A Sweet Sixteen!

I've been painting pet portraits steadily for the last five years (and as a side-business for the five years prior to that). Most of my work has come to me through word of mouth, and repeat customers.

In the last year or so, orders have slowed. I figured it was time to try something new.

This past October and November, I purchased a booth in two local craft fairs. My booth consisted of several sample portraits, and I brought my painting tools consisting of a Mac Studio and a Wacom Cintiq painting monitor. An additional monitor facing the aisle was set to mirror the activity on my Wacom as I painted demo portraits all day long.

Needless to say my demo set-up attracted a lot of interest. People gathered around the aisle monitor in fascination as I digitally painted. Some people weren't content to watch the mirrored monitor, and squeezed in behind me and watched over my shoulder.

I didn't mind that at all. They were all very nice. A few questions were asked and I happily answered them.

The fact is I love doing these portraits and I also love to talk with people about their pets. Just about everyone had a story which they shared as I painted.

As a result of those two shows, my November was filled with portrait orders, nearly all of which were intended as Christmas gifts. Orders kept pouring in right up to my November 23 order deadline (and even a few days after).

When the orders were completed, I had finished sixteen portraits in the span of five weeks, just about one every two days.

Sixteen portraits!

Here they are (one portrait must remain secret – at the request of the customer):

The Sweet Sixteen (including a shy one)