Commissioning a portrait of your beloved animal makes a fantastic gift or keepsake with a very personal touch. It will be and remain a unique and original record of a much loved pet that will stand the test of time.

I also offer a complete framing service for the paintings I produce if required.

If you are based outside the UK and would like a quote for a commission please contact me.

I work from photographs to create your painting or illustration, the photos need to be clear and show up detail. If you have sadly lost your animal I can view the photos you have and can advise if they are suitable to work from. It is better if you have a selection of photographs with your favourite one for the portrait indicated. If you would prefer a different background to the one on the photograph this is not a problem, plain backgrounds are also popular as they allow the viewers attention to be drawn exclusively to the animal. If you cannot decide or are unsure which is most suitable for your chosen photograph- I am here to help!

The name of the animal can also be included in the painting.

I work in two different mediums- oils paints onto canvas and pastels onto specialist paper. I use only high quality materials. For oils I offer traditional depth canvases which can be framed or a modern 3D canvas which has greater depth and can be hung straight onto the wall without framing- these give a portrait a modern twist.

Pastels give a very soft effect which many people enjoy, however a pastel painting is quite fragile and will need to be framed behind glass in order to protect the delicate surface.

If you are not sure which size, style of painting or medium would be best I can advise you on the options, custom sizes can also be made to order.

Turn Around times; Oil paintings take between 10-12weeks to complete at busy times, but are usually ready before this. Pastels take between 6-8 weeks

If you require the portrait for a specific date please let me know, for Christmas orders need to placed before 30th September to guarantee that your painting will be ready. Occasionally a space will become available after this date, so please do enquire if you have missed this dead-line.

You can use the online commission form and add JPEG images with your information- files should be no larger than 1MB each, you can email me enquiry@lesleyhowarth.co.uk or you can download a form from the downloadable forms section of my website and post your commission and photos to me- either prints or on CD- I strongly recommend that you send them special delivery.

No deposit is required you will be notified when the painting has been completed, at which point payment in full is due. I accept payment by cheque, postal order, or online using Paypal secure ordering system- once your painting is ready and before dispatch. You will be able to view photos of the finished painting before payment.

If you are not completely satisfied I can make minor alterations or the painting can be returned to me for a full refund.

Important note! If the photograph you wish to use for the pose for the portrait has been taken by a professional photographer you will need to get their written consent to use the photograph for this, as they will still own the copyright of the image.