apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

When I was growing up my family had two great danes (one fawn and the other harlequin). My mother found this great painting at an antique store of two great danes that looked exactly like our pets. I love that she still has it even though one of the dogs is no longer with us.

I think animal portraits are wonderful whether they are your pets or someone else's or no one's at all... They add cheer, humor, and down-to-earth-edness to a home.

I had to put my dog down recently. I may enlarge a black and white photo of her to hang on my walls.

I have a painting I painted of my dog on the wall with all the other art works. It seems to fit right in. My dog is wonderful, so that helps.

I wouldn't pay to have them done, but I have a couple snapshots of the cats framed and placed along the hallway. It adds a little humor to an otherwise featureless pass-through area. Just snapping around with the digital camera all the time, we ended up with a few really priceless ones, including one of the cats with her paw around a tiny stuffed tiger. It was one of those things you could never get a cat to do in a studio.

My mom took portraits of us when we were kids and sometimes included the dog in the pictures. We were assembling and my little brother was holding the beagle when she randomly tipped her head upside down to lick the side of my face. Mom managed to catch that on film. Needless to say, she enlarged it and put it in a prominent place.

I wouldn't pay to have them done, but our pets are a huge part of our lives (we have six) and I think pet portraits are a fun addition to a room. We have photos of them scattered throughout the house.

When our dog gets older, I may commission her portrait. Not only is she beautiful (it's not just mommy's opinion--she gets showered in compliments wherever I take her), but I'd like to make a statement about how important she is to me and how much I love her. She's a pit bull and I volunteer at a pit bull rescue, so I'm often keeping my eyes peeled for pit bull-related decor, anyway.

As for our birds and bunnies--the parrots take up enough space as it is with their cages, playstands, etc. for me to even consider avian decor and bunny decor just looks too cutesy.

I saw this recently and thought it was really cool:

http://www.seankenney.com/portfolio/magoo/splash.jpg

Pet portraits have been on my mind a lot lately. I would like to a cool family/pet wall in my house and I think this would be a fun way to tastefully incorporatemy pets.

If done well, they're awesome. That's the number one type of commission I get, and they're fun to do-- the owners often have specific and creative ideas. I've done cats incorporated into a peaceful Japanese ukiyo-e style landscape for an anniversary, a parakeet among stylized jasmine flowers, a dog on a walk with his skeleton friend, and a cat rampaging through a city godzilla-style.

I actually commissioned a painting of my dog by a local artist, i had another painting by her... and just asked her on a lark. She said yes, and now i have a really groovy original piece of art. I actually decorated my guest room around the piece.

I adore my dog and I would certainly have a portrait of him for my own pleasure.. but of these the best is the first. The wit of this inclusive frontal portrait assault cracks me up still. Nothing's better than a quiet (asynchronous) laugh with the host as you check out their home. I want to be friends with these people.

I think that the first one is awesome. The rest, I'd take or leave.

Emily

my sister painted my beloved catahoula hound wearing a crown with some rhinestones for me last year...best gift ever!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40961798@N02/

I had one done by an etsy artist
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62929077@N00/2768257777

I DO pet portraits---at the prodding of a friend who thought it would be really cool. If interested in a lovely painting of your best friend... :o)

I saw some pet portraits done by a painter in Brooklyn NY. They are great, take a look at her site:
http://www.nancysoyer.com/petportraits.html

i love them, but that may be because i also paint them!

http://itsalwayssomethingisntit.blogspot.com/2006/07/pet-portraits.html

a family friend painted one of our dogs when i was a youngster. it's one of my favorite things.

(((((((Midwestdiva )))))))) sorry for your loss.

I have been wanting to do this for years. I found an artist that would absolutely capture the spirit of my baby and the art is very cool but so expensive. If the economy did not go they way it has I would of went for it early this year.

i am currently in the middle of a project involving pet portraits. I have 3 ornate frames that i have candy coated glossy light teal, then in them is going to be silhouettes. One each of me, my wife, and then our Corgi Rocky. These are for above our bed. Might move them eventually but that is their intended location.

A friend of mine does pet portraits, or as she calls them, pawtraits! Check out her site: http://www.pawtraitstudio.com/

I have to say Pet Portraits are a wonderful thing. Even if it isn't your dog, I know people love to collect them. One artist I know has made a pretty good living from dog portraits, www.michaelsteddum.com

I am a big fan of paintings of pets - particularly when they are more whimsical. Whether it's a Boston Terrier sailing the seas or a botanist Labrador, I work with the owner to try and capture the "little human" inside. If you're interested, you can find more on my custom pet portraits at: http://www.shustir.com/users/view/14690

The painting of my pet is absolutely breath-taking. We received the actual painting and it is beautiful.
http://www.photoartomation.com