Photography
The most important thing when you take photos of your pets is to have patience and a good time. It’s like kids. It does help if you get someone to help. One is in charge of the camera and the other one has treats to get the pet’s attention to help achieve the right composition/pose. It might be helpful to take photos of your pet at a specific time. In the morning when they just woke up, or before feeding time when they do anything for a treat, or when you are outside playing or walking. It’s all about trying to capture your pet’s personality and character.How important is the photo?
A great painting starts with a great photo. That doesn’t mean you have to be an expert photographer. But you do need to capture the best moment and pose of your pet. This is the most important part of achieving the best portrait. It’s also the only way for us to get to truly capture your pet’s look.Do I need to send more than one shot?
Yes. We work from one main photograph for all subjects, however we do like to have others to refer to. It also allows us to recommend the one best shot for the painting. Also, please let us know which depicts his/her true colouring.What's the minimum resolution required?
1.6. MB. The higher resolution, the better the portrait. We need to be able to look at details so please send the highest resolution you have.
Often when photos are emailed, they are resized by the software. If this is the case, send only a few at a time and try to override the ‘reduce photo size setting’. This should insure we receive the original size photo from the camera.Can I shoot with a smartphone?
Absolutely. It’s all about the resolution.How do I get my pet to strike the right pose?
What if I send a bad photo that's poorly composed?
We will kindly decline to use it and allow you to send another one.
We will advise you based on what’s not right in the first attempt.Will the composition affect the quality of the painting?
Getting the right composition makes a big difference. A dog that sits, stands or lays down in a beautiful way adds a lot to the potential painting and helps the artist in many ways.How do I get the composition right?
If you want to have a full body portrait, pay attention to the legs. For example, a dog that’s sitting down should do it properly and the way the pet holds its head is also of great importance. When standing, the legs must be as symmetrical as possible. This is just as important when taking a photo of a horse. Avoid shooting from an angel and remember the legs. Don’t crop them out.What's the best angle?
Shoot from their level, even if it means sitting on the ground or the floor. If it’s a horse, just make sure you’re on eye-level.What's the best background?
Try to get take the photo of your pet outside if possible. Preferably on a sunny or slightly cloudy day. If it’s not possible, try to take the photo close to a window or patio doors where the natural light is coming in.
Remember to have contrast between the pet and the background. A dark pet against a dark background is never good. Try to have an even background that makes your pet stand out.What's the best lighting?
Natural light is always the best.
Using a flash on the camera affects the appearance of the eyes. Flash also removes information by making things too bright.
Strong sun on your pet is not great either. It can create a big contrast, which is not recommended. Soft natural sunlight is always superior, it adds to the colors and makes the photo more detailed.What about focus?
Keeping the pet’s eyes sharp and in focus is important for the portrait, the eyes can be very expressive and adds a lot to the painting or pencil drawing.I would like more than one subject portrayed, can you work from separate photos?
Yes, even if you would like five or six pets in the same portrait, it’s always best to photograph them individually.Will my oil painting or pencil drawing be an exact copy of the photo provided?
Fortunately not. Otherwise the portrait would lack the craftsmanship and artistry that can only be captured with paint. The photo is a reference that will be interpreted by the artist. Each artist paints differently its also a big difference between a photo and an oil painting and Pencil Drawing.
Painting
When buying online from abroad for your personal use it’s important to check whether you’ll have to pay any tax or duty on top of the purchase price when you receive the goods. Whether or not duty and tax is applicable is dependant on a variety of factors, including item type, value, and the country where it was manufactured. Sellers have no control over this, and as the rules are quite complex, will most often not be able to tell you whether or not duty will apply to the item they are selling. Do you have a return policy?
Once you have uploaded, paid and confirmed the order, the process cannot be reversed. The actual work process has started. They are individual pieces of work and many hours are spent creating your portrait. We will not accept returned portraits.How long does it take to get the painting?
It will take about five weeks from the day you order. When it comes to oil paintings it takes time for the different layers to dry. Normally the artist works in three different stages with time in between for drying. Some artists have a lot more stages. With that considered, five weeks is pretty fast.Will I get to approve the final product?
No. But we will correspond with you through the process to make certain we create a pet portrait according to your wishes. On completion of your portrait we will email a photograph or scan to you. We would like all portraits to be viewed at our Gallery.How will the portrait be mounted?
The canvas won’t be stretched since it’s safer and easier to ship them rolled up. We also feel that our customers wants to take their time and frame it themselves.”What are the differences between oils and pencils?
Our oil paintings are full colour, painted using a brush on canvas and don’t need to be framed under glass. Pencil drawings are hand drawn, black and white drawings on specialist paper, using professional graphite pencils. The artwork needs to be framed under glass.Shipping
Do I have to pay for the postage myself?
Postage is included in the price, we work with Hong Kong Speed Post who are very fast and reliable.Do you have a return policy?
Once you have uploaded, paid and confirmed the order, the process cannot be reversed. The actual work process has started. They are individual pieces of work and many hours are spent creating your portrait. We will not accept returned portraits.Do I have to pay duty on import at customs?