Pet Portraits by Levi Morris- My Experience

Have you ever thought of getting a portrait of your pet? It is THE perfect way to commemorate your best friend. If you're anything like me then you know that pets aren't just pets, they are family and that we will always share a deep connection with them and carry them in our hearts. So just like you put up your family photos on display in your home, your pets are just as important to display. This is the reason why pet portraits are a great thing. The best part is that you can have your painting customized to your liking. You can choose the colors, sizing, props, preferred  picture, and pretty much anything else in between!

This is Levi Morris and his cute dog Cashew. He is the wonderful artist who painted a very special and meaningful painting of my dear Bentley. I will share with you my experience of having a custom pet painting done and my thoughts regarding the process.

My experience communicating with Levi was delightful. We communicated by email and he asked me my preferences and if I had a particular photo of Bentley that I would like to have painted. Eventually we settled with this photo of Bentley for him to recreate. It's a photo I took a while back with Bentley wearing a pearl necklace. It's simple but to me it represents the regal nature of Pit Bulls so it does have a strong significance for me. It shows how these dogs are so misunderstood because, like Bentley, they can be so calm and delicate, just like the pearls she's wearing around her neck. Pearls are found in the depths of the ocean, hidden away inside shells that must be found, opened, and polished. They are elegant and timeless, and special just like my Bentley!

I honestly thought it would take a few weeks for the painting to be completely so I patiently waited and to my shock, Levi emailed me not even a week later with the completed portrait. That's right, just 5 days later and the painting was done. He asked me if there were any changes that I would like to have made but I loved it. I received the painting 2 days later, so in total, it took a week to receive! The resemblance is truly amazing. It looks exactly like the photo. The shading and lighting are beautiful and it is such a joy to know that I will have this piece to commemorate Bentley for the rest of my life. I'm already imaging showing my grandchildren and telling them all about her. 

So here are my final thoughts

1. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

2. Do you like the painting? I love it!

3. Would you recommend getting your pet painted? Well obviously, that's why I wrote this blog!

 

About Levi Morris 

Levi Austin Morris is a visual artist, actor, and activist originally from Minnesota.  He was raised in a very eccentric home with five older siblings and up to four dogs (more, if any strays wandered over.) After graduating college, Levi relocated to Los Angeles, California. He currently resides in Koreatown and lives with his partner of four years and their adorable pup Cashew. Music is a huge influence on Levi's artistic work and can really determine the emotive quality of a piece. Levi is currently obsessed with Sia! 

You can see more of his work and order your own pet painting via his Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/lmorris87 

He will answer all of your questions and concerns and work with you to create the perfect pet portrait for you. 

You may contact Levi directly by email at : 

Leviaustinmorris@gmail.com

DIY Dog Art For Under $3

If you're like me and you're a bit obsessed with your dog and a huge DIY lover then you will absolutely love this easy project that cost me less than $3 to make. Yup that's right, less than $3!

This literally took no more than 10 minutes and now I have a wonderful picture of Bentley to hang in my home. 

Supplies

2 Pieces of thick colored paper. (I found some at Jo-ann Fabric and Craft Store for .79 each )

1 Picture Frame ( Got this one for $1 at Dollar Tree)

Scissors

Glue

Directions

The first thing you need to do is find or take a good picture of your dog with a white background like this one I took of Bentley.

Then you need to take the picture and use any photo editing software either on your phone or computer to make the picture Black and White.

(On my phone I use the app Aviary and on my computer I use  BeFunky . Both are very easy to use.)

Now that you have your black and white picture it's time to choose your color scheme. I chose a bright pink and neon green for a pop of color. I decided that I would like my background to be green and my main subject, Bentley, to be in pink.

Put the paper color which you chose for your subject into the printer and print out the black and white picture onto it. 

Now grab those scissors and cut out your subject and glue the peice onto the background.

Now the hard part is done. All that's left is to place your image into a picture frame and Voila, you are done! Easy Right? Now you'll be able to create all sorts of fun art to hang all over your home!