Anna Joan's Pet Portraits
All of my pet portraits are drawn using Faber-Castell coloured pencils onto white, high quality Bristol board paper. I do not use pastel based products or any other mediums.
All paper is carefully cut by myself to suit the desired measurements and are lovingly hand-packed before being sent by my local Royal Mail Post Office.
How does the booking process work?
1. Choosing your photo(s)
When choosing your photos, it is important to take note of the list below to help me bring your unique pet portrait to life.
I am able to work from one photograph or you can send me multiple for additional references.
- Lots of light that showcases the many tones in the fur's colours.
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- Clearly shows the pet's unique fur texture.
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- A close-up shot that helps me to replicate the finer details.
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- Close to the camera allowing for a clear view of the pet's face and upper body.
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2. Booking and completing your portrait
Once you have sent me your pet's photo(s), we will have a friendly chat about all of the finer details of your portrait, such as the desired size and my available dates to draw, and confirm your provisional booking!
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I will then send an invoice to your email to pay the non-refundable 35% deposit to solidify your booking. I usually give three working days for this to be paid, however I am happy to extend this period to suit your needs as best as possible.
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One week prior to drawing your pet, I will send a final invoice with the remaining balance of the portrait. I like to give all of my customers a payment period that is open right up until the very evening before the portrait's start date for their convenience.
For example, say your portrait was scheduled to be worked on the week commencing of the 10th July, your final invoice would be in your inbox seven days prior on precisely the 3rd July. You would then have all the way up until the late evening of the 9th July to pay the remaining balance.
Unfortunately, if the balance is not paid and there has been no correspondence, I will not be able to complete the portrait.
Once your portrait is complete, I will send an email to let you know and make you aware of when I will be posting it to you, which is usually the next day excluding Sundays when the post offices are closed.
3. And finally, packing your new, original Anna Joan artwork!
In the video I have used a commission of a beautiful cat called Zippy to show you how I package your portraits to be ready for posting!
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Certificate of Authenticity
All original artworks come with a hand-written Certificate Of Authenticity. This document is vital to ensuring the value and legitimacy of the artwork and also contains my hand-signed signature and the date of the portrait's production.
Every commission I receive means a great deal to me, so along with the certificate I also include a personalised thank you note.
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Preparing the artwork
Your portrait is placed into a protective, transparent sleeve and then carefully wrapped in delicate tissue paper. It is then sealed with a sticker.
I do the same for the COA and secure it with green string along with the note.
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Packing and Posting
For protection, I wrap everything together in bubble wrap, secure it with transparent tape and then place it into a sturdy envelope which has been lined with cardboard to prevent bending. "Fragile" stickers are also added as an extra precaution.
Finally, I write the customer's details onto an address label and then proceed to take the parcel to my local post office, sending the artwork on its way using Royal Mail's Signed and Tracked Next Day Delivery service.
Don't worry, I send an email the day before posting to let you know it'll be with you in the next few days.
F.A.Qs
1. I only have old photographs of my pet and cannot take a new one to fit the criteria above, can you still draw a pet portrait?
I have had many customers who are no longer able to take a picture of their beloved pet that ticks all the points in the above checklist. I am always happy to work around this and see if there is a way to draw a portrait and I would always recommend sending me the photos they do have in their possession to see what we can do.
2. Why is the 35% deposit non-refundable?
The reason artists request a deposit be paid before completing any piece of art is to ensure a living wage is covered in case a portrait falls through and also to help filter out the non-serious commission requests. Usually, most artists tend to ask for 50% upfront, however, to be as reasonable as possible I ask for a lesser amount of 35% that satisfies my personal finances and no more, in case a commission is cancelled.
3. How long does it take for a portrait to be drawn?
The time it takes me to complete your portrait depends on its size and complexity. I will give you an estimation in your initial quotation during the booking stage before payment which usually ranges from 14-30 days. Time-frames are also dependant on how many pets are in the portrait.
4. How much does the postage cost?
To ensure that your parcel is handled and delivered carefully and efficiently, I send all of my parcels using Royal Mail's Signed and Tracked Next Day Delivery which costs £6.50 and I email all of my customers their unique parcel tracking number. For any parcels that are above A3 in size, or if you are commissioning from outside of the UK, the postage charge changes and is discussed during the initial email correspondence. I also insure all of the packages for the amount that was paid for the portrait out of my own purse to make sure that if, in an unlikely event, a parcel ever becomes lost or damaged, neither myself or the customer are at a financial loss.
5. Why are the portraits priced as they are?
To help me decide on prices for my portraits, I take into consideration my skill, the cost of materials and the average amount of hours they take me to complete. I aim to make my prices as fair as possible for customers and also for myself as an artist making a living.
6. I have received my portrait, but I'm not sure I like it. Can I get a refund?
So far in my career as a portrait artist, I have been lucky enough to have never had this question after a portrait has been delivered. However, if upon receiving your portrait you are unhappy with the drawing, unless there is clear damage to the portrait caused by the delivery process, unfortunately I will be unable to process a refund. Since this is a bespoke, handmade product, which takes a lot of time, care and effort to produce, I cannot create a portrait for free no matter the circumstance.
However, please do not hesitate to voice any concerns you may have with your artwork. I will always be more than happy to discuss these issues and will prioritise rectifying the situation.