Get to know…
The Artist
Casper
Shortreed
Hey, I’m Casper! That’s Logan on my shoulders. For my entire life I’ve loved two things intensely: animals and art. Naturally, animals are my favourite subject to draw. I think living in the pacific northwest of Canada my entire life is largely responsible for my appreciation of flora and fauna. I grew up surrounded by nature, and always with at least one pet, but usually more, by my side. Constant companionship with animals and creating is what keeps me going.
Being able to offer my artwork of other people’s pets is very close to my heart, because I know how much they mean to their human counterparts. Often, pet portrait commissions are to commemorate an animal that has passed away. Knowing how heartbreaking it is to lose a pet, I hope I can help my clients find peace and something to help them cope with that absence with my artwork. It’s an honor to be trusted with a pet’s memory.
The Art
Taeo
Timelapse
Curious how I paint your pet digitally? Here’s a sped-up video showing the process of my grandmother’s late cat Taeo’s painted portrait. Taeo was my first subject to paint the way I do for my commissions, so she lives on as a sort of mascot for my studio. For her portrait, I drew it entirely digitally in procreate on my ipad. Lately, I’ve been enjoying mixing mediums and sketching traditionally on paper, then finishing digitally— so you may receive a picture of a sketch on paper during the process!
As for my art in general, I have had some art school experience scattered throughout my near thirty years alive, but generally my artistic skill has been built up over time with lots of self driven studying, practice, and passion.
The Animals
Casper’s
Creatures
Since animals are so vital to my life and the reason I run this studio, I thought it fitting to showcase my own pets! I spend majority of my time with my animals, and because I’m on disability, majority of the money I earn via commissions goes directly toward taking care of them. It’s only fair you get to meet the benefactors and muses of my work!
I love to sketch my own pets often, so I’ve included their various drawings on their pages as well.