Video: Painting Two Cats + Thoughts on Pet Portraiture
3.5 hours of painting in 11 minutes…
You may or may not already know this, but I get to paint a lot of fur babies. It’s actually the part of my work that actually launched me into having a business rather than just a hobby. It definitely wasn’t part of a plan but then again, do any creative entrepreneurs have a story that tells of a path without any unexpected twists and turns occurring?
Long story short, my own little pup had a health crisis and I needed funds. That’s when I sent a message out on Instagram with everyone in my very small community that I was offering 10 spaces in my calendar to paint pet portraits for a mere $50. It wasn’t much and I completely undervalued my work but any money I could get fast to cover a big vet bill was worth it!
Four years later, my business has evolved but I still offer pet portraits. Over time I was able to raise my fees and continue to steadily get commissions.
If you’re just starting out and love animals, painting pet portraits really is not a bad place to begin your journey. It can be a fun niche that always has room for another artist. There are prospective customers for everyone as we all have different tastes. From digital art and line drawings to very detailed watercolours like mine, there is someone out there who will want to commission a painting of their furry family member.
In this commission I painted two cats, Pablo and Simon and decided to film the whole process. It took approximately 3.5 hours of actual painting time and many, MANY layers of paint to gradually build up the texture of fur.
Supplies
Escoda Versátil Sintético size 2 round brush
Opus Allegro size 8 round brush
Arches Hot Press 100% cotton paper
Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, & Da Vinci Watercolour Paints
M. Graham & Co White gouache
Copic Opaque White Ink
Colours
Hooker’s Green
Naples Yellow
Neutral Tint
Moonglow
Burnt Sienna
Ivory Black
Payne’s Grey
Yellow Ochre
Raw Umber
Alizarin Crimson
Vermillion
Thank you so much for reading!
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