petrockportrait

Here Are of Some of My Finished Rocks

2010-07-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have a wide variety of finished pet rocks to choose from.
If you are interested in a certain animal or would like to
have a special rock done, just let me know.

I have some insects like spiders, bees, and butterflies.

Household pets include cats, dogs, hamsters, gerbals,
turtle, fish, bugs, frogs on lily pads, snakes, mice,
rabbits, hedgehog, butterfly.

Farm animals: horses, cows, pigs, lambs, chickens with
baby chicks, roosters, geese, ducks.

Big Cats: Cougar or Mountain Lion, Black Panther,
Cheetah, Male and Female Lion, and Tiger.

Canadian wildlife: wolf, fox, beaver, deer, skunk, squirrel,
Bears (black, brown, polar), penguin, raccoon.

Wild and Jungle Animals: Elephant, Monkey, Hippo, Giraffe,
Panda Bear, Kangaroo, Koala Bear

Tucan, Parrot, Eagle, Owls, Falcon, Puffin

Fish and Aquatic: Tropical fish, ducks, geese, Dolphin,
Turtles (sea and land) frogs and toads

Welcome to Pet Rock Portraits

2010-05-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, I'm glad you came to visit and see some of my realistic style art. I enjoy working with people to create a likeness of their favorite pet. They are able to keep it as a memory, on canvas, stone, framed board or even cement grave marker. This blog is an opportunity for me to share my love of animals and show you some of my art skills.

Painting on rock is an art form that can be learned and enjoyed by all ages. It's a fun hobby for me and I share it with many groups of people. The result is always unique and personalized. I can create gifts to suit each person. Some are friends, family or collectors of animals. Some are simply looking to preserve a cherished photo of a pet who is now gone, but was loved and part of their family.

The possibilities are endless when you think of all the animals, flowers, and insects that can be painted on a simple found rock. You only have to pick up a river rock and study its shape, to imagine all the possible things it could become. With some paint and a vision you can see so many things.

I gather rocks from fields, streams, walking trails, river beds and bring them home. It's best to gather those that are smooth, unusually shaped, or have very few cracks. This will mean less work when preparing them for painting.

I hope to inspire others who love animals and show how to create some wonderful, one of a kind gifts you can give to loved ones.

Please browse the posts and contact me if interested in having a pet portrait done, or if you wish to purchase something or want to have personal lessons on how to do your own pet portrait. Click on my profile to send me an email.

Artist's Statement

2010-05-23T04:34:00.000-07:00

I started painting portraits of pets about 10 years ago. At first I practiced using photos of animals in books and personal images of my own cat, to create samples of how a pet could be displayed on a rock. The river rocks were free for the taking and I lived a block away from the river, where I walked daily. The different shapes are what determines the end product. Each is a solid work of art and can be customized.

Even as a child I was so excited to receive art supplies and kits for gifts. I could hardly wait to try them out to see what new creation I could fashion and build on any surface I found.

I enjoy making my own templates and stencils to be used over and over again on many different surfaces. I've painted on cloth for napkins, curtains, place mats, and canvas floor mats. Wood is easy to decorate too. Furniture, boxes, window planter boxes, mail boxes and shelves can be customized for any decor. Metal cans, mailboxes, bed headboards, terra cotta pots and many other household items can be painted to suite your room.

I've also painted a few wall murals in the past 10 years to express my own style and love for color. I use many elements, shapes, and textures to convey a message. I have always used art to create many different things. I taught classes for Macreme, which is the use of cord or rope tied into decorative knots. My other hobbies have included soap making, candle making, knitting, crochet, jewelry making, gardening, cement molds, growing flowers for drying to use in crafts, flower arranging and making potpourri.

Feel free to browse the pages here and contact me if you are interested in having your own pet painted on a rock. Visit MY PROFILE here on my blog to send me an email and include a photo of the pet. I will get back to you with a price quote according to your individual request.

Thanks
Tina Christensen

Prices and Quotes

2010-05-23T04:08:00.000-07:00

Price quotes for any size, type or style pet rock are available. Just email me a few choice photos of your desired pet and I'll look it over. Please specify if you would like the whole pet or just the head. I also need to know if you wish to have the pet lying, sitting, standing etc. The cost is estimated by the overall specifications, number of colors used and pose of the pet or pets on the finished portrait.

I do special custom orders to suite any budget or lifestyle. Two or more pets can be done on a large rock. Most of the rocks seen here on my blog are all for sale too. If you see one you'd like just contact me and I'll let you know the size and price info.

General Prices

These prices will give you an idea of how much a pet rock will cost for the painting only. Shipping will be added to this (it is usually an additional $10) price paid by the customer.

AVERAGE TOTAL COST WITHOUT SHIPPING
These start at 2 inches and go up. The larger the rock, the more you pay.

0 to 1 LB. rock $8
1 to 2 LB. " $12-$15
2 to 3 LB. " $20-$25
3 to 5 LB. " $30-$40

Household pets that rock

2010-05-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

Jungle and popular Zoo Animals

2010-05-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Bears on parade

2010-05-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

Some of the most fun and well liked pet rocks are bears.

Birds you won't have to feed or cleanup after

2010-05-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Owls, eagles and tucan can be done easily on the
whole rock. They are fun to do with children.

Wild Animals Make the Best Petrocks

2010-03-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Canadian wildlife

Creepy, Crawly and Aquatic

2010-03-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Frogs, snakes, fish, and bugs of all kinds can be a fun
project to do with even young children.

Pet Rocks Also Live on the Farm

2010-03-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

Cats and Dogs Are Popular

2010-03-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

Custom portraits of pets from photos are very popular with both
cat and dog lovers. Clients who want a portrait done of their
pet should supply two or more photos for my reference. Allow
me one or two weeks after submitting the photos to complete
your pets portrait. Also state what size rock you desire and
if you want the entire pet or just the head.

Here are some examples of finished petrockportraits of cats

Here are some examples of finished petrockportraits of dogs

Pet portrait

2010-03-05T10:02:00.000-08:00

This is a sample of how a family pet like a dog can be
painted on a plaque. I also do them on cement stepping
stones for placing outdoors as grave marker memorials.
I do indoor portraits on walls, ceramic tiles, or on
slate too.

Good Luck Symbols

2010-03-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

This symbol, called the UDJAT EYE, is still very popular
in Egypt, and is believed to give the person who wears
and keeps it close good luck and good health. I came
across it in a book about King Tut and ancient Egypt. They
found 20 items of jewelery in his tomb with this
symbol on it to send him off safely and perhaps
bring him back in another life.

Even today it's worn as a design on bracelets, rings,
belts, earrings etc. Egyptians used to decorate the
dead because they also believed it would restore the deceased to life.

Pet rocks are kid friendly

2010-03-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

Children can paint their own pets on rock in the form of artistic
and cute little bugs, frogs and turtles.

Pet Rock "Big Cats"

2010-02-25T17:31:00.000-08:00

The BIG CATS are a favorite. I paint lion, cougar, panther, cheetah,
leopard, and tiger. Here are a few samples.

Step by step - Painting a Pet Rock

2010-02-18T16:32:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a pet rock and thought I would share the process with others who may be curious about how I go about transforming a rock into an animal. Below are some basic supplies I use to start out. I use a wire brush to clean it well after rinsing the rock in soapy water. Scrape off any debris before filling holes. Holes
and cracks are filled with spackling compound and left to dry overnight. I use fine sandpaper to sand the filled areas and then proceed to draw the outline of the animal with pencil.

This rock will be a male lion. This is how it looks after patching some of the holes, cracks and any low spots that may be a problem. I fill the areas that will have the most details painted on them ( like face and any surface on front ) and leave the bottom and back of the rock as natural as possible.

After I have sanded the patched areas smooth, then I draw with pencil for the placement of face and other body elements. Next step is to outline the pencil with watered down black or dark brown acrylic paint. These areas will be the shadows.

Next I start painting the hilites with a light gold. A burnt sienna is used for the main body fur color. By the way this rock will be painted all over, on all sides and bottom. If a rock is nice and smooth I paint the whole thing all over. If it is rough then I usually just paint on the best side.

Now I start to add some of the fur details on the face. I start with the darkest brown and will gradually add layers of lighter browns and golds. Using a fine liner brush is the best way to achieve realistic fur.

After doing many layers, gradually adding yellow, then white to the hilite areas, I finish off with white. When it is complete and I am happy with the colors, I apply 2 or 3 coats of water based sealer to the entire surface.

Here is the finished lion.