Pet portraits make wonderful keepsakes, and truly unique, heartfelt gifts that will be forever treasured.
I create detailed fine art portraits of a wide range of animals using soft pastels of the highest archival quality to ensure lightfastness and longevity.
All artwork is painted on the finest quality archival pastel papers / board and can be presented either unmounted or with a mount. Sizes vary from 6×6” up to 20×20”, depending on the subject and budget.
Pet portraits are lovingly created from your favourite photo, and many long hours are spent ensuring that not only your portrait captures a physical likeness, but also your pets character and personality. Please refer to my photo guide for pet photography tips.
In essence, I aim to capture the heart and soul of your faithful furry friend.
Pet Portraits are regularly commissioned for special birthdays, anniversaries, Mothers & Fathers day, Valentines and Wedding gifts.
PRICE LIST
Portrait Size | 1 Pet | 2 Pets | 3 Pets | 4 Pets | Suggested Frame Size (with mount) |
6×6”(15x15cm) | £210 | 10×10” | |||
8×8” (20x20cm) | £260 | 12×12” | |||
8×10” (20x25cm) | £300 | 12×14” | |||
10×10” (25x25cm) | £340 | 14×14” | |||
10×12” (25x30cm) | £390 | £495 | 14×16” | ||
11×14” (28x35cm) | £420 | £525 | 16×20” | ||
12×12” (30x30cm) | £420 | 16×16” | |||
12×16” (30x35cm) | £480 | £570 | £670 | 16×20” | |
14×18” (35x45cm) | £540 | £640 | £760 | £900 | 20×24” |
Please note, framing is not included in the price. I do not currently offer this service.
DEPOSIT: A non refundable 40% deposit is required prior to commencing.
ADDITIONAL PETS: Add 40% per extra head. For more than three pets, please contact me for a quote.
FULL BODY PORTRAITS: Add 40% extra for a full body portrait.
MOUNTING / MATTING: A stunning way to finish your portrait off is to have your portrait mounted/matted. This also adds an element of protection to ensure the pastel doesn’t touch the glass in the frame. I am able to supply a limited range of colours and sizes. Enquire for a quote. All my picture mounts are 100% acid free, using conservation mountboard which is essential to guarantee protection and longevity of your portrait, guarding against staining.
PAYMENT METHODS: I accept payment via Bank Transfer, Paypal or Payment Plan, please enquire for details.
“We LOVE our portrait of our much loved elderly one eyed King Charles. Thank you Emma. Awe inspiring in its detail and in capturing that all important essence.”
Maria – Sussex
HOW IT WORKS
Choose your size: Select the size of your portrait, by consulting the price list
Get in touch: Let’s discus your requirements and I will provide an approximate timescale and see if I can meet your deadline, contact me
STEP 3
Choosing the right photo: I can not emphasise enough the importance of this stage as the finished portrait will be a direct reflection of the quality of the reference photo. Take your time to browse through your favourite photo’s to choose ones that best capture the personality of your pet. Consider qualities such as lighting, composition, clarity and sharpness. Please read my pet photo guide to ensure the best possible reference images, and you will find plenty of tips & tricks should you need to take more photos.
Email your chosen photos at their original size to info@emmatuzzio.com and I will advise on suitability.
STEP 4
Consultation & Mock-ups: Together we will choose the most suitable photo for the size you have chosen. Where appropriate I will create mock ups in Photoshop to offer compositional options for you to approve. They give you a good idea what your final portrait will look like. This is particularly crucial with multiple pet portraits or larger portraits.
STEP 5
Deposit Payment: I will schedule your approximate start date and request a a 40% deposit. You will be updated of my progress throughout and upon near completion, I will send you a photo of the portrait so that you can make any final amendments. Upon your final approval, I will send you an invoice for the final balance.
STEP 6
Packaging: I will prepare your portrait meticulously and securely, wrapped in cello and beautifully presented in a foamcore case and will schedule a delivery date to suit you. For UK orders I use Royal Mail Special Delivery, guaranteed the next day before 1pm. For international shipping I book a reputable courier service that takes between 5 – 10 days. Contact me for more details.
PET PHOTO GUIDE
Take your time in choosing the purrrfect photo for your pet portrait. I can not emphasis enough the importance of sourcing high quality photos in order to get the most out of your portrait. In essence, the higher quality reference photo you provide, the better your portrait will be in terms of detail and clarity.
To summise, the best photos will be:
- Sharp
- Focused
- high resolution
- have soft lighting
They will display details such as coat direction, catchlight in the eyes, nose texture and accurate coat colour. These essential details are often lost with lower resolution images.
- QUALITY
Digital DSLR cameras take the best photos, but if you don’t have access to one, many modern phone cameras are capable of taking high quality photos now a’days.
Whatever device you use, ensure the camera resolution is set to High and the lens is clean and unscratched, this is especially important when using mobile devices.
- LIGHTING
Natural light is always best so either go outside (overcast days are better than sunny days, which can cast hash shadows) or stand next to a bright window or open door. Position yourself with the light source (sunshine or bright window) behind you and have your pet facing towards the light, this allows you to catch wonderful light reflections in their eyes.
- AVOID FLASH
Using a flash can create bright flares and red-eye effects in the animal’s eyes as well as harsh shadows. It can also make white or black fogs coats appear dull and lifeless.
- SUBJECT
Consider whether you wish to include a collar in your portrait or opt for a natural effect without one.
- TREATS
Eyes are the window to the soul so do whatever you can to get your pet to look at you. Treats, funny noises…etc.
- ANGLE
The best portraits tend to view the animal at eye level, therefore get down to your pets eye level by crouching down so that you are holding the camera level with the animals eyes. Alternatively, try raising your pet up onto a table or sofa to achieve the same result. Aim to have your pet looking towards you, rather than up at you, or enlist a friend to hold treats up behind the animal to hold their focus just over your shoulder as you take the photograph.
- POSITION
Get close to your pet and fill the view finder with the head and chest of your pet without using the zoom function if possible. Long distance shots generally don’t make great portraits, as they lose detail when magnified. Do avoid getting in TOO close though otherwise your lens may distort the image and the resulting photo may not have a natural perspective, unless you are after a quirky novelty effect, which can be really fun.
- CHARACTER
It helps to consider what sort of portrait you want on your wall. Eyes to camera shots and side angle poses work well, as do quirky unusual poses that reflect your pets character. Ultimately you want to choose a pose that best represents their personality and unique character.
- SELECTION
Take plenty of pics and choose the best, sending over a selection in the highest resolution so I can get an idea of their character and colouring. I’m always happy to advise and make suggestions on the available options based on your images.
…the best tip of all is patience and perseverance!!
If you need any further information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
FAQs