Pet Portrait Illustraitions – Unique Cat Portraits for Cat Lovers
As a small business owner, I’m always on the lookout for other small businesses that I can support. It’s not easy going it alone, stepping out of our comfort zones to be our own bosses. So when I spot a unique business, especially a cat-related one, I get all excited! That’s exactly what happened when I spotted an energetic and modern pet portrait artist! Her cat portraits are bold and they make awesome gifts for cat owners like me! I contacted Chloe, the artist behind Pet Portrait Illustration to find out how she creates these unique cat portraits.
Can you tell me about a little bit more about Pet Portrait Illustration?
I create bespoke Pet Portraits using Gouache Paint and Indian Ink for bold, contemporary illustrations that capture your Pet’s character. As a freelance artist, I used to get the odd Pet Portrait commission every now and then which I would do in a much more traditional style with oil paint.
How did you start doing pet portraits?
About two Christmases ago in 2017 my very last-minute boyfriend decided he wanted Pet Portraits for a few of his family members…with about 5 days to go! There was no way oil paint would dry in time, so I tried out a very different sort of approach on a plain white background using bright complementary colours.
I posted the three Portraits on my facebook page and got a really great response! A few months after that I had enough interest and Portraits in my portfolio to create the Pet Portrait Illustration brand.
Talk me through the process, how long does it take to create a bespoke illustration? Would you need to see my cat to create the portrait?
I always work from photographs, so as amazing as it is when I get to meet my subjects it’s by no means necessary! I don’t even need a ‘Perfect’ photo – I pride myself on being able to work from multiple reference images to capture your Pet at their very best.
Your Bespoke Commission will always start with an image consultation via social media or Etsy. Here you can upload your images and I will give feedback as to what would make the best illustration and advise if I need any more to get an accurate representation of their features and markings.
Once I’m happy that I have enough to get the best results possible, I draw the outline of your Pet’s figure in pencil and gradually build up the colours using the gouache paint. This is a great medium for layering and dries super fast, so I can be quite free about the marks I make and experiment with colour to see what’s going to make the whole piece ‘pop’.
The finishing touch is a black ink outline which is definitely the riskiest part as it can be quite unpredictable but it’s so much fun!
I first spotted you at a live event at Bents Garden Centre. What happens at a live event?
‘Live’ Events are where I pop-up in venues in different cities around the country and draw people’s pets while they watch. Again, I don’t have to see your Pet, just photographs, but I often do get to meet them as most of the venues I tend to work in are Dog-Friendly!
I love doing ‘Live’ Pop-Ups as I’m normally on my own in the studio so it’s great to meet my customers face to face and hear all the wonderful stories about the relationship they share with their Pet.
Do you have any other live events coming up?
Yes! My next Pop-Up is actually in two days time (18th October 2019) at M&S in Liverpool Church St. as part of the Curated Makers ‘Made Local Pop-Up’ which should be very exciting. I do offer 1-hour slots on the day where I will create a portrait of your pet. The slots are usually £40 on the day, but if you pre-book before the event it’s just £35 for your unique cat (or dog) portrait.
I can’t reveal the one after that BUT I work very closely with Megan Jones, the founder of Curated Makers and wherever she goes I tend to follow! Her business is fantastic and champions small independent creatives based in the North, bringing them into big retailers on the High Street. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @curatedmakers
How can I get one of your illustrations? Is it just through a live event?
‘Live’ Events are fabulous and I love doing them, however, the added bonus for me is that I’m able to promote my regular commission packages and reach new customers in new places (social media is fantastic but sometimes it’s better to get out and about in the real world!).
Over the past 2 years, I’ve developed a range of Commission styles and sizes to suit all budgets, and you can find examples of these and purchase your Bespoke Commission via my Instagram, Facebook , Etsy or my website www.petportraitillustration.co.uk. As much as I use the word ‘We’ when referring to my brand, it’s only ever me who you’ll be speaking to, so from initial enquiry through to finishing touches on your Illustration I’m proud to say I offer a truly personal service.
Finally, cats or dogs – which do you prefer to draw?
Ooooh that’s a tough one! I love drawing Pets that have unusual quirks and distinctive markings, but even before I started doing Pet Portraits I thought that Cats usually look like pieces of art already.
Chloe stocks an ever-expanding range of readymade prints, greetings cards and gift wrap featuring her illustrations. The full range is available through Etsy. However, if anyone wants a nosey at the cards in real life I have a selection of some of the cat print cards which I will be sending out to some very special people.
If you like the cat portraits head over to Chloe’s Facebook page! You can find out more information about the upcoming ‘Live’ Pop-Ups and how to book Pet Portrait Illustration. Contact Chloe through Instagram, Facebook or email.