Photo PORTRAITS

A pet portrait can make a wonderful gift or a charming memory. MATT JEANES shows you how to overcome inadequate reference photos and produce a layered masterpiece

- MATT JEANES

Being asked to paint another person’s pet can be very flattering, yet it can also prove to be a double-edged sword. When selecting a reference image for our own paintings, we can judge what gives us the best and most interesting subject. Yet when faced with a photo of a beloved pet from an outside source that may not contain the information needed, the results can be less appealing and can often trip us up. I find the best way around this problem is to ask for a selection of images, then explain why you have chosen your particular view.

Painting an animal portrait from a compromised reference photo is fine for pleasing a doting owner, but if you want the resulting painting to appeal to a wider audience, the reference image has to contain information that will give your work a wider appeal.

Look for an image that has attitude or humor, nice lighting, and composition, or an interesting color palette. Try to avoid anything with too much background information – you want the animal to stand out and be the star, just like Bear in this example below. www.matthewjeanes.co.uk

Matt's materials

• Paper

Fabriano Artistico Traditional White 300gsm watercolour paper, 45x61cm

• Paints