3 Portraits of the Same Dog–Which Do You Like Best?

Hallmarks:
Textured detail & monochromatic colour

With a background in biology, it’s perhaps no surprise that artist Natalie Zimmerman is drawn to depicting animals. When it came to her art, her first medium was pen and ink—she loved its precision—but when she ventured into scratchboard, a technique in which the image is etched into a thin layer of white China clay coated in black India ink, she fell head over heels.
The commissions Natalie receives almost always come with a touching back-story, and she brings those stories to life through the depth and nuance of her chosen technique. Her ultra-realistic portraits play with light and shadow, made all the more dramatic by their monochromatic colour scheme. Commissions start at $125. nataliezimmermanart.com

Hallmarks:
Colour & detail

Laura Johnson describes her artistic style as realistic, but with a lot of heart and a feeling for colour. We couldn’t agree more. Working from photographs and primarily with oil paints, Laura brings her subjects to life, capturing expression through skill and careful attention to nuance. She loves watching as her paintings-in-progress evolve, taking on not just the physical appearance of her subjects, but also their personalities, which is really what’s at the heart of portraiture. Once complete, Laura finds no greater pleasure than seeing the owners’ faces when they view their completed pet portrait for the first time. Commissions start at $125 and Laura donates 10% to the animal charity of your choice. ljjgallery.com

Hallmarks:
Pop Art-inspired layers

Working with a photograph of your pet, Heather Hugginson uses Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to create her Pop Art-inspired digital illustrations. Manipulating the supplied image, Heather goes deep, tweaking colour and texture and adding layers and shapes to create portraits with a slightly Warhol-esque vibe, but in a more modern and minimal palette.
Heather’s path to pet portraiture began when she illustrated the pets of her friends, who adored the finished pieces as much as she enjoyed the process. But as much as she loves the making of, what she finds most rewarding is the incredible feeling of joy she gets when her clients see their finished portrait for the first time. Commissions start at $65. illustrate-it.ca

Check out other artists here.