and send an uncompressed images where possible.

If you’d like to commission a portrait but you’re not sure about your reference material, I’d be happy to take a look at what you have and offer some suggestions for portrait layouts that can work. If the perfect reference material just isn’t available, that’s OK too. I'll work from several reference photos to make sure the portrait turns out right. It may take longer, but it’s worth it to get a perfect painting of your pet.

My backgrounds are usually plain because of the extra time factor involved and my preference is to paint the pet on plain or two toned backgrounds. If you want a more specific background please mention it when I contact you to discuss composition and detail.

First of all Thank you for considering me as your portrait artist. I know that commissioning an artwork can be an overwhelming. Read the steps below to get a better idea of the commissioning process. 

Step 1: Once you have placed your order and made the payment I will reach out to you in less than 24 hours. We can discuss background, composition and smaller details. 

Step 2: I will make a quick sketch of the portrait. You can still make modifications if needed. Once you are happy with the sketch, I’ll draw a more detailed sketch on your chosen painting surface. You are still welcome to make modifications after this step. 

Step 3: If you are happy with composition and layout I’ll start with the painting process. Please keep in mind that I won’t be able to make any modifications to the layout once I’ve started painting. I will send updates as I paint. You can still make smaller detail modifications like colour of the hair, clothes, make-up and of course any facial features that is not to your liking. 

Step 4: You will receive a detailed images of the final portrait. If you’re not happy after viewing the final work you’re welcome to ask for modifications – I’ll do up to 3 free of charge. Click on link to learn more about "if you don't like the poratrait"

Want to know more about commissioning a portrait? Click on the link.