My Pet Portrait Process

When it comes to art, the process is just as important as the finished piece.  I love making custom pet portraits and every one is unique.  I often approach them each a little differently depending on my mood but this is generally how I make my portraits...

I start by organizing the reference photos from the customer.  I am going to write a post with tips for taking great photos of your pet soon!  So be on the lookout!

It helps when I am given several photos to choose from! Here, I have chosen my favorite angle of Tuco, but have the others handy for color reference as well as fur detail and general likeness and personality of the pet!

Then I roughly sketch the portrait, scan it in, and digitize it in Adobe Illustrator.

This give me flexibility and nice crisp vector lines.  I can now increase/decrease line weight, make minor adjustments, and design the background.

Next, I bring the vector illustration into Photoshop, where I complete the coloring of the portrait....

If you're interested in commissioning a pet portrait, visit my website for more info and to place your order!