The painting of your pet will be a one-off - a unique representation of the animal you love. But naturally I will need a good photograph to base my painting on. In fact I prefer a number of photographs to really capture the essence or him or her.

If you are able to take some photographs for the painting, here are a few helpful tips:

• Go outside - try to use natural daylight rather than flash photography.
• Light from the side is usually better than directly in front.
• If you do use flash, use the anti red eye setting if you have one.
• Get down to your pet's level. Looking down from above is rarely a flattering viewpoint.
• Take plenty of pictures - it's always better to have lots to choose from rather than too few.