How to grid a pet portrait from a client photo

Start by asking which photograph and crop the client approves. Pet photos are often taken close to the face, and a casual screenshot can change the crop or scale. Save the original file, create one deliberate working crop, and leave enough border to see the animal’s silhouette. A close head study needs enough divisions to locate eye line, ear bases, nose, and chin; a full-body pose needs fewer, broader landmarks first.

Rule the final support only after the printed reference has been checked at actual size. Transfer the outside silhouette, centre axis, and the large shadows before working on recognisable details. Compare the empty wedge between a cheek and ear, the gap below the collar, and the distance from a paw to the border. Those unfamiliar shapes tell you more about accuracy than a beautifully shaded eye.

When you pause, keep the unmarked photograph nearby. The grid proves placement; it does not tell you where a fur edge should dissolve or where a catchlight is brightest. Once the structure agrees, erase or fade the construction lines and let material choices carry the animal’s character.