• Can you give me tips on taking photos of my pet?

• Is my pet sketch a giclée print? (whatever that is!)

• What forms of payment are accepted?

• What quality of photo should I send with my order?

• How much does it cost?

• How long does it take to create a pet sketch portrait?

• Can you make alterations to my photo before creating my pet sketch?

• Do you print on canvas?

• How is my pet sketch packaged and delivered?

• Do you supply frames with your pet sketch portraits?

Can you give me tips on taking photos of my pet?

Please try to send a photo taken at eye level with your pet preferably in natural light. Very dark or black animals can be photographed successfully in sunlight with the sun behind the camera. White animals do well with indirect light, say taken on an overcast day or indoors.

Also consider the composition, an interesting background always helps, and please make sure the subject fills the photo. If your pet is too small in the picture details are lost making it harder to create your pet sketch portrait.

Is my pet sketch a giclée print? (whatever that is!)

Let me explain something... calling a print a 'giclée' print is like calling underwear 'lingerie'. In other words - it's the same thing! It's just a fancy way of saying the print has been produced with archival ink and paper which means it will last a long time without fading. We're talking 50 years or so. You've heard these artsy types, if a French word isn't in the description then it isn't art!

So to answer your question, yes your pet sketch is a giclée print.

What forms of payment are accepted?

My website uses both PayPal® and CafePress® shopping cart systems to process all transactions - both secure and trusted online payment methods. You can be assured all purchases are 100% secure accepting a wide range of cards including - Visa, MasterCard, Delta, Electron, Switch, Solo, eCheck, American Express and more.

What quality of photo should I send with my order?

The size is important! Only email - high resolution - high quality - JPEG files to allow me to create the best portrait for you!

Photos over 1mb in size are preferred. If your digital photo is too large to email you can send it to me by post (copied on to a CD). Alternatively, I can use a photographic print which you can also post to me to scan in-house. Photos are returned to the customer. For tips on choosing the right photo click here.

Click here for my postal address.

Bear in mind photos from camera phones are usually too low in resolution to work with. If your photo is below 500k please consider that it's possibly too small to work with. If in doubt, contact me and email me your photo and I can let you know what can be achieved.

How much does it cost?

Pet sketches are printed on textured fine art paper, and you can choose from the following 3 sizes:

Small - 8" x 10" - £24.95
Medium - 10" x 12" - £37.45
Large - 12" x 15" - 49.95

Postage is calculated automatically at checkout.

After proofing - once you're happy with the result - I then print and post your pet sketch portrait to the address you entered when ordering with PayPal.

How long does it take to create a pet sketch portrait?

This depends on my current workload, however normally 2 weeks is needed. If you are in a rush, and you need it sooner, just ask me and I'll see what I can do.

If you're thinking of ordering a pet sketch portrait as a christmas gift please bear in mind I am likely to be fully occupied with orders! Please place your order earlier in the year to ensure I can create your portrait.

Can you make alterations to my photo before creating my pet sketch?

Sure! I can edit your photo before starting the sketch. I can also create composites of a number of animals or subjects. For example, say, create a sketch with a human owner as well as a pet from 2 different photos.It might cost a bit extra - just give me a shout if you want a photo makeover.

Do you print on canvas?

At the moment I print on quality textured fine art paper which is:

* Acid free to preserve your pet sketch portrait
* 100% cotton rag for long term durability
* White surface for vivid colour and line reproduction
* Textured surface for a true artistic appearance
* 225 g/m2 basis weight

I will be developing a canvas option in the near future.

How is my pet sketch packaged and delivered?

Your print is sent rolled and sealed in bubble wrap in a strong postal print tube so it gets to you safely. UK orders are sent by Royal Mail First Class which should be delivered within 48 hours. Overseas orders are sent by Air Mail and take up 5 working days.

Do you supply frames with your pet sketch portraits?

No. As fine art prints are usually framed with a mount under glass I only post out the finished print rolled in a strong postal tube. I do this for the obvious reason - glass breaks!

It also makes more sense that the customer chooses a suitable frame to please their own taste.