To the non-artist the question of which medium to choose for your pet portrait painting can be a difficult one so here I will try to explain the differences between the mediums that I work in.
Please note that the "on the wall" size of your painting will also be affected by the medium you choose as (with the exception of an oil painting) it will require matting and framing which could increase the overall dimensions by several inches all round .
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Graphite Drawings
My graphite portraits are simply black and white pencil drawings and are a good choice for contempory homes.. I use the best quality graphite pencils and acid free papers which help to preserve the picture long term. My graphite work is always "fixed" (sealed) with a resin acrylic spray before dispatch but can still be vulnerable to smudging if handled, so will require framing behind glass for protection. Below are a couple of examples of my graphite portraits SEE MORE GRAPHITE DRAWINGS HERE
Pastel paintings
Pastel is a very popular, vibrant colour medium which is perfect for animal paintings as it lends a softness to the fur and gives a realistic appearence, essentially pastels are almost pure pigment in the form of chalky sticks which the artist applies dry to a specialist fine toothed paper or card It is a popular choice for pet portrait artists (it is my medium of choice) but is delicate and needs careful aftercare and framing............ in spite of this with good care pastel paintings remain vibrant and resistant to fade for many many decades outlasting most other mediums Artist quality pastels and specialised papers are expensive to purchase and the process of producing a single portrait in pastels takes me between 10 and 20 hours continuous work. Below are two examples of my pet portrait work using pastels
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Watercolour
Watercolour is a more familiar medium to most people and is often chosen for that reason alone,however it is a technically challenging medium to work in and is not always best for depicting animal fur. Although I use the best artist quality paints, the pigments in watercolour can tend to fade over time (decades) so it is always wise to hang a watercolour painting out of strong light to keep the colours vibrant, watercolour paintings must also be framed behind glass and require a mount (Matt) between the painting and the edge of the frame so whatever size the painting is it will be considerably larger when framed. These are examples of my watercolour pet portraits SEE MORE WATERCOLOUR EXAMPLES HERE |
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Oils
Oil paints have traditionally been used for portraits through the ages and most people are familiar with oil paintings. I consider my oil paintings as "top of the range" and this is reflected in the cost, if you are looking for something extra special an oil painting is the one to choose. I use modern water soluable oil paints which are of the highest quality and are less damaging to the environment than traditional oils. Oil paints and canvases are costly and the process of oil painting is far more lengthy (due mainly to drying times between layers) so if you are considering an oil painting you will need to order well in advance (at least one month) of the date required. My oil paintings are painted on gallery wrap canvas which can be hung with or without a frame. Here are a couple of examples of my work in oils
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