I'm often asked if I can repeat a popular picture that has already
been sold. As a rule I don't draw the same picture twice as I feel it dimishes the value of the artwork over time
to have duplicates floating around. But I do like to do artwork in a series which is why you'll see numbered titles
such as Pombe 1 and Pombe 2. A typical photoshoot for me when I'm gathering references will yield 1500 to 2000 photos.
In the case of Pombe, I have 30 or so pictures of her strutting around her enclosure at the San Diego Safari Park so there
are a number of possible poses I can draw in a similar style to the first.
These pictures were
all commissions requested by people who wanted to purchase Pombe 1 at the San Diego Fait last year:
Pombe 2
Pombe 2 is another pose I captured of Pombe as she was walking around her
enclosure and Emerging was requested by a client who loved the appearance of Pombe 1 but had a special preference for tigers.
Emerging
Pet
Portraits
Pet portraits are
something I really enjoy doing but I have a strict requirement that is not always able to be met, I must be able to take my
own reference photos. Obviously in the case of deceased pets this is a problem and only on rare occasions do I make
an exception to this rule. I can't speak for other artists but I need to make a connection with my subjects in order
to really capture their personality. When I receive photos of poor quality, bad lighting, blurry subjects, and/or badly
cropped it's just not possible to get a decent portrait from them - and without knowing your animal I can't make arbitrary
changes to make the photos work. When at all possible I like to meet the animal myself and take my own pictures and
also watch how you interact with them, this will give me the most insight into the animal, my client, and their relationship.
Exceptions to my rule, you say?
Buster here is a rare exception. His owner provided me
with absolutely stunning pictures of him that I was able to use but I did make it a point to meet him in person since he lives
in Yorba Linda and it was an easy drive for me. I don't charge any extra for the photo session, if it's a reasonable
driving distance I'll make the trip, because I've found it makes a crucial difference in the success of my portraits.
Prices for Scratchboard By Size
Black
& White
Color
*
12" x 36"
x 2"
$900
16" x 20"
x 2"
$1000
16" x 20"
$1200
18" x 24"
x 2"
24" x 24" x 2"
$1200
18" x 24"
$1500
24" x 36"
x 2"
30" x 30" x 2"
$1800
24" x 36"
$2100
36" x 48"
x 2"
$2500
* Add another 5-8 inches for matt and frame when finished
