Celebrate your pet with a custom etching
Contributed by Mandi Pratt, Greyboy Pet Portraits
Your favorite furry face - you want to hold him forever but his years are just too short. You want to be able to gaze at your best friend’s face every day so you can remember him far, far into the future.
I’ve had pet photography clients tell me they wished they had professionally photographed their past pets too. For so long, I wished I could help them with that. I’ve finally figured out a way to turn their own pet photos and digital images from the past into handmade works of art using the printmaking process. My artist Grammy encouraged me years ago to explore printmaking, which I did. These custom pet etchings I create help clients remember past pets as well as current companions in an artful, special way.
I believe the tangible has gotten lost in a digital world. How many cute pictures of that favorite furry face are on your phone or desktop that you’ve done nothing with? Yep - me too. In fact, I finally crafted an etching for myself recently of my original baby: my kitty Jake, nicknamed “Greyboy.” His etching has something special in it which I’ll mention in a minute.
Most snapshots/phoneshots aren’t usually wall-worthy on their own, but by using the traditional techniques from the art of printmaking with metal plates and a printing press, your favorite pet companion is honored in a handcrafted elegant piece of art that will compliment any decor.
What Is An Etching?
I launched this very special product in 2015 to my own pet photography clients and they fell in love! Most people describe their etchings as having a vintage and ethereal feel to them. They usually purchase them as gifts or desire one for themselves to remember a special moment with their buddy or just to enjoy that favorite fuzzy face everyday.
You can read more details about the etching process and see before and after examples of snapshots to fine art on my website: www.GreyboyPetPortraits.com
How Are Etchings Made?
Commissioning an etching starts with a client simply emailing an image to me that I prepare (crop, lighten, etc.). That image is printed to transparency paper and burned to a metal plate with just the right amount of sunlight. The plate is carefully inked and paired with Italian fine art paper and then pressed though my printing press. I lift the paper to see what treasure has emerged onto the creamy paper! It is then dried overnight, signed, matted and wrapped in signature packaging to delight!
Sometimes people get stuck on choosing “THE image,” but I just tell them to send me a collection of their favorite photos of their pet companion for me to choose the best candidate for an etching. Usually, any photo can be used as long as it’s in focus.
Remember Pets Who Have Passed
Earlier I mentioned creating an etching of my Greyboy. I experimented with his etching because I wanted to see if I could add my kitty’s ashes to the ink (just a smidge) and have the print still turn out nicely. It did! So, now when I look at that etching of him on my wall, I know it’s a way to really have him with me. I now also offer to include a paw print, lock of fur, and dog or kitty tag as well.
I’m so excited to be able to offer a handmade, artful solution for remembering our companion pets, even from a client’s own snapshot!
Go hug your 4-legged best friend, celebrate what great companions they are and let’s print those images!
GreyboyPetPortraits.com
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