For most painted pet portraits available online, one primary reference photo is used. The artist then paints a “copy” of the photo.
But what do you do if you don’t have a good photo? A copy of a bad photo usually turns into a bad painting.
But some artists are able to use a bunch of bad photos to make a beautiful painting. The principles of good lighting, a thorough understanding of the painting media, and tons of experience with the same subject-type mean bad photos can still make great portraits. Even good photo references gain artistry.
For those who still have the pet they want to celebrate, I put together this complete guide on taking reference photos for pet portraits so you can get the perfect photo, every time.
But for everyone else, read on! Hope is not lost.