Step 1: Have your photos ready

The photos are the most important part. I typically work with one photo as a main reference, so sending high quality photos will get you a more desirable, detailed drawing.

A few tips:

• When you go to take a photo of your beloved pet, make sure the area is well lit. Dimly lit surroundings will cause the photo to be grainy and blurry.

• Figure out whether you’d like a full portrait of the pet’s body, or just of the head/upper body. Portraits of the whole body will typically be less detailed while close-up portraits of the face will be more detailed. So if you want a more detailed portrait, try and take photos that focus on just the head.

• Take pictures that are eye-level. Your pet can be looking off to the side or straight ahead, but I’ve noticed that getting down to the pet’s level can give a more personable look to the finished drawing.

If you’re still unsure which photos would look best, send them all! I am happy to work with you and determine potential reference photos. The more photos, the better!

If your pet has recently or long-since passed away and/or you only have a limited amount of photos to work with (which is the case for many people, including myself) don’t worry. I will gladly work with whatever you have available to make a beautiful portrait for you.

Step 2: Pick a portrait size

This step largely is determined by budget. If you want a custom size, please reach out to me so I can give you a quote. I typically do pet portraits in sizes 10”x 8”, 12”x10”, 14”x 11”, 16”x 12”, either landscape or portrait orientation.

Step 3: Fill out the contact form

To fill out the form, I will need basic information about you: your full name and email, the portrait size you’re considering, a message (perfect for describing what ideas or questions you might have), and the date you’d like to have your completed drawing.

The date that you select is not final, however. Its purpose is to help me place you in my commissions list. Because shipping can take up to 2-3 weeks, I highly recommend placing the order at least 2 months ahead of time if you cannot pick up the portrait in person. If you would like to pick up the drawing yourself to save time, please let me know and we can work together to select an appropriate date.

I do not need your pet photos at this stage.

Step 4: Wait for me to contact you!

After you fill out the contact form, you can expect a response from me within 1-3 business days. I will let you know my availability, and we can go from there. It is during this stage that I will start to request your pet photos. I require 50% of the total cost upfront before I begin working on your drawing.

Step 5: When the drawing is complete…

I will send you pictures of the final product before shipping. If you would like it to be altered, I’m happy to do so.

Step 6: Shipping it out

Depending on your location, we can arrange for the drawing to be shipped or picked up by you. Shipping times can range from 1-3 weeks time, so keep that in mind when ordering.