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Whether the artist wanted to paint expressive portraits, landscapes or abstract works, they have long found that the texture of paint can be an integral part of the painting experience. Painters saw how the effect could be used to describe form and texture and, by the nineteenth century had developed it further into the technique now known as impasto. As the nineteenth century progressed, artists started using this technique for it’s own sake, creating works using this method alone. (more…)

Easels should help make the life of the pet portrait artist much more comfortable, by offering a secure support for their canvas, at just the right height and angle. Still, there are a number of varieties to go for, each one designed to meet the particular needs of the artist whether they’re in a studio or outside.

The most versatile is the sketching easel. (more…)

Way back before the pencil was invented, artists needing to put down a detailed drawing before commencing a portrait used something called a metal point. This was a very common way of producing a delicate mark on prepared grounds like gesso.

The metal point simply consisted of a piece of gold, silver or lead which was fashioned with a small tip allowing it to make a mark, similar to a hard pencil. (more…)

Since the early Renaissance, artists working on portraits in oil (or any other subject for that matter) have always started with a layer of size to seal the raw canvas or board prior to the gesso ground. It’s job is to protect the canvas from the chemicals in the paint that may cause it to break down. Today, if you use an acrylic primer, size is not always needed, but it’s remains a good way of protecting the canvas and if you make your own gesso is an important part of the preparation. (more…)

Over the past few years miniature painting has gained new interest, partly down to the increased curiosity in calligraphy. Calligraphy itself is linked to book illumination, the harbinger of miniature painting techniques. Miniature painting found popularity during the 17th century as a technique for producing portraits of loved ones, enabling the owner to take their likeness around with them. (more…)

Anyone who owns a cat knows that their character can be just as complex as humans. However, it was only until relatively recently that animal scientists have begun to understand that animals can have a wider range characteristics than simply ‘bold’ or ’shy’. Indeed, it wasn’t until the 1970’s that scientists began to contemplate the individual differences in animals. (more…)

Right, you’ve decided to find a puppy, but where to go? Buying a puppy involves many decisions and some hard work.

You probably will have considered things like the size of dog you prefer, the cost of up-keep and if you’re able to exercise it. (more…)

There are many materials that can be used as a support, but the pet portrait artist has to consider what will be the best material to give his or her painting longevity. Much will depend on the type of paint being used, oil and acrylic tend to be a more flexible medium so can be applied with reasonable confidence on fabrics that have been properly prepared. More brittle mediums such as tempera, gouache or pastel, require a more rigid support such as prepared boards. (more…)

With most artists and crafts people, pet portrait artists are a thrifty bunch and, if it is possible to save a bit of money by making their own materials, they will certainly do so. As with paints, pastels can be very expensive to buy and the best ones always seem to run out more quickly however, it is possible to make your own at a fraction of the price of shop bought ones. It is also possible to achieve better results, often manufactured pastels lack the intermediate greys, grey-greens and the half-tone required for rendering flesh colours. (more…)

Still life painting has only a brief history, going back only into the sixteenth century. Before this, groups of objects were painted only as a setting for the main composition. It was not until the demise of religious painting when still-life became a subject within its own right. (more…)