pOur pets really do become important members of our family, with their own unique and adorable character that we all love. Over the years we collect so many of those photos of them doing all those things that make them so unique. At some point though we need more than just a happy snap that gets put into a drawer, never to be seen again.!–more– This is where a a title=www.robtyrrell-petportraits.co.uk href=http://www.robtyrrell-petportraits.co.uk target=_blankpet portrait artist/a can make a big difference, for they can take what is to most people a very humble photo, and create a work of art. A pet portrait can not only show the physical characteristics of your pet but can also capture the nuances that can reflect the real character of your pet as well. This then becomes much more than just a picture, it is a reminder of the pet you know and love and, properly framed, can become a very personal focal point to any room. br /br /Finding the artist you prefer can take a little time and research. The internet lists many artists, many of which use different styles and techniques. It is best to have in mind the type of medium you prefer. Most artists tend to specialise in the medium that suits them best. The most common choices are, oils, pastels, water colour, pencils and acrylics. Take some time to have a look around the web sites of artists using the different media, youll get a good idea on the styles used and whether it suits what you have in mind. Plus, make sure you visit their gallery pages, youll always get the best pictures on a home page, by visiting the a title=Pet portrait gallery href=http://www.robtyrrell-petportraits.co.uk/samples.html target=_blankgallery page/a you will get a better idea about whether the quality of work is consistent.br /br /Once you have selected the artist you prefer you need to choose the photos for them to work from. Your choice of photo can help or hinder the artist, choose ones that show details well, avoid photos that used a lot of flash or were taken in strong sunlight. Always remember that your dogs characteristics are in the small details and this is what the artist needs to get the best out of the portrait. It is always best to avoid static front-on shots, as these can lack interest, better to choose one that shows an activity that your pet enjoys or use an image where the shot has been taken at dog level, rather than from your point of view. If you already have a photo with an ideal shot of your pet but the wrong background, most artists will be able to incorporate a different background. If there is a place where your dog enjoyed playing, you can supply this as a separate photo for the artist to use as a reference. On the whole though, it is best to supply as many photos showing different poses as possible, all help the artist get to know your pet and will get you one step closer to that wonderful pet portrait./p