About Me

Hi,I've always loved to make art for people, and I've always loved animals. Painting portraits of your beloved pet feels like a perfect fit for me.
When I'm not making art, I work as a dog walker and pet sitter in Columbus, Ohio. I always get the motivation to make art after spending my work day with all of my animal friends. I have so much fun trying to capture their individuality in a painting.I'm excited for the opportunity to translate the care and love that you have for your pet into a painting that can be cherished for years to come.-John

Commission Process

Step 1: Commission Form

After you've filed out and submitted the commission form, I will contact you via email to gather any addition information and to collect reference photos.

Step 2: Payment

A PayPal invoice will be sent to you for payment. Full payment is needed before moving forward. However, if your total is $200 or more, then you're welcome to pay 50% at the start and 50% before your painting is mailed.

Step 3: Painting

I will email you a mock-up of the painting. Small changes can be requested at this time.
Please allow for two weeks for completion.
I will contact you when finished, and I will provide a scanned image of your painting before I mail it to you.

Step 4: Mailing

I will notify you once the painting has been sent out, and I will provide a tracking number.
Every painting is shipped in robust packaging.
Please contact me as soon as possible if there has been any damage to the painting during shipping. After providing me with photos of the damaged painting, I’ll be happy to issue a refund or to repaint your order.

Reference Photo Help

1. Photo Quality
In order to accurately depict details that are specific to your pet, it's important that your reference photos are in proper focus, are high resolution, and show the subject unobstructed by other objects.2. Lighting
Photos with natural lighting often provide the best representation of the color of your pet.
Additionally, lighting that gives some shadows can make for a more interesting painting. This means avoiding lighting that is too intense, which will reduce the amount of contrast, and avoid lighting that is too dim, which will also reduce the contrast. Lighting that's too intense or too dim might look flat and uninteresting.3. Pose
Choosing a reference photo with a desirable pose is very important.
I think that a 3/4th turn tends to look nice, but I'm happy to discuss other poses too, as long as there's a reference photo for it.
The portrait will show roughly from mid-chest to full head, so please keep that in mind.4. Number of Photos
I can usually work from just one photo, as long as it's high quality, has good lighting, and shows the pose that you'd like, but I welcome as many photos as you'd like to provide. More references means that I might see some extra detail that isn't shown in the primary photo, and will mean that I'm more able to accurately paint the specifics of your unique pet friend.

Examples of good reference photos:

Still unsure?
After you've filled out and submitted the commission form, I'll email you to request reference photos and any additional information. At that point, I can help you choose which photos work well and which ones don't.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is gouache?A: Gouache is water-soluble paint. It's similar to watercolor paint, but has a bit more opacity to it. It's often described as a sort of intermediary between watercolor paint and acrylic paint.

Q: How long does it take?A: Allow for 2 weeks for painting and shipping after I've notified you that I've begun working.

Q: How many reference images do you need?A: I work from one main photo, but always welcome additional photos.
Please see the Reference Photo Help section of this website for more information.
I will discuss reference photos with you before payment is requested in case I'm not able to proceed.

Terms of Service

1. Payment
• Invoices will be sent via PayPal
• Full payment is requested before beginning painting, unless otherwise agreed upon.2. Shipping
• Shipping is only available within the contiguous United States of America.
• Shipping cost will be added to payment invoice.3. Sales Tax
• Sales tax is added to payment invoice.4. Usage Rights
• The commissioner is permitted to use the artwork for any non-commercial purposes.
• The commissioner is not permitted to use the artwork for any commercial purposes, unless otherwise discussed.
• Brushed Fur Pet Portraits retains all rights and ownership of the artwork. This includes the use of commissioned paintings as promotional material, unless otherwise agreed upon.
• The commissioner is prohibited from modifying the artwork in any way. This includes using generative artificial intelligence filters or modifiers, or using artwork to train generative artificial intelligence.5. Refunds
• Refunds are only offered in the event of damage to the artwork during shipping.
• Photo proof of damage is required.
• Contact [email protected] in the event of a painting damaged during shipping.