Commission Info
1. Sizes
I offer three different portrait sizes - 5x9, 9x11, 11x16 Inch. Your choice may depend on the number of animals in your portrait and your budget. You can also choose whether you would like a head & neck portrait or a full body portrait.
Click here to see all prices. If your currency is not displayed then please contact me or use a currency converter.
2. Photos
Choose a clean and sharp photograph. Check out my Photograph Guide down bellow (scroll completely down) for tips with choosing that perfect picture! My main rule of thumb is "the better the photo, the better the portrait". If you can't decide, you can email me your photographs and we can discuss together.
Backgrounds:
I don't normally do backgrounds however if you require a background please let me know and I will be happy to offer this.
3. Contact Me
Once you have your photos together and decided upon the type of a portrait you would like, please contact me with your requirements and photo's via my e-mail drawingpk@gmail.com or you can fill in my commission form here. Please also mention if you have any specific deadlines such as a birthday or anniversary.
Please note, I usually have a waiting list but I will confirm the approximate time scale upon your enquiry, and I will always try my best to juggle my schedule to fit in a special occasion. My usual waiting time is 2-3 months.
4. Payment
Once I have seen your photographs and we have discussed your portrait you are ready to place your order. Payment is made either in full or in deposit (half before i start to draw and half after I'm done with the portrait) securely online by bank transfer or credit/debit card via Paypal. The portrait will not be started until payments are complete.
5. Progress
I post my portraits during process and after I'm done with them on all my social sites and here on my website. Please let me know if you you would prefer me not to post on social media, in case it spoils a surprise gift.
6. Completion
Once I have finished the portrait I will email you a photo for your approval. At this stage I may be able to make minor adjustments. Upon full satisfaction of the finished portrait, your portrait will then be securely wrapped, packaged and shipped out to you by Czech National Post Office.
Delivery time:
Europe - The UK: usually two weeks
The US, Canada, Australia, rest of the world: usually 2-3 weeks
Czech Republic: up to 2-3 days
You can find my reviews in my Testimonials section.
If you have any questions about anything you can always message me.
Photograph Guide
Finding the perfect photo
When looking through your photos and albums of the animal(s) you would like me to draw, there are few key things to consider:
Good Lighting - is your photo light enough to see your pet?
True eye colour - does the picture show the true eye colour of your pet?
True fur colour - does the picture show the true fur colour of your pet?
Visible fur direction - can you see the fur in detail?
A good distance from the camera - is your pet too far away and hard to see?
Even if I draw with graphite pencils/black & white, I still need to see the true colors of the animal for me to draw realistic shades.
Below are two examples of good photos:
Good for a portrait of just the head with a neck
Good for a portrait of a whole body
If you are having trouble choosing a reference picture of your animal then please feel free to send me a selection and we can discuss together which would be good for creating your custom animal portrait.
Capturing Personality
Try photographing your animal doing something they love to capture their personality. If they are crazy for play time, try holding a squeaky toy or treats in one hand to help direct their gaze towards the camera while they are looking happy and energetic. If they are more of a couch potato, get down to their level and get a great snap of them looking to the camera with their soulful eyes. You know your animal best, so just keep in mind their personality when trying to get that perfect reference photo!
Pets That Have Passed Away
If you are looking at commissioning a portrait of a pet that has sadly passed away I understand you may have limited photos available, but please don't worry - send me as many photos as you can and we can work through them together. I will need to see photos of pets that have passed before I accept your commission, so I can check I can work from your photos.
Here For Advice
Don't worry I am always happy to help and give you the very best advice that I can. I will always review and discuss your photos with you when ordering a commission. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need any more help, or if you wish to ask any questions. Feel free to send me as many photos as you like, with no obligation at all - my advice is always free.
Multiple Animals On One Portrait
If you would like a 'family portrait' drawn of your pets altogether but can't get a picture of them sitting together then don't worry! With the right selection of photos, I will be able to draw them all together for you (head with neck or the whole bodies are possible). If you would like any of these options or need help choosing the right photo then please contact me and we can discuss the best picture selection together.