Pet Portraits by Linda Nedilsky
An article by PWAS Member, Linda Nedilsky.
Our Pets Are Family
“The market for pet portraits is huge and it is constantly growing. There are tons of people who own pets and are willing to spend big bucks on them. The latest National Pet Owners Survey says 68 percent of U.S. households own a pet, equaling 70 billion dollars a year on their furry friends.”
I have been offering custom pet portraits for 10 years now. Subjects have included dogs, cats, horses, and even donkeys. In fact, I would say the bulk of the paintings and drawings I sell are commissioned pet portraits. (Happy to say, I received a commission from our PetOberfest Art Show at Stonebridge - in front of Open Space Arts - the very day after the show!
There are some challenges do doing pet portraits, now more than ever.
People are becoming so attached to their fur babies, many want their portraits to be photo perfect.
Which brings up challenges when you are working from a photo that was taken from someone’s cell phone at night, or in the dark room. People can take photos that are so close your can count the hairs on the nose. The face is all distorted as well. With mixed breeds it is hard to reference what a King Charles Spaniel looks like.
I can tell you some amusing stories about the photos I have received from people asking for pet portraits.
The most interesting story was from a customer who started “thinking” about having a painting done two years ago. She lived nearby, and I offered to come take photos for her. No, she would take them herself and send them via email.
This conversation went back and forth for 2 years. The dog was a senior dog and a mixed breed. But, stuff got in her way, and time kept ticking by. I gently reminded her not to wait too late to take photos for her portrait. Time flew by, and sadly the dog passed away.
The week he passed, she called and said she must have a portrait! I could not offer to take photos at that point. She only had 5 photos of her dog over the 10 years she owned him.
Okay, so I told her to send me what she had and I would see what I could do.
The only photo that would remotely work, was grainy, taken from way above his face, and in the shade. It was impossible to see his ears, eyes, and texture of his fur. On top of that, he was a black dog! I worked on it in Photoshop trying to get the shadows decreased and brighten up the areas that were hard to see. Since it was low resolution jpeg, that was not very helpful. The colors on the photos were horrible, so I researched the mix breed I thought he was, Rottweiler-German Shepherd, but I was just guessing.
I agreed to give it a try.
Next she had to decide what size she wanted her painting to be.
16x20, 18x24, etc. That went on for 2 or more weeks. I was very patient and kept trucking on. Since she could not decide, and lived nearby, I brought over 2 sizes for her to see on her wall.
Finally, her husband got so impatient with her he said, “JUST PICK ONE!”
He is an art dealer and has written articles for art magazines, so I am sure he could not figure out why she was taking so long.
She decided on the 16x20 frame. Thank goodness! Now I could get started.
The conversations started when I started the painting...
Client: “Linda, be sure to put his ear in there even though you can’t see it in the photo.”
Me: “No worries, your precious boy will have ears.”
Then I started getting emails.
Client: “Remember the ears!”
These phone calls and text messages were daily.
Finally, I called her and said, “You have seen my paintings for years online, so I assume you love my work. Is there any painting on my website that you did not like?
Client: “Oh, no, I love them all!
Me: “Okay, then. So, you can say with confidence that you trust me in creating a work of art that will do your baby justice?”
Client: “Oh, yes!”
Me: “Great, then, here is the deal, for every text message, call or email you send me that says, “Don’t forget the ears!” I will charge you and additional $50.
Is that okay?”
Client: “Oh Linda, you are so funny."
Guess what, she never called me back to ask about the ears.
Her husband loved the painting and so did she. Everyone was happy.
I was glad to get the painting out of my studio and on her wall. Truth be known, I loved the challenge. We learn from our challenges. It pushes us to the next level, don’t you think?
Providing paintings or drawings of special companions is rewarding. It makes me happy that I have given someone a forever memory of their sweet dog, cat or horse, especially if their companion has passed away.
How many of you feel the same way about pet portraits?
Author/Painter: Linda Nedilsky
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA specializing in pet portraits!
Photography/Video Credits:
Linda Nedilsky
Local Art: Visit us at Stonebridge Open Space Arts at 15000 Potomac Town Center, Woodbridge, VA - Open Wed to Sat 12-7 and Sun 12-5
The Prince William Art Society is a 50-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia.
Want to know how to get involved at OSA? If you are an artist (18 or older) living in Prince William County, or a are a member of a PWC art group, you are welcome to get on our next art show's emailing list. Send it to us, OR come by the gallery to find out more.
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
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