Any pet owner will know that trying to get your furry friend to sit still for just a few seconds is a tall order, let alone several days required for a portrait! For this reason, I work from photographs of the animal which I ideally take myself. Some clients prefer to have a particular pre-existing photograph used as the source image for the painting - one that is very sentimental to them and which encapsulates all that is characteristic of their pet.

Sometimes there might be call for super-imposing an existing image onto a different background - or have two new images spliced together for that ‘just right’ embodiment of a pet’s spirit. All of these are perfectly viable options and services I am qualified to provide through my studies at Central Saint Martin’s, involving ‘Digital Photography Capture’, ‘Advanced Digital Photography and Photoshop’ and also ‘Photographic Studio Lighting and Portraiture’ at the London College of Communication.

Here is a typical step-by-step schedule of my process:

-Arrange date and time with client to meet with them and their pet at their convenience, usually at their house.

-Meet with client, bringing camera and any necessary lighting equipment to take photos and discuss general overview of desired image - everything from background and pose to textures and colour.

-Select the best 20-30 images from a photo shoot of usually 100-150 shots, then send to client for their perusal and to ultimately choose their favorite.

-If necessary, re-work a chosen image in photoshop to either include or exclude certain elements such as background furniture or foliage, a stray tongue or a wispy tail…This will be the final proposed image for the intended painting

-Begin work on painting, updating client with images of work at important stages to ensure it is in keeping with their vision of the final composition

-Deliver painting to client

This process ensures that the client is obtaining a bespoke, personalised work of original and exciting art that forever immortalises their pet and which fits harmoniously within their chosen hanging space.