2nd Annual Christmas Gifts Festival - AJ Emm

WOOF!!! My first guest artist this year is AJ Emm:

I’m AJ Emm, and I’m a dog-aholic.

I’m also an artist, so it’s not really a big surprise that I’d end up specializing in pet portraits; more of a natural progression. It started a few years ago – I was testing out Illustrator to see what I could do with it and ended up with a portrait of a friend’s Chihuahua, Zelda – and it all grew from there. Now, I spend my days working on commissioned portraits of furry (or feathered, or scaly!) loved ones, both past and present, and I couldn’t love it more.
 

"AJ Emm Prints"
Credit: AJ Emm - Used by Permission

Every pet is special, and I strive to capture the unique traits of each individual pet when I work on these illustrations. I always ask for a number of photos of pets to work from – the more, the better! – and my digital illustrations are hand-drawn (no cheesy digital filters here) using a variety of references to capture the unique markings and expressions of each pet.

"AJ Emm Drawing"
Credit: AJ Emm, Used by Permission

I think that part of the beauty of an illustration (aside from having fun artwork to hang in your house, of course) is that there are no restrictions – anything is possible! There’s no stress for nervous or reactive dogs, who might be too uncomfortable to sit for a photographer. Pets who don’t always get along (like my own cat and dog!) can be drawn into a portrait together. Past and present pets can sit side-by-side, even if they never had a chance to meet. The possibilities are endless!

"Dolly"
Credit: AJ Emm

Each order consists of one signed 8x10” print, shipped free worldwide, and a high-resolution digital file. (Other print sizes are available on request, as well!) Please feel free to have a look at my website, www.TheArtofAJ.com, for pricing and ordering information. (If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for the pet lover in your life, please place your order as soon as possible – I can’t guarantee delivery on time for orders placed after December 1st at the absolute latest!)

"Max and Patches"
Credit: AJ Emms

Thank you to Noah, Allen, and all the readers at From The Dogs Paw for having me here today! It’s been fun!

- AJ Emm