reference image Guidelines
Please read these guidelines carefully prior to selecting your reference images for your pet portrait requests.
To allow Penny Louise to do her best possible work for you, your image needs to follow these guidelines.
🐾 Images need to be of a high resolution. Most camera phones do take clear images.
🐾 Images need to be taken in natural light. Natural light highlights the features of your pets personality. This is especially important with pets with very dark, black or white colouring.
🐾 Images can not be blurry. This includes camera phone images that are zoomed in, taken through glass or fly screen.
🐾 Screenshots or instagram filtered images can also loose their resolution and the details that make your pet who they are.
🐾 Images ideally need to show your whole pet. If you are wanting a full body portrait; be sure to capture their paws. If you are after just their face; be sure to capture their ears. If you perfect image is slightly cropped the portrait can be adapted utilising additional photos of the detail. But, the “Mr potato head” approach of matching this image’s mouth with this image’s ears and that image’s body simply does not work.
🐾 Images that are captured at your pets eye level work best.
🐾 If you are requesting a portrait with 2 pets the images can be 2 separate images but, they must be taken at the same level or angle.
If you do not have an image in your camera roll, engage your pet in a game. Treats often spark the best images. Taking a video of active dogs can be a super effective way of capturing an image of your pet also.
Please send a few of your favourite images so that Penny Louise can advise on what will work best for the art. By working with the artist you will have the best chance of getting the high quality pet portrait you will treasure.
These guidelines are applicable for all requests including memorial portraits and surprise gift portraits.
See the images below for good and not so good reference examples.
