There are several materials that can be utilised as a support, but the pet portrait artist needs to deliberate the merits of the material used, so that it will provide the best longevity for their painting. Much will depend on the type of paint being used, oil and acrylic tend to be a more flexible medium so can be applied with reasonable confidence on fabrics that have been properly prepared. More brittle mediums such as tempera, gouache or pastel, require a more rigid support such as prepared boards. (more…)

As with all artists and crafts people, pet portrait artists are a thrifty group and, if they can save some money by making their own materials, they definately will. As with paints, pastels can be very expensive to buy and the best ones always seem to run out more quickly however, it is possible to make your own at a fraction of the price of shop bought ones. It is also possible to achieve better results, often manufactured pastels lack the intermediate greys, grey-greens and the half-tone required for rendering flesh colours. (more…)

A frame can make or break the visual impact of a painting. Bear in mind though that a frame represents the junction between the work of art and the environment in which it hangs, and it must create either a clear visual barrier or an area of harmony, in order to bring the two together. This is one reason why gold has traditionally been used on picture frames; it’s brilliance is striking, yet at the same time, it also has the capacity to reflect surrounding colours and tones, so that, in theory, a gilt frame will fit into any location. (more…)