Photo Guidelines

Good quality photographs are best. I like to borrow as many as possible - all returned - to help me capture the personality of the animal.

I try to create each study from several images so the more I have for reference - the better the portrait. I need one good, clear photograph showing the eyes (most important) and for you to point out the best coat-color match - I shall set my palette to this.

This may seem odd if the coat is black or white but there are color elements within each coat that lends themselves to certain hues. It is this that I base the color scheme upon. Also please indicate any particular aspects you would like included - or avoided - as the case may be, although I shall always correct ear positioning and lay manes and coats to the best advantage. You can of course leave everything to me. Excellent portraits can also be created from digital images ..... but they must be high resolution (.tiff or.jpg format) which you can upload through my website.

I shall also need a printed photograph (either a pre-printed digital image or a 'normal' photograph) that you consider to be a true coat and eye color match - as I shall set my palette to this. Again, the more I have for reference the better the portrait. Complicated or detailed backgrounds are possible although I do not encourage this aspect as the hallmark of my fine art is to create a portrait where the subject study is the focal point.

Graphite and pencil studies have no background. Although completion times relate to the chosen medium and current work schedule, timescales cannot be guaranteed until a commission has been confirmed in writing and the full amount of the portrait is being received and cleared. You will be able to see the process on the web site in the “work in process” tab.