Services
Photographs to send, the process involved & gift vouchers.
It is possible to commission a pet portrait in a variety of mediums according to your preferences, although I pastels are a common favourite among my clients. This is largely because of the detail and vibrancy that it is possible to capture using pastels. When it comes to beautiful animal portraits, UK and worldwide customers can also obtain acrylic and graphite pieces, examples of which can be seen in the Portfolio section of the site.
As far as recognition for my work is concerned, I have been ‘artist of the month’ in Sporting Gun magazine my dog portraits have also been feature in The Rider magazine. I have also recently been given a commission for a series of dog breed illustrations for mugs, coasters and key rings.
Please visit the Contact section in order to talk through your ideas and make an inquiry for a portrait of your pet.
Please don’t forget I ship my pet portraits worldwide as well as within the UK. Unfortunately I can only ship framed portraits within the UK due to the weight factor. I have sent mounted portraits as far as Australia safely, so please don’t think just because you aren’t in the UK you can’t commission me! If you are local I am happy to visit you, or for you to visit me to discuss the requirements you have for the portrait of your pet. If you are looking for inspiration for your pet portrait please visit my portfolio for ideas. I can normally accommodate most ideas so if you can’t see it here please drop me an email or give me a call.
In Detail
The process
Step - 1
I am also happy to work from photos sent by post, I prefer if possible original photographs as opposed to scans as they often don’t come out very well. I have provided some tips of photographing your pet for their portrait. Please see below. All original photographs will be returned when the portrait is finished.
If you would prefer me to take photographs of your pet for the commission I am happy to do so, in fact it is great to meet them personally if you are local and live within 10 miles of Sevenoaks in Kent I am happy to travel to you.
Step - 2
The first step in rendering the portrait itself involves a sketch of the form which will be made available for you to view online and approve so work can begin. I am happy to provide a maximum of ‘work-in-progress’ reports, although most clients like to wait for the finished product once medium and style have been discussed.
Step - 3
On receipt of payment and once it has cleared if paying by cheque I will dispatch your finished pet portrait work using a reputable carrier.
If you have any questions about ordering a pet portrait then please contact me via the ‘Contact’ section.
Please take your time to browse the rest of my website to get an idea of how much pet portraits cost, framing choices and previous pet portraits. You can keep up to date with current commissions and other projects I am working on in my blog
Gift Vouchers
Sarah’s Pet Portrait gift vouchers can be bought direct from me the same way as purchasing a pet painting. Any monetary value from £25 up to the full amount of the painting is available. They can be sent either to you or direct to the person you want to surprise.
If you are interested in pet portrait Gift Vouchers then please drop an me an email at [email protected] or via the ‘Contact’ section.
Tips for taking your own photographs for your pet portrait
To ensure I can achieve the best results for your pet portrait it is important that I work from clear images which show the unique details of your pet, such as the texture of the fur, the eyes, any special markings and so on. If possible it is always best to send three or four images pointing out which is the truest in terms of colour.
If you wish to send me some new photographs but have little experience in capturing pets, here are a few tips I hope you will find helpful:
- Photographs taken outside without flash or by a large window are the best to avoid red eye.
- Try to avoid a really sunny day as the sun will cast dark shadows on your pet and the photograph won’t reflect their true coat colour. Likewise, avoid a really dull overcast day.
- Ideally, take your photographs with your back to the sun.
- Take your pet’s photograph at their level rather than looking down to avoid and distortion or an unnatural pose and make sure they are facing the camera if you want a head/head and shoulders pet portrait.
- Try to get as close to your pet as possible while staying in focus, as this will give the maximum amount of detail and make painting the portrait easier.