COMMISSIONING A PASTEL PET PORTRAIT

The Commissioning Process

"Genista Pawtraits" commissioned portraits are painted from your own photographs by myself Hillary Rose. I hand paint each portrait using photographs as a guide. I am not trying to make the painting look like the photograph but hopefully to enhance it to bring out your pets personality and character as a painting.  I recommend that you send the best photo you have, along with several others so that I can get a good feel for the character of your pet . Several photographs can be used to get the required pose and changes can be made to remove e.g. a hand, collar, "red eye" etc, but if you only have one photograph, then that is OK too. It is important to use as clear a photograph as possible as a guide as the quality of the photograph will directly influence the detail of the painting.

Provided that the photos are clear, I can capture a good likeness. If need be, I will contact you to clarify anything that I am unsure of.

Photos can be emailed to me here at The House Of Genista or sent in the post. Emailed photos need to be of a high enough resolution for me to print a clear close up to work from. Photos sent in the post will be treated with care and returned to you in the condition you sent them, along with the finished portrait.

The Approval Process

The completed portrait will be scanned or photographed and sent to you via email or post. This allows you to preview the work before making the final payment. I want to ensure that you are completely happy with the portrait. This gives you a chance to make comments or advise of anything that isn’t quite right in your eye. For instance you may feel that your pets eyes might be too dark/light because the reference photo wasn’t clear enough. I welcome your feedback so please do say what you are thinking.

Your satisfaction is paramount to me. There is nothing more pleasing than to hear of the pleasure you get when you receive your beloved pets portrait. So far, I have never had an unsatisfied customer but if you are to be my first I would rather do everything possible to make that not happen.

Completion Time

Portraits will usually take 2 - 3 weeks to complete, maybe a little longer if I am in the midst of completing several other portraits when you commission yours. The lead up to Christmas will normally be a particularly busy time so please try to give me as much notice as possible to avoid disappointment. If you have a particular date in mind then let me know and I will do my best to accommodate your needs. Remember to always allow a few extra days if you are posting photos, arrange payment, approve the portrait and send it out.

Framing

The portrait is sent to you unframed but mounted to match the portrait. The type of frame  is a personal choice and depends on your own tastes as well as the decor of your home. The portrait needs to be framed under glass, preferably with a double mount. I suggest that you get several quotes with regard to framing as prices do vary significantly from one framer to another.  Resin frames come in a variety of finishes and are substantially cheaper than a wooden frame of similar appearance so I would check these out.
 I will  however be offering a framing service in the very near future should you require it, so please do ask if you are interested.

Copyright

When you have paid for the portrait and taken ownership of it, the copyright (for a commissioned portrait) transfers from me to you. This means that I cannot reproduce the portrait for profit. For instance, I would not be allowed to produce and sell prints of your portrait. I can however, use the image for marketing purposes; such as including it on a brochure or posting it on this website. A non-commissioned portrait purchased from me, the copyright remains with me and I can produce prints, cards etc from it.

Tips On Taking Photos Of Your Pet

Animals can be tricky to photograph so here are a few tips to follow.

Firstly, get someone to help you. It is much easier to have one person control the pet while another person takes the photo and maybe occupy them, try to get them to look in the right direction etc. Take the photos outdoors in bright shade or hazy sunshine. Try not to use the flash or your pets eyes may well appear as glowing discs of reflected light. A bright, overcast day is ideal for the job. Also avoid very bright sunshine because the colours will appear bleached out and cast shadows which may obscure parts of your pet. You should also avoid dark shade which will deaden the colours and darken the photo.

You need to get down to the same height as the pet. This is very important. If you are standing up with your pet sitting down in front of you, it will end up out of proportion – the nose will be too big and the body too small – not a flattering look! Even if you have to lie on the ground or squat down low then do it because your photos will be so much better.

Use a zoom lens to get a good, clear shot of the face. Using a zoom means you can get a nice shot without being too intrusive or startling your pet. It is particularly handy when photographing dogs. Without a zoom your dog will probably be more interested in sniffing the camera instead of sitting still, looking your way and pricking its ears up!

Take photos from different angles. Try taking photos from side on, directly in front and from a three quarter view. Often a three quarter view is most appealing but this is not always the case.

Don’t get frustrated or angry with your pet if it won’t co-operate. If you find yourself getting annoyed then take a break. You don’t want to get into a bad mood or your pet will be wary whenever it sees you coming outside with the camera. Be prepared to take plenty of shots. Reward your pet with praise and a small treat when it does what you want it to do. This should be a fun activity for you and your pet!

I have now added a Portraits Sizes/Prices Page To Enable You To Commission Your Very Own "Genista Pawtraits" Pastel Pet Portrait If You So Wish.

Visit My PET PORTRAITS GALLERY where work is being added all the time to build up my gallery/portfolio.

Hope this has helped

Warmest Wishes
Hillary Rose
"Genista Pawtraits" at The House Of Genista