Getting Things into Perspective

As I celebrate three years of creating pet portraits full-time, I’m continuing my blog series by sharing some of the highlights and hurdles from this year’s commissions.

Last time, I talked about a double portrait of two cats. This time, I want to spotlight a dog portrait that came with its own unique challenge.

The client had a video they really liked of their much-loved dog and wanted me to work from a particular frame of it. This can be tricky as video stills often lack sufficient detail or suffer from motion blur. While in this case the resolution was pretty decent, there was a catch: the image they wanted had a slightly distorted nose, exaggerated by the camera being a bit too close.

To fix it, I used Photoshop to reduce the nose size while maintaining correct proportions. That meant drawing in the missing detail that was hidden in the original by the oversized nose — not a simple task, but a satisfying one once it came together.

With the reference photo sorted, the rest of the commission flowed smoothly. It was such a joy to work on with its vibrant colours, glossy expressive eyes, and a lively personality that shone through.

This portrait also marked a bit of a turning point for me — it was my first on my new paper!

A few weeks earlier, I discovered my go-to drawing paper had changed. The manufacturer kept the name, but not the texture so it no longer handled engraving (a technique I often use for fine whiskers) the way it used to.

Cue several days of testing samples, visiting art shops, and scouring the internet for alternatives. Eventually, I found a new paper that worked beautifully — holding multiple layers while still allowing for delicate detail. It really helped me bring out the dog's full colour and charm, and I’ve been using it ever since.

In the next blog, I’ll share a surprise birthday present I created for a friend — one that took me slightly out of my usual style, and might just inspire a new mini-portrait offering!