Welcome to our Pet Portrait Commission FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered. As you may already know my name is Melanie and I am one half of Melanie and Nicholas and we are professional pet portrait artists. Commissioning pet artwork is a unique and exciting experience, especially if it’s your first time. It’s natural to have questions, so I thought I’d write a blog post to see if I can help! I hope this page covers everything you need to know about our custom pet portraits process. If there’s anything I haven’t answered, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Nicholas and myself would love to hear from you! So let’s dive right in….
Commission Process: How do I commission a pet portrait?
1. How do I start the process of commissioning a pet portrait?
Great question! It all begins with a friendly chat. Reach out to us through our Contact page or WhatsApp us from our website. We can discuss your ideas, whether you would like an oil painting by Nicholas’s or one of my pencil drawings. If you don’t know which to choose, the read on! We can also chat about your photos and which you might prefer to use for the basis of the pet portrait.
2. How long does it take to complete a portrait?
Both Nicholas and myself have waiting lists for our artwork. We are beginning to limit our commissions each year as we prefer quality over quantity and we want to spend as much time as we possibly can on each commission. Every dog, cat or horse we paint or draw is given the utmost care and attention in our artwork. We spend time with your pets photos on our easel and drawing board to really get to know each pets character. This helps us make a connection with each animal and enables us to bring them to life in our artwork.
If you would like a pet portrait for a specific date please get in contact with us as soon as possible. This means we have a better chance to make the arrangements with you and create your artwork in good time. If you would like to read a blog post about how long our pet portraits take to paint and draw, take a look here – How long does a Pet Portrait Take.
Commission Process: Multiple pets in a pet portrait?
3. Can you work with multiple pets in one portrait?
Yes! We can combine multiple pets into a single composition, even if they’re from separate photos. The more pets you have that you wish to be painted or drawn, the larger the portrait will need to be. We don’t charge for second or third pets. However they do need to fit comfortably on your required size of canvas or paper. So as examples a 12 x 10 inch pet portrait is suitable for one single head in both oils and pencil. A 16 x 12 inch portrait is suitable for a double head study in pencil. Or an 18 x 14 is best for a double pet portrait in oils. You can always contact us to ask our advice. When we see the photographs we can give you plenty of guidance and ideas for your custom pet portrait.
Commission Process: What do you need from me?
4. How many photos should I send?
The more photographs you can send the better. We work from one main photograph for all subjects however do like to have others to refer to. If you are commissioning pet artwork, please indicate which photograph you would like us to work from. Also let us know which depicts their true colouring if you are having an oil painting. The more information we have, the more we have to work with.
5. What if my photos aren’t the best quality?
No worries! Many people struggle with taking photos of their pets and sometimes it’s really difficult to get an in focus photo. Especially if you have a dark coated pet or your favourite photo just is slightly blurred. We have access to software that can sharpen and enhance a photo which is really helpful for us. It enables us to see slightly more detail than your original photo which is imperative when painting or drawing a pet portrait. Just drop us a line with your photo so that we can give you our professional opinion.
6. Will I see updates during the pet portraits creation process?
If you would like to see stages of Nicholas’s oil portraits as he paints, please let us know when you order. We quite often take photos of our pet portraits at various stages so that clients can see the paintings progress. It is slightly more difficult with my pencil portraits as I work on the drawing as a whole and it doesn’t really come together properly until the end. So I do prefer to just show the final stage. I always take photographs when I have completed a drawing, so there are always candid shots available.
The Pet Portrait: How do I frame my portrait?
7. Do you offer framing options?
While we don’t provide a framing service for our pet portraits, we are always happy to help you choose a framer in your area. Or if your framer would like to chat with us about our artwork prior to framing it, they can call us at any time. We have had much experience with framing over the years. Many years ago we used to make our own frames, however we became too busy with our pet portraits to spend time framing. We decided to concentrate on being full time pet portrait artists! We then over the years commissioned two local framers for our pet portraits which worked well until sadly both of them passed away with a few years of each other. It was an extremely sad time.
We finally then commissioned the most sought after framing company in Suffolk, UK who produced handmade frames for our oil paintings which were truly exquisite. They used to provide frames for big galleries in London for prestigious exhibitions. Sadly they retired during Covid. So we felt that with all of the ups and downs with framing, it would probably be much easier for our clients to locate their own framers. You can read a full blog post about it here – Advice on Framing Pet Portraits. So whereas we have plenty of experience with framing, it’s a service that we unfortunately cannot provide any longer. We are always here though if you need advice!
Pricing and Payment: What are your prices? How do I make a payment?
8. What do you charge for a custom pet portrait?
Honestly we are not in everyone’s price bracket. We are trained professionals, we are not self taught. Nor did we have different jobs prior to being pet portrait artists. We left art college and started our pet portraits business. We have been commissioned far and wide and have drawings and paintings in some incredible collections and well known people. From the Aga Khan to Jose Mourinho’s family. Our pricing varies based on the medium and size of the portrait. Why not take a look at our custom pet portrait prices at the links below:
- Nicholas’s Oil Paintings: See Pricing Details
- Melanie’s Pencil Drawings: View Pricing Here
9. How does payment work?
We aim to keep it straightforward:
- Deposit: A deposit secures your commission.
- Balance: The remainder is due just prior to starting your portrait.
10. How do I make Payment?
We send out a secure invoice to place a deposit and the final payment. Clients can pay via bank transfer here in the UK and overseas with most major credit and debit cards. We can also arrange instalments, just let us know upon enquiring.
Gifting a Pet Portrait – Do you offer vouchers?
11. Do you offer gift vouchers?
Yes, we do! If you would like to give a pet portrait as a gift and you don’t have access to photographs of the pet in question, this is an excellent way to gift a portrait. I recently wrote a full blog post about our Pet Portraits Gift Vouchers service if you would like to read it. I create a personalised card, professionally printed by Moonpig with the pet in question on the front. Clients can have as much text inside as they would like, or blank to write inside. It comes with all of the details needed for them to read about their per portrait and our service. If you would like to read more about our Gift Vouchers head on over to our prices page to read more – Pet Portraits Gift Vouchers.
Artwork Details: What materials do you use? Can you make changes to my portrait?
12. What materials do you use?
We have been drawing and painting as pet portrait artists for over 25 years. In that time we have experimented with many different art materials and mediums for our pet portraits. We have honed our skills and carefully selected our favourite materials, choosing those that allow us to capture your pet in the most lifelike way possible. Nicholas uses a variety of brands of professional grade oil paints on Windsor and Newton linen canvas. I use handmade Italian watercolour paper with Faber Castell Graphite Pencils. We have practised our skills for many years using these mediums and feel they are just perfect for our needs.
13. Can I request changes after the portrait is finished?
We always send photographs of the portraits on our easels when they are complete for clients to see the finished pet portraits. Clients can request minor changes at this stage. We are pleased to say it very rarely happens however we are always happy to alter things where needed. Nicholas once painted a horse without tack as requested. However the client changed her mind and wanted a bridle added into the painting. This wasn’t a problem as the client had an exact photo of how she wanted it to be and so Nicholas added it in. You can see the full painting of the horse on our website – Horse Pet Portraits.
Portrait Details: How do you Pack and Ship?
14. How will my portrait be packed?
I have spent so many days experimenting with packing portraits over the years. I’ve probably spent weeks of my life doing this! I have used all of the different packing materials you can think of. Nicholas and myself have even cut large sheets of hardboard to size in our tool shed with a jigsaw, just to pack portraits with!! So packing pet portraits is my forte. We spend so many hours on our work. It is imperative for them to be packed not only beautifully, but safely too.
15. How will my portrait be shipped?
We send all our pet portraits either DHL Expedited, Parcelforce Overseas 3 day delivery, or 24 hour before 12pm to the UK.
16. Do you ship internationally?
Yes, indeed! We have sent our pet portraits all around the world. Including Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Brazil, Switzerland, USA and Hawaii. We love hearing from clients from far and wide and learning about where they live and about their lives. We feel we often get to know our clients quite well during the time they are commissioning us. It’s always quite sad for the commissioning process to come to an end. We often think about our clients all around the world knowing that of course they think of us at times when they look at their portraits.
Choosing the Right Medium for your Pet Portraits: Oil Paintings vs. Pencil Drawings
One question clients often ask us is ‘Should we have a pencil drawing or an oil painting’? This is a fairly tricky one to answer as pet portrait artists we love both mediums and can recommend both!
Price could be one of the main factors, oil paintings are higher value as they are a lot more time consuming to create. It also could make a difference if you have a pet with particular markings and colours. In this instance it would be beneficial for you to have a portrait in colour.
Another point would be that oil paintings not only take longer to create but Nicholas works to a much longer time frame than I do with my pencil drawings. If you are looking for a portrait for a specific date, a pencil drawing might be a better choice. Of course pencil drawings are a classic way to portray your pet. A large pencil study of your pet can look very dynamic. Especially when framed with a wide matt / mount and a large dark frame to compliment the artwork.
Pet Portrait Commission FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered
Clients from Singapore commissioned two portraits of their beautiful dog called Dodge. The oil painting was a head and shoulders portrait in full colour. This showed his beautiful colouring and gorgeous brown eyes. The pencil drawing was a much more classic pose, a very delicate side on composition which showed Dodge gazing into the distance. This enabled the family to have the best of both mediums.
If clients are struggling to choose which medium they prefer, we are always happy to give advice. Please feel free to send us your photographs and we can give you our professional opinion. Of course another option would be to have a portrait of your pet in both mediums. We have done this for a variety of clients and it enables them to have not only two portraits but also to show two different sides of their pet.
Caring for Your Pet Portraits – Pet Portrait Commission FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered
Our portraits, once framed are pretty hardy. They should be able to be kept in most situations with ease but hopefully the information below might be useful to you.
Looking after your Oil Portrait
Our oil portraits can be displayed in most rooms of your home. We would avoid the cloakroom though! Due to the types of paints we use, they have fantastic long term durability and light fastness. We have a wood burning stove and a large walk-in inglenook fireplace. We have had our own oil paintings hanging around the room for a number of years. It has not caused any problems at all. If you a wish to frame your oil painting under glass, ensure there’s a spacer so the glass doesn’t touch the canvas. Do not use water or cleaning sprays—oil paintings are delicate! Instead, gently dust the surface with a soft, dry brush (a makeup or artist’s brush works well) or a lint-free cloth.
Looking after Pencil Portraits
Framing is essential for my pencil drawings, as graphite can smudge if left exposed. Choose a frame with a mount (mat) to prevent the drawing from touching the glass. This small gap helps avoid smudging or condensation build-up. Once framed, pencil paintings are completely protected and safe to hang on the wall. If dust collects on the glass, use a microfiber cloth to clean the glass. Try to avoid spraying glass cleaner directly onto the frame, as moisture could seep inside. Never rub the surface of the drawing itself, as graphite is fragile and can smudge.
Transporting or moving home with your portraits.
All of our packaging materials can be reused or recycled. If you are moving from one house to another, paintings need to be wrapped and packaged carefully. You may have kept your packaging and if so, great. However you can also wrap a framed portraits in a soft sheet or blanket and place in a box. If you have an oil painting you need to transport, we would suggest getting some sturdy card to put over the front of the painting. This means nothing can touch it. You can then cover and wrap in a blanket or soft sheet. Bubble wrap or foam wrap is ideal if you have some.
Pet Portrait Commission FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered
We hope our blog post – Pet Portrait Commission FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered provides valuable insights into not only our artwork and how the process works but also us at pet portrait artists too. We would love to hear from you and you are welcome to comment below. If you have any further questions or are ready to commission a custom pet portrait, feel free to contact us – Melanie & Nicholas pet portrait artists at any time.
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