VANESSA CHARLOTTE ART

Commissioning a custom pet portrait is a meaningful way to celebrate the bond you share with your animal. This post explains how the process works, how to choose the right reference photos, and what to expect from a professional artist. Whether as a gift or keepsake, thoughtful preparation leads to a portrait full of character.

Watercolour is a beautifully expressive medium for painting animals, but it can also be unforgiving. This guide explores ten essential techniques that help you paint fur, texture, and form with confidence. From soft wet-on-wet washes to fine dry-brush details, these methods will improve realism while keeping your work loose and natural.

Animal eyes are often the emotional focus of a portrait. This beginner-friendly guide breaks down how to paint realistic eyes in watercolour and acrylic, from accurate drawing to subtle highlights. Learn how layering, colour choice, and patience bring expression and life to your animal paintings.

I grew up in Birmingham, but here I am in Worcester still living in the same house we bought 28 years ago. At this point, the house and I are basically the same age emotionally. These walls know all our secrets. Within them we’ve lived out all our little (and not-so-little) life dramas: becoming parents, losing parents, losing jobs, starting new ones, and generally muddling our way through adulthood. Two adults somehow became three adults and a steady stream of furry companio