One of the most difficult things for people to do is to choose the exact photograph that they would like made into a pet portrait or pet memorial by me. At art shows and craft fairs, folks pull out their phones and scroll through endless photos, while sharing with me the wonderful traits of their pets. Each photograph tells a different story. Each story has a different aspect of their beloved animal that they want to incorporate into the final fabric art picture.
Folks usually try to find one picture that has ALL the following:
- Their favorite photo
- The background that is their pet’s favorite space (outdoors, on a blanket)
- The twinkle in their pet’s eye when they’re just about to be mischievous
- The tilt of their head
- The way their tongue stuck out
- The twist of an ear
- That special memory of an animal that has passed
In my years of experience, most people will never find ONE photo that incorporates all of that. And that is perfectly fine. Everything listed above and more can be incorporated from multiple photos into a final product that is just what was envisioned.
This blog post will show some of the ways to overcome what looks like an obstacle: choosing the perfect photos.
Pet portraits: Combining photos
This is Clairabelle. Her endearing characteristic is her ear flip (right photo). However, the pose and facial look that her owner wanted was in the left photograph. Absolutely no problem to make that come true.
Also if the final portrait is to be of multiple animals, they do not need to be in the same photo, or facing in the same direction, or even the same perspective in terms of height. The magic of digital manipulation allows me to flip direction or decrease/ increase photo size. Using the enlarged black and white photos as patterns can bring the animals together in one fabric picture.
Ruby obviously is not as tall as Edward, although she believes she is.
Pet portrait background: Their favorite place and/or season
Tanner was a “snow dog” so it was important that the memorial portrait have him in the snow. I laid out several versions of snow with different snow skies. The photo on the right is the one they chose as it had just enough sparkle to be the new fallen snow. When scenic backgrounds are created, I lay the enlarged reference photo on the material so the customer can sense what the finished piece will look like with that backdrop.
Winky was a gift from a mom to her adult daughter. When the daughter and I began the process, she wanted him to be outside with mountains in the background as hiking was one of their favorite activities together. The middle photo shows the first draft with the enlarged reference photo. I was going for western mountains and Colorado skies. It also has two different sky choices – pieced greys or cloud fabric. She asked for an autumnal tone to the mountains and chose the pieced grey background. Obviously Winky is still in the draft stage in the last picture.
I’ve helped pets snuggle on a favorite chair, hide in the grass, and walk amidst a field of flowers to give you more examples of background choices.
Pet portraits: Adding special toys or accessories
Ruby doesn’t go very many places without her ball. Brody loves his bandana. Edward insists on having his two toned bone. Cassie always wore a sweater unless it was summertime.
Many of our pets have that special accessory that is unique to them. To create a portrait without that object sometimes just doesn’t feel right. Again, it is relatively easy to weave those things into the pet portrait.
Sometimes it is challenging to get that added detail correct. Benny usually had his flag bandana around his neck. However, each different flag material and bandana position didn’t look quite right. So in the end, we decided the important thing was the presence of the flag. Benny’s bandana is resting on the grass while he says hello to that outstretched hand. How fitting as this was a memorial to him.
And here are some other things to consider when selecting a portrait for your pet portrait or pet memorial.
Pet portraits: Basics for photos
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- The sharper the clarity of the original photo, the better image I have when enlarging the photo to be my pattern. This is particularly helpful for facial features.
- I will only work from a professional photo with written permission from the photographer. I value and respect the work of fellow artists.
- Digital copies are preferred, however I will work from printed photographs or copies of those prints. I usually end up cropping photos, that is eliminating the distractions around the pet, and enlarging their face/body.
- When in doubt, send several photos. This helps me get a feel for the animal’s personality.
Here are their finished portraits!
Hopefully this post has inspired you to rethink what can be done from your photos and how multiple ones can be combined into the most awesome pet portrait or pet memorial for yourself or as a special gift.
Still have questions, contact me at martha@thequiltedjardin.com. Interested in a pet portrait or memorial? Check out the customs section on my website.