Hand drawn, graphite portraits of your beloved animals
Lovingly hand drawn using graphite pencils for a timeless keepsake of your pet
About Bucks & Barks
My name is Samantha and I am based in Cookham, near the Bucks and Berks border in the UK (see what I did there...!). I am a huge animal lover and a proud servant to my horse, two dogs and two cats. I started out drawing a picture of my own beautiful Weimeraner, Marley, and quickly found a love for creating beautiful keepsakes for many other pet owners. It is such an honour to be able to bring joy to people through art.
I have been fortunate to accept commissions from all over the world. There are many different reasons people get in touch. Some drawings are to remember a lost pet, some a gift for a loved one. Sometimes I am asked to bring together subjects from different photographs or because sadly the animals can no longer be photographed together.
Whatever the reason, I always pour heart and soul in to my drawings to create something that I hope really means as much to the recipient as it ends up meaning to me.
The stars of the show
I have drawn many dogs and horses, the odd cat and even a fish. I have also drawn portraits of family members for clients which has always been really special but I tend to do very few of these as I like to focus on the furry members of the family.
The Process
It's important to me to find out a few details about the animal, why you would like to drawing done and whether or not you need it for a specific date in case of it being a gift.
It's also vitally important to get the photos right, for a better idea of what that means, have a quick look at the photograph section below!
Once it's all confirmed I for will ask for a 50% deposit then I get to work! I will send picture updates as the drawing progresses. Upon completion I will send a range of photographs so that any minor adjustments can be made. When you're satisfied with the finished piece, I ask for the balance to be paid and then I ship it securely with more fragile stickers than is probably necessary.
Gift Vouchers
A pet portrait makes an incredibly special gift for any occasion. For anyone who maybe doesn't have any photographs or perhaps doesn't know which one the recipient would like best, gift vouchers are a fantastic option.
Get in touch to find out more.
Photographs
What makes a good photograph?
This very handsome man is a wonderful example of an ideal photograph. He is in good natural light, no shadows and really high resolution which means I can zoom in and see the tiniest details.
It's really important to get the the animals personality in the photograph, get down to their level and use any of their favourite things to attract their attention.
These photographs are tricky to use, the first in direct sunlight means that a lot of detail is missing. The second is too dark so again is missing a lot of detail. The third is out of focus and is not showing him in all his splendour.
It's truly a privilege to receive commissions and create these unique drawings for people. The greatest gift is being able to see or hear about people's reaction to these drawings so do get in touch as that's the best bit!!
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