Last year (2017), I started receiving Christmas orders as early as September, which kept me busy throughout the season. From mid-October onwards, I worked 10-12 hours a day, creating a schedule list for each day to ensure that all the portraits were completed on time. Some orders were from overseas, and I had to make sure that any frames ordered were received well in advance as framers tend to be very busy during the festive season. My goal was to finish all the orders a week before I travelled to my hometown of Chesterfield, but I worked late into the night before my journey. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and the person who commissioned it met me at the train station in Chesterfield to collect the portrait of Star the Chow Chow. The painting had travelled with me for six hours on a bus, coach, and train inside my suitcase. The lady who commissioned the painting gave me a lovely bunch of flowers. I was delighted to see the recipients' positive comments on Christmas day after receiving their beloved pets' portrait. Click on any of the images to visit the progress pages. I've completed all the Christmas commissions and took a well-deserved break to recharge. Now, I'm back in the studio, creating new articles and planning exciting art workshops for 2018 on my Step by Step Art website. There are numerous tasks to accomplish behind the scenes. If you're interested in booking a personalized commission or are an artist searching for helpful articles, mini-tutorials, and a chance to attend a 1-day art workshop with me, click on the links below to visit my website. Here's hoping 2018 is a wonderful year for you! Karen
0 Comments
This christmas, I was extremely busy with commissions. I had five to complete in the space of 6 weeks, which was a real challenge. Normally, one portrait can take 3 - 5 weeks each, so it was a very busy time. All were completed and delivered out to customers in ample time, and I have included all the commission details and final portraits below, alongside customer testimonials.
"I'm sitting looking at Buddy in pride of place on the wall, photo attached! It is absolutely lovely and it had the desired effect on Steve when he unwrapped - there were tears!! Everyone that has seen it has said how amazing it is with the amount of fine detail and so Buddy. If I manage to get a decent photo of Buddy next to it I will send it on! Thank you once again, it is lovely to have a painting of Buddy forever."
"Just wanted to let you know that mum loves her portrait and we all cried our eyes out when we first saw it. What you've done is so special and we couldn't have asked for a better painting to remember him by. It captures his brilliant personality so well. I'll definitely be recommending you to my spaniel loving friends!
"Hi Karen, I just wanted you to know that I absolutely love my painting of Kita. Thank you so much, you have done the most amazing portrait of him. He was my best friend and my little boy and the painting has been hung in the living room so we can all admire him everyday! Thank you again xx"
"Hi Karen , Hope you had a lovely Christmas. Wanted to drop you a note to say that Max absolutely loved the portrait! She couldn't believe how well you'd captured the detail from the photo and was thrilled to pieces! We've already recommended you to friends and family and am sure we'll use your amazing skills again in the the future. Have a great New Year!! Diarmid"
"Thank you so much for my beautiful portrait, you've really excelled yourself this time, its amazing!" This year has been an extremely busy Christmas for Commissions and I suspect I ended up biting off more than I could chew, finally finishing the last commission of the year today and feeling emotionally shattered after early mornings and late nights creating some beautiful doggies and very special portraits for some lovely people. This is one of the Christmas commissions that I can show as it was given to the recipient early so Kita's Mum could choose the frame of the memorial portrait of her precious boy. Having created so many Pet portraits over the years I was able to work far more into the painting than was seen in the photograph as Kita's owners sadly had few photos of him and as Acrylic portraits offer extremely fine detail, every single hair had to be applied individually using a very thin brush to give the fine detail. Upon completion of the portrait I then applied 2 layers of satin varnish which was then framed in the 'Brockwell' moulding, packaged up and sent to his new home. Upon receipt Kita's mum sent me the following text: "I just wanted you to know that I absolutely love my painting of Kita. You have done the most amazing portrait of him, he was my best friend and my little boy. I love him so much and the painting of him has been put up in the living room so we can all admire him everyday!!! It is always special recieving such feedback and I am looking forward to hearing how my other portraits have gone down this Christmas, hoping I am able to bring a smile to the recipient's face and knowing I did a good job for them all. I will share each portrait on my blog once I've had a decent break and would like to offer this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!!
Bailey - 10" x 12" Coloured pencil pet portraitBailey is the second portrait completed in Coloured pencils for his Mum after heartbreakingly losing both Bailey and Casey (the first portrait) in close succession of each other and was gifted both portraits by a good friend. Bailey was originally sat on a green stripey rug but I thought it would suit the portraits if they were both sat on the same wooden This portrait depicts Bailey, a Jack Russell/Pug mix, rendered in coloured pencils for a repeat customer. The initial drawing I created for them featured their beloved Jack Russell, Casey, who had sadly passed away. Tragically, a few months later, Bailey also passed, following his companion. The portrait of Bailey has been modified to include the floorboards featured in Casey's portrait, ensuring visual continuity and balance. Originally, Bailey was seated on a green striped rug, but changes can be readily made upon customer request. To view Bailey's portrait and the other pencil drawings created for this client, please click the link below. " Bailey just arrived! Well, about 15 minutes of tape removal ago. We are so chuffed! Bailey was loved by all of us, but loves my husband best, he was over the moon! We are blessed by your talent! Obe - 11" x 14" Boxer Dog Acrylic paintingI was asked to create an acrylic painting of a Boxer dog called Obie, as a surprise gift from friends online to a lady in the USA. The reference photo was a beautiful pose and of great quality, so I was able to gather lots of detail to be able to create this special memorial painting of him. My acrylic paintings are created using a mixture of vibrant colour and sometimes I will include a medium or two, which provides texture. The background texture was created with moulding paste and applied with a palette knife. Nearly 40 Facebook friends clubbed together to book this surprise portrait, and it was lovely to hear how happy the recipient was upon receiving such a thoughtful gift from great friends!
I have been creating pet portraits since the 1990s. Initially, I relied on physical photographs, which posed a challenge viewing any fine detail. The evolution in camera technology, which continues to improve year on year, provides me with high-resolution digital photos that I can zoom into, and allows me create the intricate detail you see in my work today. Nevertheless, my portraiture focuses less on mere photographic replication and more on delivering an outcome that achieves a harmonious balance of contrast and colour. By refining any imperfections, I aim to present a more natural and aesthetically pleasing portrait that will enhance your walls for many years to come. The article discusses a portrait that demanded much more than merely replicating the photo reference. It features Ern, a chocolate Labrador Retriever. The commission, intended as a birthday surprise for a husband, necessitated that the final artwork be a true representation of his beloved dog. Introducing Ern the Chocolate Labrador... The photograph presented is a breathtaking capture, initially appearing to be the perfect reference image. However, it became evident that the mouth was not in a naturally relaxed state, presenting a distended appearance rather than a typical, relaxed posture. Furthermore, the intense sunlight resulted in both overexposed and underexposed areas of his face, and the intricate details in the neck region were obscured by dark shadows. Observe the change in his colour when he steps out of the sunlight in the images below. It's as if he's an entirely different dog! First, correspond with and confirm important details.Discussing these details with the customer prior to beginning the portrait is crucial. After numerous email exchanges, the decisions were finalised. It was also requested to "give him a "normal mouth" I'd really appreciate it!" " Hi Kat, thank you for the lovely photos of Ernest. I've noticed that he has coppery brown fur in some images, but in others, his fur appears much darker. Which is his natural colour? " " His fur appears dark in the photos, typically when he is wet. However, he actually has a gingery tan colour around his ears and muzzle. One of the photos I sent was captured with a professional camera, which I believe showcases his natural colour more effectively. " " I like that photo, but I was unsure whether his colour might be too vivid, knowing the sun could have caused oversaturation. However, it's excellent that you've clarified this. " Thorough research is crucial before commencing the portrait.To create a pet portrait from a photo needing significant alterations, I begin by searching online for pictures of the same breed in a similar pose and I will refer to them throughout the drawing process. In creating this portrait, I utilised approximately 15 different images, including some of Ern from provided photos and others found online. The search for 'matching' images can span a few hours, and often, I also need to edit the reference image. This is all done before I even begin the actual drawing process. Ensuring the accuracy of Ern's colour was a challenging task; however, the most complex aspect of the illustration was ensuring that the anatomical structure of his mouth was correct. Given that this gift is intended to be a surprise, I had to get this right. I even bribed our lovely black Labrador Haze, by encouraging him to pose in the garden. This allowed me to capture a series of images that provided valuable reference for ensuring that the detail was accurate. The time dedicated to the completion of this portrait was around 25 hours. Thank you so much for all the hard work and effort put in to make the numerous photos I bombarded you with come to life! The portrait is just amazing, beautiful and captures Ern perfectly! If you are interested in a personalised pet portrait or any other subject matter, consider browsing my gallery to explore my work and the various mediums available. Feel free to visit the commissions page to request a quote, make a booking, or for direct inquiries, email me at [email protected].
If you have a question, please share them in the comments below. This year marked my inaugural submission of artwork to The 11th Annual UKCPS Open International Exhibition, and I am delighted to share that my piece has been selected. The exhibition is scheduled from October 6th to November 25th, 2012, at the Nuneaton Art Gallery & Museum in Warwickshire, UK. The entries will be judged by Dr. Sally Bulgin, Managing Director & Editor of "The Artist," Graham Brace, a founding member of the UKCPS, and Leah Lister, the Marketing Manager at Derwent. I seldom submit my work to exhibitions and competitions; however, due to my passion for coloured pencils and my desire to elevate the medium's profile, I opted to enter my Snow Leopard drawing, titled 'Snow Queen'. " The UKCPS, also known as UK Colour Pencil Society was founded in 2001, inspired by a collection of people who, despite having never met, shared a passion for the art of colour pencil. They promote the art of drawing for the public benefit through the use of colour pencils by providing at least one annual exhibition to showcase work with workshops and demonstrations to help educate the public how to use colour pencils and by providing such other support to educate the public as the trustees deem appropriate. " For more information about the UKCPS, please visit this page. About the the development and inception of 'Snow Queen'This piece was created on black Colourfix paper, known for its texture and typically reserved for pastel works. For this drawing, I used a variety of coloured pencils from ranges such as Karismacolor, Derwent Coloursoft, and Caran d'Ache Luminance.
I find Colourfix paper to be a fascinating medium for coloured pencils. While the texture of the paper limits the number of layers I can apply compared to standard cotton papers, a few layers are enough to attain a comparable level of realism. It was delightful to work on this piece, and although its larger dimensions of 20" x 30" exceed my usual scope, I enjoyed the challenge. |
AuthorKaren M Berisford Select tags below to search the news blog directory.
Categories
All
Archives
July 2024
|
Vertical Divider
|
- Art Store
Original Art & Prints - Custom made Portraits - Gift Vouchers - The Art Hub (For Artists) Vertical Divider
|
- Art Gallery
- Pet Portraits Gallery - Acrylic Paintings - Oil Pastel Paintings - Framing Info. - Coloured Pencil Portraits Videos from the Studio - Art in Progress Vertical Divider
|
|
Images and text within this website are Copyright of Karen M Berisford 2010 - 2024
No content should be used, copied or distributed in any way without express consent from Karen M Berisford
No content should be used, copied or distributed in any way without express consent from Karen M Berisford