How to Paint Your Pet's Portrait Tutorial

Last night I was inspired to paint Mister G's portrait.  

To paint your pet's portrait, you will need:

A copy of your favorite photo of your pet

Sharp scissors-- the tinier the better

Tape

Paper to paint on

Tracing Paper

Pencil

Paint

Paint Brushes

First, cut your pet's silhouette from your photo.

Then put a tiny rolled up piece of tape on his face and stick him on your paper.  

Choose your background color and use your pet's silhouette as a stencil.

Use the tip of your scissors or a toothpick to lift up the edge of your stencil and remove from the paper.

I needed a little help spacing out Mister G's eyes, nose, and mouth so I used tracing paper.  

Put a sheet of tracing paper over the photo of your pet.  Mark where your pet's eyes, nose, mouth, and other important features are.  

Line up the tracing of your pet on top of the painted silhouette.  Gently trace over the tracing to make soft marks on your paper.  Remove the tracing paper and sketch the features of your pet using the soft marks as a guide.  

Now you are ready to paint your pet!  Be patient and have fun!