Tag: pet portrait from photo

Pet Portraits Painted from Photos – Tips for the Perfect Reference Photo

Posted on by isadora

Capturing a great photo of your pet is the first step in getting an amazing painted pet portrait!

When you hire me to paint a custom portrait of your pet, quality reference material is the key to an amazing finished painting!

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. When I'm painting a memorial portrait, I know the customer can't follow my guide to capture an ideal photo, and that's OK. In those cases, I simply ask for as many photos as you can provide, from a variety of angles, and I create a great portrait anyway. I've even painted a portrait of two best buddy dogs together when one passed and their owner realized he'd never captured that "perfect" photo of the two dogs together.

Barring that unavoidable scenario, there's no reason you (yes, YOU!) can't capture a fabulous photo of your pet by following a few easy guidelines. This may even change the way you photograph your pets from now on!

Read on for my fail-safe guide to photographing your pet, and when you're done, be sure to visit my Pet Portraits page for information on ordering a painting created from your beautiful photo!

1. Get down to "pet level"

Photos taken from "human" height tend to look down on your pet, and that results in awkward photos. Get down on the ground yourself for some great angles right at eye-level with your pet. You'll be surprised how much better your photographs turn out with this simple adjustment in angle!

Tip: prop a treat up on top of your camera to encourage your pet to look towards the camera with a bright, eager expression!

2. Take your photos at the highest quality level your camera or phone offers

I can paint with great detail if the detail exists within the reference photo itself. Fuzzy, low-quality, grainy or pixelated photos don't give me a lot of fine detail to work with. Zoom in on the photos as you take them to make sure they're focused, crisp and full of all of that great detail I love to reference in the paintings themselves!

3. Light is your friend when taking photos of your pet!

Both overly dark photos, taken in deep shadows or dark homes, or overly bright photos with glaring sun, can destroy the subtle shadows and highlights that give the best result in your final photo. However, soft, natural light is wonderful! One great way to achieve this indoors is to take the photo by a glass door or large window, which will allow the light to softly wash over your pet for a beautiful effect.

Tip: Pro photographers call the time shortly after sunrise and right before sunset 'The Magic Hour" because the light has a gorgeous, soft, gold-to-red glow. If you can take a photo of your pet outside at this time, nature will provide you with absolutely stunning light!

4. Avoid these common errors

See below some examples of what not to do when photographing your pet:

Christmas Gifts for Pet Lovers

Posted on by isadora

It's time to start thinking about Christmas gifts, especially if you want to give a unique, custom gift such as a hand-painted pet portrait. I already have half-a-dozen orders in for Christmas. I love those early orders, because they give plenty of time for me to spend making their portrait just right!

I have many options available for the pet-lovers on your Christmas list. Check out my Pet Portraits page for a variety of styles of custom-painted portraits for everybody on your list. I offer everything from traditional pet portraits, to bold and colorful pet portraits, to tattoo-style paintings of you pet… even Day of the Dead style pet paintings! A custom pet portrait is a one-of-a-kind gift that is surprisingly affordable and sure to be treasured for years to come. My portrait options start at less than $100!

If you're looking for something a little different for the dog or cat lover on your Christmas list, try browsing around my Etsy shop. I have many ready-made gifts such as hand-painted tote bags with a variety of art on them, already painted dog and cat art, prints and more. Explore, and find a hand-made gift for everybody on your list!

Happy holiday shopping!

Click on any of the images below to order a similar style of pet portrait! You'll see all of the size and pricing options right on the page in my shop.

Memorial Pet Portraits in Three Styles – Custom Portraits Honor the Memory of Lost Pets

Posted on by isadora

I painted three memorial pet portraits this week, and as I finished the third, it struck me how beautiful it is that each customer had a very specific and personal idea about how they wanted the portrait created.

One wanted angel wings on their sweet boy, one wanted a more traditional portrait, and one wanted a very stylized portrait showing his beloved girl in the tall grass in which she loved to play, with a bird in the sky reminding him how she loved to chase after them.

It's such an honor to be asked to create these pet memorials.

It is never easy to lose a pet. They are members of our family, our "fur babies" as I call my own dogs. I think a beautiful custom portrait that will last for generations is a lovely way to honor their memory.

In addition to the three styles I mention in this article, I have more portrait options on my Pet Portraits page.

How to have a custom portrait painted of your pet

Posted on by isadora

Ordering a custom painting of your pet in three easy steps!

Having a portrait painted of your pet is a fun and easy process! Just follow these three easy steps:

  1. Choose the style of portrait you'd like. Options range from colorful and contemporary, to stylized and dreamy.
  2. Take some great reference photos of your pet. A few tips are to get out into natural light, or take the photo by a window, and get down to "pet level" for the photo (often this means sitting or kneeling down on the ground to take the photo). Send quite a few photos to give me lots of images in my "tool box" from which to work!
  3. Let me know all about your pet. I want to know the quirks that make your pet unique, and stories that illustrate your pet's personality are fantastic! Again, this gives me a nice, full tool box while I'm working on your portrait! My goal is to make the painting or drawing "breathe" with the life of your pet, and every detail you provide adds to my ability to do so.

That's it! The rest of the process is up to me. I'll send you sketches, color swatches, and will keep you in the loop along the way.

Please let me know if you have any questions at all. I look forward to working with you to create a piece of art your family will cherish!

Beautiful Pet Memorials – Portraits to Remember

Posted on by isadora

I'm often asked to paint portraits of pets who have passed over the rainbow bridge. It's a bittersweet process for both me and my clients. It's an honor when they choose me as the artist to capture their dog, cat or other beloved, lost pet, and I feel privileged to be a part of their healing as they share special memories and stories with me during the creative process. Often, it's a friend of the person who has lost a pet who comes to me to commission a portrait as a gift for their friend. I can't think of a more thoughtful gift.

Sometimes clients choose to have a contemporary portrait painted, but many also choose to have a Day of the Dead style of portrait created as a memorial of their pet. I live in southern Arizona where we have a huge Día de los Muertos celebration every year. Being a part of this culture has inspired me to offer the sugar skull pet memorials, and I have been surprised, actually, by how many people know and understand their significance and have been thrilled to have found somebody who will paint a sugar skull of their pet.

No matter what style of portrait people choose, I'm honored to have the opportunity to help them through the grieving process, and to present them with something beautiful to have in their home to always remember their dear, special lost pet. If you are interested in learning more about the portraits I offer, please click here to go to my website.