Our Pets
To most people, our dogs and other pets really are a part of the family and we treat and dote on them just like we would anybody else that we love dearly. I personally have more photographs of my dogs dotted around the house than I do of my family members, and I am sure I am not the only one!
Dogs, and pets in general bring so much joy and unconditional love into our lives that it is natural to want to celebrate and showcase the amazing bond that we have with them in a visual way and as sad as the fact may be, it is the case that our pets simply don’t live for as long as we would like them to. They are gone all too soon and being able to remember them in a unique and beautiful way can often help the healing process and keep their memory alive in our lives.
These are the reasons that so many pet owners seek out to professional artists to help turn their living and lost companions into forever illustrations that can take centre stage on a wall or shelf in their home. Pet portraits make excellent gifts for birthdays and Christmas and if done correctly, a portrait of a lost pet can bring peace and joy to the owners for many years.
Classic Pet Portraits
Leah Knecht is the stunning artist at Classic Pet Portraits who creates oil and pastel portraits of dogs and other much loved pets. Leah has a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from the Center College of Pasadena, CA, where she graduated with distinction and over 15 years experience of working in the creative field. Leah lost 2 dogs of her own within a short space of time and the commemorative portraits that she created have given her many years of pleasure and comfort, hence her decision to create Classic Pet Portraits and offer this same level of comfort and joy to other pet owners.
Leah uses traditional methods of oil painting, which starts with a sketch and then blocking in general tones, which establishes the light and dark areas. She then adds a background to the painting and finishes by adding the details and texture. In Leah’s own words, the classic difference in her style of painting is “I paint in the time-tested techniques of the Old Masters of the Renaissance, using only high quality, lasting materials, and each portrait is completed to my clients satisfaction. I strive to capture the personality of your pet or loved one.”
![Maggie by Leah Knecht]( "Maggie by Leah Knecht")
Review
There are many pet portrait artists available today and a quick Google search will bring up tens of thousands of choices, but The Dog Express has been blown away by the stunning, realistic and beautiful artwork created by Leah Knecht. The many customer testimonials on Leah’s website speak for themselves and you only have to look at some of the gallery portraits we have added below to be amazed by her paintings.
Not only does Leah capture the life and personality of each pet that she paints, but she also adds depth and background to her paintings that makes them stand out and come alive on the canvas. Having a piece of artwork of your pet is an amazing gift to have, but when that pet is no longer with you and you have one of Leah’s stunning recreations of them, it can offer a level of comfort and joy that not many other artists could reproduce for a pet owner.
The Classic Pet Portrait website is equally as beautiful and so easy to navigate. Any and all questions that a potential customer could have about the painting process, the artist, prices and previous artworks, have been answered in full on the site and the level of detail and elegance afforded to Leah’s paintings is also present in the design and layout of the website, showing a true professional in all aspects.
Gallery
The best way for any of our readers to see the stunning artwork that Leah and Classic Pet Portraits creates, is to look at the gallery and past commissions and we have added just a few of our favourites below. Despite us being The Dog Express, we know that some of our followers also own cats and so we have added a couple of Leah’s cat portraits as well.
The first painting below shows the before photographs provided by a customer and Leah’s recreation of these 2 beautiful dogs. This really does show the true level of perfection, realism and beauty in Leah’s paintings and just how close to the actual photos the finished paintings are.
Our Verdict
This review verdict has to be the easiest 10/10 that we have ever or will ever give on The Dog Express. Leah’s paintings are simply stunning and all of The Dog Express team members already know were they will be going for their Christmas presents this year! We are amazed by the quality and creativity shown in all of the Classic Pet Portrait paintings and know that our many thousands of readers and social media followers will be interested in what Leah has to offer.
These timeless, classic paintings will give years of joy to you as a pet owner, whether your beloved animal is still with you or not. If you have a photo of your pet and are looking for a way to immortalise them forever, or you are thinking of a suitable gift for a pet lover, there really is no better way than to commission one of Leah’s paintings.
We really are advocates of those who create new and original ways to keep our pets alive and Classic Pet Portraits does just this.
Classic Pet Portraits Details
