I offer custom hand painted original pet portraiture. Original artwork lasts much longer than photographs, and with luck, the artist can capture detail, color and texture that a camera cannot. Additionally, you can spotlight your pet by reducing the background clutter and also add [...]]]> Hi, I’m Elizabeth Amanda and am so happy you found my website.

I offer custom hand painted original pet portraiture. Original artwork lasts much longer than photographs, and with luck, the artist can capture detail, color and texture that a camera cannot. Additionally, you can spotlight your pet by reducing the background clutter and also add in favorite items or customize your pet portrait any way you like to reflect a theme.

I love getting to “know” each animal through the long process of studying their photos and connecting with them. My aim to be able to convey their essence on canvas and give you something you can treasure even after they’ve gone on.

Browse the photos of the pet portraits I’ve done and if you’d like to commission your own painting,  just click here for more information about the process.

One of the heartbreaks pet parrots endure is that they are often bought by people who haven’t researched the commitment, noise level, emotional needs of owning one of these [...]]]> In December, 2011, The Garuda Aviary held a fundraising auction to secure funding for maintaining the 50+ birds in their care — for the entire birds’ lives.

One of the heartbreaks pet parrots endure is that they are often bought by people who haven’t researched the commitment, noise level, emotional needs of owning one of these birds and after a few years, they are neglected or sent from home to home to home to home. Since the parrots have the emotional needs of a five year old, and bond with their humans, this is very traumatic and many truly ‘go insane’. The Garuda Aviary take parrots who need to remain in a stable, loving environment to regain their sanity and flourish.

These are three of the four paintings I donated for their fundraising efforts; the third, duh, I forgot to take a picture of!

The Blue and Gold Macaw Painting is for sale:

• 5″x7″ oil on panel
• $30 includes a FREE black wooden table easel for display
  
• FREE SHIPPING
•  The $30 will be donated to Garuda Aviary
• Just click the BUY NOW button and help the parrots!

Merlin, Blue and Gold Macaw

Parrot Flower, 5″x7″, oil on board SOLD

Sulphur Crested Umbrella Cockatoo, 6″ x 6″, oil on board SOLD

The edges are painted dark blue so you can hang immediately or get it framed.

This painting was fun to paint and reminds me of the years I lived out West with its big sky and glorious sunsets and moonrises.

Price: $45

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First the pet owner sends me various photos so that I can see the animal in various lighting situations, and from different angles. This helps to make sure I get a good sense of their [...]]]> As I am working on a new pet portrait I thought it might be fun for you to see the process.

First the pet owner sends me various photos so that I can see the animal in various lighting situations, and from different angles. This helps to make sure I get a good sense of their coloring, stance, body language, etc.  Sometimes I have to take clues from various photos. In this case, one particular photo was perfect to use as it was.

I love this photo and may paint it just for fun. But the person commissioning this as a gift is a vet and says she doesn’t really like ‘lolling tongues’. LOL

This photo shows a sweet disposition that I want to capture in the eyes. It also helps show the eye color and that Nikki is much more peach colored than the photo taken in bright sun conveys. But the angle isn’t so great for a portrait. It’s always better to get down to their eye level when shooting pix.

This is a beautiful photo, but for painting portraits I kind of like them to be looking into the camera. This is a great photo for using as a model for a dog in a more complex painting, however, as the fixed concentration is compelling. Notice how pure white this photo also shows the fur as sun washes out the peach tones.

As soon as I saw this photo, I knew it was near perfect. Great color, great stance, and that 3/4 turn is a classic in even human portraiture.  A slightly lower eye level would have been great, but this is definitely easier to modify.
So now the next step is to crop the photo, and make a drawing using the grid method to make it the size of the canvas.  This is the photo cropped how I want to paint it.

Once the drawing is transferred to the primed canvas, a value study underpainting is made which simply builds the form, allows me to reevaluate proportions without having color ‘get in the way’. Especially when painting light colored dogs, it is important to understand the values to see the form.

It also helps to publish on the computer because now can you see what needs to be fixed with the left ear? It is not laying down along the curve of the skull – will fix that when color goes on!

Next will come adding color and detail. Stay tuned!

Thanks for looking!

If you would like to commission a painting for your [...]]]> The largest painting I’ve done to date at 30″ x 30″ on deep gallery wrapped canvas. This was painted in acrylics to enhance someone’s dining room, whose walls were painted the deep burgundy color. The cream colored tips of the flower really popped on that wall!

If you would like to commission a painting for your own personal decor, just contact me at elizabethamandaart@gmail.com!

Painted on 5×7 panel in oils.

Storm on the Prairie was the first painting I ever sold so will always be special to me.

It’s a mini-painting, 6×6, done on gallery wrapped canvas in oils.

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Storm on the Prairie was the first painting I ever sold so will always be special to me.

It’s a mini-painting, 6×6, done on gallery wrapped canvas in oils.

]]> http://furfriendsportraits.com/storm-on-the-prairie/feed/ 0 http://furfriendsportraits.com/cupcakes-for-courtney/ http://furfriendsportraits.com/cupcakes-for-courtney/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:26:49 +0000 Admin http://furfriendsportraits.com/?p=375

Cupcakes for Courtney was painted for my granddaughter who is the cupcake baking Queen.

Painted in oils on a 5×7 panel

The idea came from a DSFDF painting challenge several years ago.

You can commission a similar painting if you like!

Just contact me!