Picking a great photo of your pet will make for a fabulous painting. Below are some photos that customers have submitted in the past that make great paintings. You do not need to be a professional photographer to create an amazing painting from an amazing photo. Please note: if your photo does not meet these suggestions below, do not worry! We can make almost any photo of your pet work. If you have an older photo or would like to make sure your photo will work, don’t hesitate to ask Maddy at maddy@grayduckart.com.
We would love a few photos to choose from, but if you have one picture you’re set on for the painting, it is fine to only send one. We want to make sure your painting is from a photo you love!
Here are some tips when picking a photo:
Lighting: Natural lit photos are wonderful. Photos taken on a gloomy day are perfect. No shadows on your pet is best. This will keep the paint colors true to your pet’s real coloring.
Pose: Get down to your pet’s level when taking a photo. Photos taken from above their head sometimes result with a painting that looks like a floating head. Make sure you can see your pet’s body in the photo.
Naked Pets: We like naked pets! A simple collar, bandana, or harness is great, but our artists will simplify all clothes, harnesses, and collars. We are happy to remove harnesses, bows, collars, leashes, etc. when drawing your paint by number if you would like. Please make a note in your special request box if you would like something small like this changed in your picture.
Humans: We can crop humans out of pictures, no problem, but try to submit photos where your pet is not being held, on a lap, etc.
Smiles: Totally up to you! Some people prefer pictures with pets’ tongues out, some people don’t. Both make great paintings!
Cropping: Gray Duck Art will handle cropping all photos, so your photos do not need to be cropped to a headshot when you email them.
Double pet canvases: If you order a 2 pet painting, we can format them into the same painting if you submit individual photos of each animal going on the canvas. We would prefer two individual photos that are great, rather than a photo of the two animals together that is just okay.
