hand-drawn portraits from your photograph
Pencil portraits drawn by portrait artists are the perfect gift for friends, relatives, and loved ones. Pet portraits run a close second in popularity to portraits of people.
In some ways, a portrait of a person is easier for a perfectionist to draw than a pet portrait. The opposite is true for a poor or average artist.
This is because the differences in features that allow us to recognize a face are more obvious with people. These differences are much more subtle in dogs and cats.
A pet's individuality comes more from its personality than from its appearance. This allows an average artist to create a reasonable likeness of a particular breed of dog. A good artist can go further and capture the minute differences that identify a beloved pet.
Each work of art is drawn on 400 Series 80lb. Strathmore drawing paper using professional quality graphite pencils. A typical drawing takes 3-4 hours to complete. Some drawings can take as much as 6-8 hours. Much of that time is spent on shading.
Pencil drawings do not photograph or scan well, so the portrait samples on this site do not show all of the detail and nuances of the actual drawings.
I can work from almost any photograph. I've drawn images from wallet-size photos, as well as from photographs I have taken for the express purpose of using as models. I have also drawn portraits from snapshots and from professional studio photos. The main requirement is that the photograph show the details of a person's face and that the lighting allows me to make out shadows and contours. Photos need to be submitted and approved before an order can be accepted.
Please take a look at the samples and read the frequently asked questions. The pricing page lists all expenses associated with your purchase. Custom matting and frames can be ordered with your drawing.
Thank you for your interest, John
John Allen Olive Branch, MS December, 2007