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 PetsSuggested Frame Size
(with mount)
6×6”(15x15cm)£21010×10”
8×8” (20x20cm)£26012×12”
8×10” (20x25cm)£30012×14”
10×10” (25x25cm)£34014×14”
10×12” (25x30cm)£390£49514×16”
11×14” (28x35cm)£420£52516×20”
12×12” (30x30cm)£42016×16”
12×16” (30x35cm)£480£570£67016×20”
14×18” (35x45cm)£540£640£760£90020×24”

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.

SHIPPING

Postage is not included in the price, and rates vary depending on size. I post Royal Mail Special Delivery, guaranteed the next day and a medium box costs £15 to UK mainland. For international shipping, please contact me for an individual quote.

“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

STEP 1

Choose your size: Select the size of your portrait, by consulting the price list

 STEP 2 

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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. SUBJECT

Consider whether you wish to include a collar in your portrait or opt for a natural effect without one.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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

Why do you use Pastels?

Pastels are the purest form of powdered pigment, sealed in stick or pencil form with a binder. They are the same materials as used in oil & water colour paints, but offer greater intensity of colour and are closer to the natural dry pigments than any other medium.

I use only the finest archival quality pastels, which ensure they last a lifetime without fading. And I use them in a painterly manor by applying base layers using a pastel stick and manipulating colour using blending stubs, upon which I use pastel pencils to add the finer details.

Famous pastel artists include Edgar Degas, Gauguin, Matisse, Monet, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec, who used pastels to great success. Pastels were traditionally used in the 18th Century for painting royal portraiture, but can trace its roots back to prehistoric cave paintings. So in this sense, they are the ultimate original artistic medium!

The cost will depend upon the size you choose. Please see my price list

This will depend upon my schedule and length of waiting list. It’s generally busier leading up to Christmas so you need to book well in advance to avoid disappointment. If you have a certain deadline in mind, I will try my best to fit you in, and complete a week or two prior so that you have time to get it framed.

Capturing a high level of detail and accuracy is a processes that can takes many long hours of work. An 8×8” for example can take anything form 16-21 hours work. Depending on the size, I can generally complete a portrait within a two week turnaround from start date to delivery.

I require 40% deposit up front to secure your booking, and the remaining balance is due upon completion and only with your full approval.

The finished portrait is only as good as the reference photos provided. Please read my Pet Photograhy Guide to find out more. I use one main image and then a few others to give me an idea of personality and colouring.

Postage is additional to the price. UK orders will come cello wrapped in sturdy packaging via Royal Mail special delivery for £15. Enquire for international shipping rates.

Yes, I can ship all over the world. Please contact me for an estimated shipping quote. Do allow plenty of time as shipping can take 1 – 2 weeks to arrive.

I can offer a selection of mount options on standard sizes, but do not currently offer framing. I do however provide a comprehensive guideline on framing along with your portrait.

This hasn’t happened yet but I know many clients are anxious about this so I reassure you that if you are not happy with the finished piece, you don’t have to pay for it.  Prior to commissioning, I urge you to browse my website thoroughly to see plenty examples of what to expect. I communicate with you throughout the process, sending photos of your portrait nearing completion. Please don’t be afraid to point out if something isn’t quite right and I’ll make small changes (within reason) until you are happy with it. Once you’ve accepted the painting and paid for it I am unable to exchange or refund your order. Having received the painting, should you wish to make further adjustments later, I am happy to do so but please note that you will be responsible for all postage costs.

Yes, I share all portraits on both my Facebook & Instagram pages, unless requested otherwise. If your portrait is going to be a surprise gift however, I will wait until it’s been gifted by the intended recipient to avoid spoiling the surprise.