About Pastels

Better than a photo

Getting the perfect photo of your pet is a real challenge.  Often the colours don’t come out right, the lighting is poor, the background cluttered, the picture fuzzy, or the flash bounces off the eyes.  All of these problems can be fixed in a portrait.  I will work from several of your photos to develop a portrait that captures the true character and personality of your pet.  By combining the most expressive elements of your photos into one pleasing arrangement, I can create a delightful portrait that brings your pet to life.

Photo of Oliver and Tito:  Flash has illuminated the dogs' eyes.  Both dogs chests are overexposed - particularly evident on the white fur of the dog on the left (there is no definition on his chest).  The white background is too stark and does not provide enough contrast with the white fur. 

Pastel Portrait of Oliver and Tito: Darker background brings the dogs forward.  These dogs are good buddies so they are positioned closer together than in the photo.  'White discs' from the camera flash are removed and replaced with subtle highlights on the eyes.  Overexposure corrected.  We can now see the fur and shape of the dogs' chests.  At the client's request, the tear stains were removed from under Oliver's eyes (the black and white dog).  His head was painted from another photo where he had his tongue hanging out (looks cuter and better reflects his personality).  

Even if you already have the perfect photo of your pet, you still might want to consider having a portrait done.  A portrait is a great alternative because it looks different to a photo.  People often see my work and say “I feel like I could actually reach out and touch the fur” or “I can’t get over the eyes… they look so real”.  This is the beauty of working in pastel.  I am able to create rich textures that give the portrait a fresh and lively feel.

Guaranteed Likeness

I take pride in getting everything just right and am not the type of person to say “that is good enough” or “that will have to do”.  Being a perfectionist means that I pay close attention to every detail and work slowly and carefully to ensure that everything is exactly as it should be. 

The finished portrait is not meant to be a photo.  It will however, look unmistakably like your pet.  I spend a lot of time sketching out the facial structure and placing the main features.  I am equally focused on observing and recording the less obvious things - missing or worn teeth, the length and texture of the fur, scars or scratches, the tag and collar etc.  These finer details are extremely important in distinguishing your pet from another animal of the same breed. 

By approaching portraiture in this way, I am able to capture the expressiveness and personality unique to your pet.  This ensures a true likeness.  I am so dedicated to this commitment that I offer a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the finished portrait. I cannot be happy unless I know that you will also be happy; which is why I allow you to preview your portrait online prior to final payment.  This gives you a chance to make any comments or suggestions and if, for some reason, you are still unhappy with the portrait, I will refund your deposit money in full.  That is my promise to you.