Jess Kerr | artist
Pet Portrait Gallery
This is a selection of the pet portraits I have had the pleasure of painting.
To give a view into my process and the experience you can expect to receive when commissioning a portrait by me, I have included some of the behind the scenes processes and photo versus painting images, as well as reviews from the owners.
Click on any painting in the gallery to see a larger version.
“OMG Jess this is absolutely stunning!…
You have done a fabulous job, I’m over the moon with this portrait.”
“OMG Jess this is absolutely stunning!…
You have done a fabulous job, I’m over the moon with this portrait.”
- Amanda, Rambo’s owner
Rambo
Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 12”
Rambo is a 1 year old reverse brindle American Staffordshire Terrier. He’s a huge hit at his local park and always keeps an eye out for his dog friends, and lick saved up for their owners!
He is the “big” little brother to a household of four cats (Rufus, Bella, Tiger and Heath-Braxton) and goes almost everywhere with Tiger at his side.
Rambo’s adventures with his friends can be followed via his social media page on instagram - @r_a_m_b_o_the_brindle_staffy
Pictured: Time-lapse video showing the creation of Rambo’s portrait, and painting vs photo split pictures to show the likeness
Mr. Bear
Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 16”
Mr. Bear is a 2 year old Rottweiler whose mum describes their meeting as love at first sight, “He wouldn’t leave me alone, all he wanted was cuddles!”
At 60 kilos, rescue dog Bear is a big dog with a big heart - something I hoped to capture in his portrait with those expressive puppy-dog eyes that look straight into your soul, and of course not forgetting that famous rottie smile!
This was such a fun portrait to complete with the vibrant colours of his black and orange fur and the challenge of capturing the gloss on his coat.
You can find out more about Mr. Bear by checking out his social media page on instagram - @mr.bear_rescue
Pictured: Mr. Bear’s painting vs. photo combined with a time lapse video of the creation process for his portrait
“OMG!!! I love it!!!
…It just catches Bear’s smile amazingly!”
- Francesca, Bear’s mum
“OMG!!! I love it!!!
…It just catches Bear’s smile amazingly!”
Mother Puff and Child
Acrylic on canvas, 8” x 12”
These two sweet guinea pigs were the beloved pets of Nat; painted as a gift for her birthday.
This portrait is another example of two seperate photos being used to create a final composition. I combined the profile of the baby guinea pig which best showed off the colouring and tufts of fur, with a more face on image on Puff looking directly out at us with those intense, inquisitive eyes. The foreground of the navy bedsheet was kept the same, whilst a more simple background of sunflower yellow was used to help keep the focus on our subjects and bring them forward in the resulting image.
“I absolutely love this so much!”
- Nat, owner
“I absolutely love this so much!”
Pictured: the owner’s original photographs used as references to create the guinea pigs portrait; final images of the finished painting; and a painting vs. photo featuring Puff
Smudge & Champs
Acrylic on canvas, 16” x 16”
This double portrait was commissioned by Trevor in conjunction with a fundraiser for SAFE Inc, as a surprise Christmas present for his wife. Trevor wanted a painting of their two cats - Smudge (long hair) and Champs (short hair) - together on one canvas.
Pictured: reference photos as provided by client. As the client wanted the two cats together but we were working from seperate photos, I created a mock up of the placement (right) - a few versions were created to find the correct proportionate sizes of the two cats, and this composition became the reference image to create the painting
Mika
Acrylic on canvas, 14” x 14”
Whilst working on a fundraising event for SAFE Inc (a local animal rescue here in Western Australia), I came across this photo of the handsome Mika. His little face looking up at us through the camera cannot help but raise a smile, and the pose will be a familiar scene for many pet owners.
Mika sadly passed away very recently, and it was an honour to complete this memorial portrait for his mum.
Pictured: the reference photo that was used to create Mika’s portrait (shared with permission), and a photo split demonstrating likeness between painting vs. photo
“My mum said you got his expression perfectly and it made her tear up…
My boyfriend can’t believe it’s a painting because he says it’s too good!
My aunty said it’s gorgeous! … You’ve certainly captured my happy boy!”
- Kimese, Mika’s owner
“My mum said you got his expression perfectly and it made her tear up…
My boyfriend can’t believe it’s a painting because he says it’s too good!
My aunty said it’s gorgeous! … You’ve certainly captured my happy boy!”
Squeaker (second portrait)
Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 16”
This portrait was commissioned by Squeaker’s previous / co-owner, as a birthday gift for her daughter who originally chose Squeaker from a pet store when she was a little girl.
We chose a different pose for this one, showing Squeaker in full daylight, alert and looking out towards the garden. Whilst undeniably still her adult self, this portrayal more closely represents Squeaker as Anna would have most remembered her, full of life and the queen of her domain.
Right: Squeaker’s portrait framed in beautiful natural oak.
A speeded up video (condensing 11 hours of painting into under a minute!) is available to view on my social media pages.
Tambo
Acrylic on canvas, 16” x 16”
Tambo is the much loved furbaby of Karina and Dave. He has the most incredible patterned coat I have ever seen, and it was an absolute joy to paint him!
Below is a series of progress photos showing the development of Tambo’s
portrait, from the initial underpainting through to the finished piece.
“Absolutely nailed it. Magnificent.”
“Absolutely nailed it. Magnificent.”
“OMG! You are so amazing! Those eyes… You have his fur colours to
perfection!
- Dave & Karina, Tambo’s owners
“OMG! You are so amazing! Those eyes… You have his fur colours to
perfection!”
Squeaker
Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 16”
Squeaker’s portrait was a memorial portrait and is part of my personal collection.
Our tortoiseshell cat was almost 19 years when it was time to say our goodbyes in 2020. I painted this portrait as a way to honour her memory.
She had a very gentle nature, with huge expressive eyes which I wanted to portray in this painting of her.
I chose a reference with her looking straight at the camera, and the result is that when we look at this painting it really feels like she’s still right here with us.
On the right is one of my “photo versus painting” pictures, which helps to demonstrate how much care I take in achieving a true likeness of the subject.
Major
Acrylic on canvas, 12” x 16”
Major is an American Staffordshire Terrier / American Pitbull who lives in California, USA with his mum Jamie.
“OMG I love it more and more
every time you post. You are so amazing!”
- Jamie, Major’s owner
“OMG I love it more and more
every time you post. You are so amazing!”
Below: Wispa and Willow posing with their portraits after they came back from the framers
Wispa and Willow
Acrylic on canvas, 8” x 10”
Wispa and Willow are half sibling Burmese kittens, born one month apart and raised together.
These portraits are part of my personal collection - Wispa (our chocolate boy) is my kitten, he’s our “unplanned” cuddly one and loves to curl up for snuggles. Willow (our lilac girl) is my husband’s kitten, we got her after we had to say goodbye to my husband’s 18 year old cat Mischief in 2019. Mischief had also been a lilac Burmese and in terms of character Mischief and Willow would have been like two peas in a pod!
© Jess Kerr | 2020