Commissioning a portrait is an enjoyable process. It is very straightforward– just a few simple steps and I will guide you through each step as your portrait commission gets underway.


If you would like to ask me a question about commissioning a portrait, please do contact me in the studio now, by clicking here


For many of my customers, this is the first time they have commissioned an artist and they often have a few questions. If this is you, I hope the guide below will be useful. If you prefer to ask your question directly, please do not hesitate to email me here in the studio and I will call you back or email you as you prefer.

Gift Vouchers
I will try my best to meet your deadline but sometimes a Gift Voucher is the answer.
I offer Gift Vouchers (including last-minute !) for times when I am very busy or if you have a very short deadline for a birthday / anniversary or are just doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. I will make you a bespoke Gift Voucher showing your pet and examples of other similar portraits. The Gift Voucher is printed on heavy card and comes gift -wrapped. I can include a message of your choice if you require this option.



Step 1
Send me photos of your pet
I love to see lots of photos of your pet. Please tell me which ones are your favourite, or any aspects which you feel best show the character of your pet. I will use one main photograph for the portrait and use others to get the correct colour or details. Ideally, I will need at least one photograph taken outdoors in natural light – ideally not very bright sunshine, to give me a true representation of colours. If you don't have an outdoor photograph, then I can sometimes work with indoor photographs as well. If you prefer to upload them to Instagram or Facebook or to post me printed photos, that is also fine.

Step 2
Choose your portrait
Your portrait is a bespoke drawing so you can specify exactly what you would like, including:

• what size and shape of the portrait you prefer - square, rectangular, tall or wide

• whether you prefer to show the full body or head and shoulders

• if you would like a a grassy background, a plain background or a landscape or interior such as a special chair etc.

Step 3
Secure your place
I work on a first-come, first-served basis a deposit of 50% will secure your place. I will email you payment details for online bank transfer payment, or I can accept a cheque if you prefer and will be happy to send the details for this to you.

Step 4
Choose your portrait style
You might want to have several pets in one portrait, or to have a background from one photograph and your pet from a different photograph. I can work with you to create your ideal arrangement of pets and backgrounds and I use Photoshop to re-arrange separate photographs to create the composition you want.
I will email you a proof mock-up of the pose and arrangement for the portrait, so that you can agree everything before I start drawing.

Step 5
Watch real-time progress of your portrait
As your portrait progresses, I will keep you updated and will post updates about your portrait on my social media pages as well as on my blog, so you can see how it is progressing. Please do let me know if the portrait is a surprise gift and I will not publish any images of your portrait until it has been given to the lucky recipient in case they see the posts.
I will email you a scan of the finished portrait and if there are any minor tweaks, I can make small adjustments at this stage, before I apply a fixative to ensure it stays pristine for years to come.
At this stage I will ask for the final 50% payment.

Step 6
Framing, Gift Wrapping & Posting
I will arrange for your portrait to be framed with the gallery-quality professional framers I use - if you have selected this option.

If you have selected gift-wrapping, I will hand-wrap your portrait and attach your personal message (if you have ordered this), before securely packaging it for posting. I offer a bespoke gift wrapping service free of charge.

I have spent a lot of time researching and asking others about the best way to package portraits for posting and I take great care in making sure your portrait is securely wrapped so that it arrives with you in perfect condition.



I use tracked and signed for postal services and I will email you to let you know your portrait has been posted and give you a tracking number, so you can keep tabs on your portrait as it gets closer to your door!

If you live within driving distance of my studio, you are welcome to collect your portrait in person.

Time-scale
The whole process from agreeing the mock-up to posting your portrait, usually takes around 8 weeks. This includes time for the framers to make your frame which is usually just over a week. If you have an urgent deadline, please email me as I am sometimes able to re-schedule other work to help you get your portrait in time for a special occasion.

My guarantee to you
If you change your mind within 14 days after placing the order and want to cancel that’s fine and I will refund you in full - no questions asked.
After agreeing your requirements with you, I will send you an Invoice for the deposit and an Order Form which will show the agreed deadlines and details of the artwork. This is the time to correct anything I have misunderstood, or to make any changes to your requirements.

When you have made your deposit payment, this serves as a contract to purchase the artworks from me.

I will send you a confirmation email on receipt of the deposit. This is your receipt of the deposit paid.