If you’re planning a pet portrait, especially one to be printed on canvas, incorporating a seasonal theme is a great way to add color and interest. With the fall and winter holidays approaching, Christmas might be the first theme that comes to mind, but don’t ignore the other holidays of the season. More and more, people are appreciating Thanksgiving as a holiday that has all of the food and togetherness of Christmas, but almost none of the stress. Thanksgiving is a perfect day for doing nothing but eating, napping and playing, so it stands to reason it would make a perfect theme for a photo portrait of your cat. While dogs might give cats a run for their money in the eating and playing department, when it comes to napping, kitties are the hands-down champions.
While you might be tempted to dress Rover up in a black pilgrim’s hat and musket for a Thanksgiving portrait, it’s an urge you should resist with Fluffy. Cats have a natural dignity that is foreign to most dogs, and, unlike them, tend to be insulted when you try to adorn them with silly hats. Though where Thanksgiving is concerned, I should probably note that this ‘natural dignity’ will fly completely out the window should you leave the half-eaten carcass of your turkey out in an accessible area. I distinctly remember one Thanksgiving where my Uncle Ronald’s cat, Oliver, ate his way inside an unattended turkey and was discovered trapped beneath the wishbone when my cousins went to the kitchen for a sandwich. Much to Oliver’s consternation, his embarrassing predicament was indeed captured on film, and while it’s not the sort of thing most people would want to stage for a portrait, it does offer some ideas.
Allow your cat – just this once – on top of the table after everyone has eaten but before the dinner plates have been cleared away. A photo of Miss Kitty licking her chops and looking pleased with herself while surrounded by the remains of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie would make both a one-of-a-kind portrait and an amusing memento. Football is another welcome diversion of the season, so why not use a jersey from your favorite college or pro football team as a background for your cat’s photo? Drape it over the back of your sofa or a chair and wait for Kitty to come investigate. (Since cats always want to be where they’re not wanted, shooing her away from it once should guarantee her continued interest. If she resolutely ignores it, however, try sprinkling it with a little catnip. If that fails, break out the leftover turkey.) Another idea would be to use your own family as a backdrop. Nothing says ‘Thanksgiving’ quite like a sofa-full of groggy relatives napping after dinner with a contented kitty curled up amongst them.
There’s hardly a more familial holiday than Thanksgiving, and if you consider your cat to be a member of your family, then a Thanksgiving theme would be perfect for a portrait of your feline friend. If you need any pointers, call us at (888) 784-5553 or email us from our website www.canvaspress.com and Canvas Press will be glad to help.
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Karen from CanvasPress.com
