ABOUT ME
My name is Caroline Hall and I'm a self-taught pet portrait and wildlife artist, albeit I owe a lot to my dad who taught me shape, shade, light, tone & perspective as a child.
I didn’t start out drawing dogs and other pets, or birds for that matter. My fascination as a teen was ‘dragons’ - always dragons. But then life happened - as it generally does to most people - and a bill paying career & family kept me busy and away from paper and pencil.
Then my paid work made me ill. Twice! The second time around, my husband (who, to be honest, whispered in my ear the whole of our married lives about re-kindling the artist in me) sat me down, told me to quit my job and convert our spare room into a studio! ‘You’re only here once’ he said, ‘spend it doing something you love, something that makes you happy’.
I didn't quite quit the rat race, but I moved to a new job and went part-time. I call it my early semi-retirement, and in my Friday musings in my sunny studio I discovered a love for drawing dogs in particular. Their faces exude so much of their character; usually ‘please love me’! But a few commissions later I realised I could turn my hand to capturing the likeness of lots of other animals.
And so up grew a sharing of my work on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram before I took the plunge to create a website. Not because I see this as replacing my ‘day job’, but because I love to draw. More-so, I love to create pieces of art for others to love and cherish – a reminder to you of a pet that brings/brought you great joy and unconditional love, immortalised in a moment in time.
Shakespeare said “the eyes are the windows to your soul”, and that’s where I begin with all my pet portraits. Having gazed so intently at them, by the time I’ve completed those precious peepers I feel a deep connection to the subject, and that motivates me to do my best to immortalise your beloved furry family member in an original one-off pencil (graphite, coloured or a mix of both) artwork.
You can also browse / buy my original and limited edition prints of wildlife drawings - there's a link at the end of this page or contact me for prints.
Gallery
Baby Animals Collection
Colour pencil on A4 Bristol Board (also available as limited edition prints)
Finch collection
A collection of A4 colour pencil drawings of finches available individually as limited edition prints or as original artworks where indicated
Colour pencil commissions
A sample of previous commissioned portraits - all are colour pencil on A4 Bristol board
Isabella
Brown Swiss dairy cow - colour pencil on A4 Clairefontaine Naturel paper (for sale)
Greeting Cards
A selection of some of my favourite drawings reproduced here as greeting cards. Blank inside for any occasion, sold individually or in packs of four.
Customer quotes
“Omg!!! The pictures have arrived and are even more amazing in the flesh . Absolutely stunning. Can’t believe how perfect they are. Totally adore both of them. Thank you so so much. Utterly delighted xxxxx.”
Jane C
“It's amazing, I love that you put the penguin in, it's her favourite toy!”
Braydon C
“OMG, that is amazing! Thank you so much.”
Johanna M
“Oh she is just coming alive! Lovely x.”
"This is beautiful, can't wait to see it framed. Fab thank u."
Tracey M
"I am lost for words, that is amazing, so life like!"
Dave C
“...that's a brilliant portrait and we are extremely pleased with it.”
Martin G
Pricing
If you are interested in any of the artworks displayed or if you wish to commission me to create a beautifully hand drawn portrait that captures your pets’ personality, please get in touch using the 'contact me' form.
For commissions, I will ask you to send me no more than 10 clear, well lit, in focus and close up photos of your pet(s), together with their name(s) and breed(s). I ask for a £20.00/subject non-refundable deposit and I will send you progress photos so you can be confident in the final portrait. I will send an image of the final drawing for your approval before requesting the balance to be paid. All drawings come mounted and wrapped in a protective cellophane sleeve and are sent by Royal Mail track and trace.
Limited edition prints may take time to obtain from the printers if I do not have any in stock.
If you wish to use any of my artworks as body art, please do get in touch for a tattoo permission release form.
| Item | Graphite | Colour pencil |
|---|---|---|
| Single subject A4 (12” x 16” when mounted) | £60.00 | £70.00 |
| Single subject A3 (16” x 20” when mounted) | £90.00 | £100.00 |
| Additional subjects | £25.00 each | £30.00 each |
| Limited edition prints (A4) | £25.00 | £25.00 |
| Tattoo permission release | £20.00 | £20.00 |
| Postage | £5.00 | £5.00 |
