Pet portraits are hard things, sometimes, because a lot of the time the picture is a digital snapshot where parts are in good definition and others are blurred out. Which means a lot of guess work and artistic license on my end.
They are also tricky as I have not spent an extensive amount of time around the animal, and have to, in the few hours I spend with a couple of photographs, capture both the personality and individuality of each animal. Some more expressive portraits make it easy, other plain ones make it hard. No one wants a portrait of some random dog or cat, they want THEIRS.
This becomes increasingly more important depending on the situation... for example, if the animal is deceased. Which is what I'm working with over 50% of the time.
Usually I add more detail in the fur and eyes in an attempt to bring the picture to life and give them more of a spark than the photograph provides me. The thing that makes the most difference is the eye. If I can create a lifelike, expressive eye, the other details I might have missed are usually forgiven because the eye of an animal is the most individual aspect.
This portrait I most recently completed is from FV Appaloosas. Thank you so much for your support, FV!
They are also tricky as I have not spent an extensive amount of time around the animal, and have to, in the few hours I spend with a couple of photographs, capture both the personality and individuality of each animal. Some more expressive portraits make it easy, other plain ones make it hard. No one wants a portrait of some random dog or cat, they want THEIRS.
This becomes increasingly more important depending on the situation... for example, if the animal is deceased. Which is what I'm working with over 50% of the time.
Usually I add more detail in the fur and eyes in an attempt to bring the picture to life and give them more of a spark than the photograph provides me. The thing that makes the most difference is the eye. If I can create a lifelike, expressive eye, the other details I might have missed are usually forgiven because the eye of an animal is the most individual aspect.
This portrait I most recently completed is from FV Appaloosas. Thank you so much for your support, FV!
OMG, that's Winston!!!
ReplyDeletePant, pant, pant..
Flip loves her some Winston..
Beautiful job, Mel!
You've captured his enthusiasm beautifully!
It is an amazing picture! I am so pleased !And Flip ... right back at ya
ReplyDelete