Petgem Portraits - Custom-Made Background

Truly Yours
Start afresh and make your portrait really special by having the sitter placed within a completely new
background that has been designed by you. Tell me all of your ideas, and show me what pictures you
have, and from us working together I will do my best to create it for you.

Below is an example of a Custom Made Background showing the design process that I go through from
the very first ideas, to the rough mockup, and finally to the finished picture. If you have any questions
at all, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time and I will do my best to help you.

This is the original snapshot of Ruffers that the owner sent me. Ruffers had died very suddenly and
unexpectedly, and this was the only photo that he had left, that he felt showed Ruffers' happy character.
Ruffers loved his daily bonio biscuit treats, and his romps along the beach, so the owner wanted to show
this and celebrate it in some way.

For the Rough Mockup I used the red colour and the bonio biscuit shape from the bonio box, to make the
background and picture frame for Ruffers to lay in. Every bonio biscuit has the word "bonio" impressed
across the centre, and I thought it would be nice to replace it with Ruffers' name to personalise it.
I also felt that a repeat pattern of diamond gem bonios on a velvet background would add a sense of
richness and splendour.

He wanted to add the phrase: "I'll 'ave that Bonio!" because that is what he would say to Ruffers to get
him all excited about his biscuit treat. He also wanted it written in the same font that was used for the
credits of the Pink Panther films that he loved.

I also did some picture research and tried out several beach backgrounds for Ruffers to lay on.
The owner chose his favourite grassy beach, and decided to get rid of the diamond gem bonios because
they seemed too girly!

For the finished picture I replaced the diamond gem bonios with real ones, making them look like part of
the fabric. I increased the height of the bonio frame to give Ruffers more space, and gave it a golden
bonio texture. I had to retouch Ruffers' body where fingerprint grease had damaged the surface, and
replace his flash-burnt out eyes with eyes from another dog of the same breed. The photo of the beach
had to be enhanced and the grass had to be re-painted over Ruffers' back leg, tail and chest to make it
look as if he is laying behind it. I made Ruffers' name look like it was pressed into the bonio, and made
the text phrase golden to match the bonio shaped frame. Shadows were added as a finishing touch.