Artwork has previously been commissioned in the form of large murals in private residences and in commercial buildings, as well as family portraits and most recently, acrylic pet portraits on canvas. My goal in accepting commissions has always been for the process to be gratifying for me as an artist and pleasurable for those who have chosen to integrate my art into their living or working environment.

The work shown here is an example of an acrylic pet portrait on canvas. Generally, the paintings are based on photographs, but capturing the personality of the pet is also important. If you peruse this website, you’ll find paintings that look like the people being portayed in the painting. If I’m doing a pet portrait, I’d want the same thing, so ideally I prefer to meet the pet, but it isn’t necessary.

If I don’t meet them and can’t shoot my own photos, It helps to have a variety of your favorite photos that highlight the pet’s physical features and personality, particulary photos of their face, but the best photo of the head and shoulders should be a close up and a high resolution photo. For a ‘model’ photo, think of a great pet driver’s license photo.

Here is the photo I worked from on the above portrait. Your own pet’s portrait, however, can go in different directions. This one is an abstract, traditional portrait, but although a pet’s coloring can somewhat dictate the palette, I prefer to use your style, home decor and color scheme in the painting. To illustrate that, I’ve included a photo of the example painting in the dining room where it’s hung.

In addition to your photos and preferences, I can also send you photos of the painting’s progress, to insure that it’s at least what you’re envisioning.

My preference is to collaborate on the painting, and to hear your specific ideas – to include whether you have a background color preference. My aim is to bring the character of your pet to life in a way that works with your home.

The work is priced using a formula that factors in the dimensions of the work, the costliness of the materials used, and the labor intensity of the techniques and processes that are employed in creating the work. The time to create it is approximately 2-3 weeks. Unless otherwise specified, all paintings are done on gallery wrapped canvas, like the one in the photo, so they’re ready to hang and no frame is necessary. We can also discuss other options. Before shipping, you’ll be sent a digital photo of the work for your approval. Local clients can pick up or have portraits delivered without a shipping charge.

Pricing

The pricing listed below shows example pricing for a limited number of portrait sizes. Please contact us for a quote on a custom size when you decide on a size and the subject of the painting. There may be additional charges for extra details, such as toys, or for more than one pet. If it’s a portrait of more than one pet, don’t worry about getting both in the same photo.

Example Pricing:
36″ X 36″ Canvas – $500
30″ X 40″ Canvas – $475
24″ X 36″ Canvas – $375
24″ X 24″ Canvas – $300

Prices do not include shipping, which can range from $10 for a small painting to as much as $100 for a 36″ X 36″ painting shipped in a custom crate. The price of shipping is the actual cost, which will be determined prior to finalizing the overall cost.

A 20% downpayment is required at the time of the commission to cover the cost of materials. Once the materials are purchased and the painting is started, the downpayment is non-refundable. The balance is not due until you approve the digital photo of the finished work. At that time, we will send a payment invoice, which can be paid by personal check or through PayPal.

Unfortunately, once you’ve approved the photo and the painting is shipped, we cannot offer returns due to the custom nature of the work and the hours involved in making it. All paintings are one of a kind originals, however, we retain the right to reproduce and print the image created.

If you have any other questions, please contact us by email or phone.