Photo Guide

To paint any pet portrait good photos are so important, I usually use one reference image for the composition and pose of the portrait and additional photos to ensure the colour is correct. Cats and dark pets can be the hardest to paint without accurate photos - so it is even more important to get the photos right!!! Try and capture your pets personality and include photos that truly represent them!

 

Clear photos - please use a camera phone or digital camera, check if you can zoom in on your photo after you’ve taken it. In a good photo you can see clear details and hair strokes. It is really important to get at least one clear image of the pets eyes too, ensure you can zoom in and see them in detail!

Multiple images - at least one clear photo per pet is needed but ideally a minimum of two, the more the better!

Lighting - natural lighting is key! If your favourite photo is dark or taken indoors with artificial light please then also send at least one image in natural lighting. Pets coats can look so different depending on where the image was taken and if it varies in the images you provide you can confirm which is the truest representation.

Composition - please photograph your pet looking forward and be at their eye level, extreme angles can completely distort the shape of the animals face and look 'weird' when painted onto a flat object. If your pet is looking in a different direction this normally works fine so long as the image is at eye level and can sometimes looks best for multiple pet items - drop me a message if you’re unsure!

No screenshots - screenshots, especially on an iPhone, destroy the quality of an image. Please save the original image rather than taking a screenshot and avoid screenshots if possible.

 

Poppy: Left photo is a great reference image. It is in natural lighting with Poppy at eye level looking forward the photo can be zoomed in and details remain good quality. The right image is a bad reference photo, the photo taken from a high position not at eye level, distorts the shape of Poppy's face compared to left photo. 

Ash: The left image is perfect cat photo!!! Ash is face on at eve level with a clear view of his head shape and neck. it is high quality enough to zoom in on all of his face details. The right is a bad photo, Ash is obstructed by the table, you cannot clearly see his head shape and the photo has bad composition. Ideally all photos of cats should be taken while sitting or standing, photos of cats lay down do not translate well to painting. 

Charlie: The left is a good photo in natural lighting at eye level. It shows a lot of Charlie's character and personality too. With this image I would request a close up photo to ensure his eye colour is correct! The right is a bad photo due to camera position looking down on Charlie, however this is a great secondary image in good lighting to confirm his eye colour.

 

Ivy: Left image is a great reference photo, it's a really good composition for a cat portrait. High quality enough to zoom in and see all her fur and eye details. The right is a bad photo, Ivy's face is obstructed and the composition of the head and neck is very distorted.