Once you have decided that you would like to have a portrait of your favorite animal, the most difficult thing can be to work out what you have to do to make it happen! Below are the easy steps to turn the painting of your imagination into reality.

Helping me to understand the personality of the subject

I love to reflect the character in the portrait rather than just slavishly copy a photo, although I'm certainly going to need a single key photograph, preferably with others for detailed reference and even better will come and meet them myself. The actual portrait can be based on just one photo or on several references for flexibility.

Of course I can work from your photos, but I do really like to come to take my own, as this gives me an opportunity to meet the subject and get a sense of the personality involved. If this is possible please let me know - you will receive a CD of all the portrait photos on completion of the commission.

If it’s a surprise gift so you have to provide your own photographs, please send one main photo that looks most like your idea for the finished portrait. Ensure that it's in focus, the subject fills the picture and is well lit. Send as many other photos as you think will provide additional information which we can discuss to help me understand the subject. I also need to know which photos are the best representation of the right colours.

Where your portrait is to be of a group or a composition (like two horse heads), I can work from several individual photos. There are some limitations on the amount of artistic licence I can use to construct a group and so I’ll discuss your requirements with you so we understand the options and possibilities.

If it’s difficult to get more photos, or even not possible if the subject is no longer with you, I’ll work with what you have. Once you’ve sent me whatever you do have, we can discuss it and you can tell me all about their personality. Photos by email, prints, or on a CD are fine. If digital, please let me have photos with the highest resolution you can manage. I’ll send everything back after completing your portrait, of course.

I have found that good photos help me make great portraits. If you decide to take your own photos then please click here for some hints. However, do remember that I’m really happy to come and take the photos for you as I’ve loads of experience in getting the right shots to paint and it does help me to meet your subject and understand their personality. I’m a pretty good photographer too and will let you have everything I take!

How long will it take?

That depends on what you want – for example, a small portrait of a single animal’s head in acrylic, is likely to be ready for you within two weeks of the start date. An oil painting takes longer because of the drying process; a portrait with two subjects takes nearly twice as long. Of course, if there is a special date for which the portrait is needed, then please discuss it with me so I can work around it. I am likely to be working on several paintings at the same time because of the processes within different media. It is a good idea to order Christmas commissions well in advance!

Size

Before commissioning your portrait, you need to think hard about the size, as size really is important! A bigger painting may have more instant impact, especially if the subject is large – a 17hh stallion may benefit from a larger image, but you need to think about where it’s going to hang and make sure it won’t either be so small its impact is lost, or so large it overpowers. I’ll advise you on proportions, but will paint whatever size you want – I’ve painted canvasses from A4 to 4ft x 6ft. Do think about whether your initial choice of size is big enough…………sometimes people can be a little over cautious.

Click here for Final Steps