commission your painting

To commission a pet portrait, I’ll ask you to send several photos of your pet so I can choose the one that works best for the painting — ideally with natural lighting and visible detail. If you have a specific photo in mind, I’m happy to work with it too. Just please keep in mind that if the picture is too bright or too dark, I won’t be able to see the full range of details I need to represent your pet accurately.

My style is realistic but expressive — you’ll see visible brushstrokes and subtle color shifts that make each painting feel alive.

As I work on your pet portrait, I’ll send you photos of the process, so you’ll be completely in the loop. Once the portrait is finished, I’ll send you a photo of the painting before shipping. If there’s a small adjustment you’d like, we can talk about it before I varnish it and prepare it for delivery.

Each portrait takes a few days to about a week to paint, depending on the size and complexity. After that, the oils need time to dry completely to the touch before I can varnish and prepare the piece for shipping. This drying stage usually takes 1–2 weeks, a bit longer in winter.

In total, please allow around 3–4 weeks from the start of your portrait to the shipping date. If there are other commissions in the queue, I’ll let you know your estimated start date before we begin.

I paint each portrait in traditional oils using high-quality artist materials. My main paints are Michael Harding oils — my personal favorite for their rich pigment and consistency — along with select colors from Vasari, Zechi, and Old Holland.
For surfaces, I work on museum-quality Gessobord or fine archival linen, which offers better stability and durability than standard cotton canvas.
I use professional Jackson’s brushes for precision and control throughout the painting. Each portrait is finished with Gamvar varnish for protection and to keep the colors looking their best for years to come.
All materials are chosen to ensure your portrait keeps its color and integrity for generations.

I paint each portrait alla prima — working wet-into-wet in one session or a few short sessions. This keeps the painting cohesive and allows me to build detail while the oils are still open.

Before I begin, I review your reference photos and choose the one that best suits the painting, unless you already have a specific favorite. When you send photos, choose the ones you’d be excited to see turned into a portrait. I’ll let you know when I start your portrait and share a few progress photos along the way so you’re always in the loop.

Once the painting is complete, it needs time to dry fully to the touch. When it’s ready, I apply a protective Gamvar varnish to restore the color and shield the surface. After the varnish dries, your portrait is prepared and packed for shipping.

If there are portraits scheduled before yours, I’ll give you an estimated start date in advance. Larger portraits or multiple pets may require a little more time, but I’ll always let you know what to expect before we begin.

Each portrait is securely packaged for safe worldwide shipping. I use rigid, protective materials to keep the painting stable in transit, and every portrait is wrapped with care to prevent moisture or pressure damage.

Shipping includes tracking, and I’ll share the tracking number as soon as your portrait is on its way. Delivery times vary by location, but as a general guide: within Spain it usually arrives within a week, 7–10 days within Europe, and around 1–2 weeks for the rest of the world.

For clients in the United States: original oil paintings have a 0% import tariff, so there should be no customs duty. Packages can occasionally be held briefly in customs, but no tariff is applied to artworks.

Every portrait comes with a signed certificate of authenticity. If anything unexpected happens during shipping, please contact me — I’ll help find a solution.