Hand Drawn Pastel Portraits By Atlanta
Hello. My name is Atlanta. I am a portrait artist from Forres, in the stunning region of Moray in Scotland. As a busy mother to a wonderful 7-year-old I am learning to master the art of balancing my passion for drawing with the demands of motherhood.
With a focus on pet portraiture I have built a portfolio of fascinating pet portraits that capture the unique personalities and essence of your pets. My most recent hand drawn pet portraits include beautiful and touching memorial pieces for those who have lost their beloved furry friends.
My background in television production, photography, handcrafted jewellery and up-cycled clothing design has brought me a wealth of experience and given me a keen eye for detail, a love of unique designs, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of the natural world.
Here are some recent hand-drawn pet portraits.
Click on any one to see a larger image!
Initial Consultation: Contact me and share what vision you may have for your portrait. Determine size, style and any specific details you may want included.
Reference Photo: Select some nice reference photo's to use. Guidance on selecting suitable images, appropriate in terms of quality, definition, and composition can be found here.
Contract Agreement: Once we have a suitable image selected I will send a contract outlining the terms and conditions of the commission. It wont need to be signed and returned. Your messaged agreement to the contract will suffice.
Deposit Payment: A non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking. This is normally 50%. This covers the cost of materials and secures your place on my commission list.
Creative Process: Creating your pet portrait typically takes up to a week, depending on the size, background, subjects, etc. During this time, I will provide regular updates and photos of your portrait as I progress.
Review and Adjustments: Once complete I will send you a watermarked copy of your pet portrait for review. This gives you a chance to request any final adjustments.
Final Payment: Upon approval of the finished portrait, and upon receipt of the remaining balance, I will send you a non-watermarked, high-resolution digital image of your portrait and prepare the actual drawing for shipping.
Delivery: The finished artwork will be securely packaged and dispatched via Royal Mail recorded delivery to your specified address. I will also provide the parcel tracking information.
Shipping: I offer tracked shipping services to anywhere in Europe, the U.S.A., Canada, and Australia, ensuring your pet portrait arrives safely and promptly.
Materials used in the creation process.
Pastel pencils
Soft pastel pencils are an excellent choice for creating pet portraits due to their precision and detailed application. The fine tip of pastel pencils allows for intricate work, making it easier to capture the unique features of your pet, such as fur textures, eyes, and distinctive markings. Their rich pigmentation provides vibrant colours that can be layered and blended smoothly to achieve realistic shades and highlights. Additionally, pastel pencils can be easily sharpened, ensuring control over fine lines and details.
PanPastel
I occasionally use PanPastel for the background or under-painting of a portrait. PanPastel are artist-grade pastel products that come in a unique, semi-soft format, similar to a pan or a cake. Working with PanPastel for pet portraits offers unique benefits due to their high pigment concentration and smooth application. PanPastel are versatile, allowing for soft blending and layering, which is ideal for capturing the delicate textures of a pet's fur. Additionally, the vibrant colours available in PanPastel sets allow for a range of natural hues, making it easier to match your pet's specific colouring.
Pastelmat
Pastelmat is an ideal surface for creating pet portraits as it provides a unique texture that holds pastels exceptionally well, allowing for rich colour applications and smooth blending. It's velvety texture enhances colour vibrancy and depth, making it easier to capture the lifelike qualities of your pet's fur and features. Additionally, the pastelmat's ability to resist smudging allows for detailed work without losing the integrity of your lines and details. You don't need a fixative with Pastelmat because its unique, textured surface is designed to hold pastels securely, reducing the risk of smudging or losing detail. The fibrous Pastelmat grips the pastel particles effectively, allowing for multiple layers without the need for protective sprays. This characteristic will preserve your artwork but also facilitate easy blending and layering.
Why I don't use fixative
Fixatives can affect the colour of pastel artwork by altering the intensity, hue, and overall appearance of the pigments. Some common effects of fixative on pastel colours include the following:
- Loss of vibrancy: Fixatives can dull the brightness of colours, especially when used excessively.
- Colour shift: The drying process can cause colours to change their tone or shift towards a warmer or cooler undertone.
- Dulling of fine details: Overuse of fixative can obscure fine pastel lines and details, making them more difficult to see.
- Increased muddiness: Using fixative on a piece with multiple layers can cause the colours to blend together, resulting in an unwanted, muddied effect. These changes can be unpredictable.
Here are some of my latest customer reviews on Google.
Please feel free to leave a review of your own. It really helps me to reach out to potential new clients. Thank you.
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