For this portrait I was given such a fun reference photo and I’m immensely pleased with how the finished painting turned out. Small dog, big personality Max looks so delighted to be sat at the table with his family and I wanted to capture that joy. The part I thought I would find most…
Did you know I can combine different reference images in one portrait? Its handy for when you don’t have a photograph of your pets perfectly posed together, but would still like them to be with each other in their drawing or painting. Group portraits like this start with figuring out the best composition and resizing…
When I was asked to paint this handsome chap I could tell that Lenny would love a bright, colourful base – sometimes the portrait just tells me what it wants and I’m happy to listen! I also tried stylising the background to suggest the folds and shadows of the sofa he was resting on and…
This little kitty is an example of my A5 quick portraits, she was completed using coloured pencils on smooth Bristol board as I was keen to capture the softness of her beautiful coat. Perfect gift for a cat lover This drawing was a gift for my client’s mum and I picked this composition out of…
My blog is now 15 years old, can you believe it? Back in May 2011 I put up my first post and although I’ve taken a few breaks I’m so glad I decided to give it a go all those years ago. I’m proud of how far this little business of mine has come, and…
Pet portraits make truly personal presents This drawing was commissioned by my friend as a surprise Christmas present for Geoffrey’s owner. Naturally, I was more than happy to help with this sweet gift idea! I heard that she was very happy with the drawing when she saw it, which is always nice to hear. Now…
Meet the fabulous Ziggy and Domino! I had the pleasure of creating their portraits as part of an ongoing project for my amazing client – soon the wall will be filled with her cats from over the years, isn’t that wonderful?? First up was Ziggy who has the most stunning eyes that are super expressive….
Another one for all the spaniel lovers out there! I do love painting smiley faces, I find myself smiling back at them as I work. My beautiful model for this portrait was young Shelby and I played around with quite a few background colours until I landed on this rich brown tone to compliment his…
I was lucky enough to be sent quite a few reference photos of this photogenic little lady and, after choosing my favourite, I pulled out my pencils and got to drawing those iconic spaniel curls. As you can see, I tested out a wide range of colours until I found the perfect match for her…
Remember my portrait of the handsome Chip? Well, I was delighted to be given the opportunity to create another piece for the same client, and this time it was a group portrait. These three kitties’ names are Izzy, Millie and Mable, aren’t they beautiful? We went through a few composition options to find a layout…
Sometimes, a portrait needs a background to help tell a story, and this was one of those times! The reference photo showed this cheeky chap caught red-handed trampling through some garden plants and trying to look as innocent as possible. I was sent a few photos to choose from, but this one stood out right…
I was asked to create this memorial portrait of Chip as a gift for a client’s family member. We had previously worked together on a group portrait of her guinea pigs, so I was only too pleased to draw for her again. I’m very happy with how this turned out, the background really makes his…
I thought I’d start sharing more about the pet portraits I’ve worked on, including some Work In Progress shots, since I love seeing other artists show their process. First up is the gorgeous Annie, who I painted using watercolours. I started out with a pencil sketch and once that was done I began painting the…
