Grooming from the Roots
Lilith Lux
Pet Revival USA
Creative pet grooming is much more than putting hair dye, feathers and pet bling on an animal. The professional pet stylist is an artist tapping into the unknown and realms of existence not otherwise seen in our reality. The end result is a beautiful translation of the deep connection shared between artist, animal and the imagination.
Start With A Concept Sketch
I always start with a concept based on the energy of the animal with the intention of making the world more beautiful and connected.
The animal's hair length, texture, porosity and natural hair color needs to be taken into account when transforming an animal's look and I always ask the pet for their permission before starting. It's best to avoid pets that are old, scared/aggressive or have health issues.
Sketch out your proposed creative grooming idea on paper to have a general concept and guideline that you can use as a reference.
Once you establish a connection with your pet you can begin painting the animal to flow with their energy. I love accentuating their natural body lines and anatomy for balance and proportion in my artwork.
iFashion.pet - Creative Grooming Collection Book 2020 Edition
Choosing Colors
When choosing colors its always best to apply hair dye colors that are darker than the pets natural color otherwise they may not show up. Its similar to drawing with crayons, i.e. pastel colors will not show up over browns, reds and black. Never use dyes that contain harsh chemicals or human bleach. Always use pet-friendly and/or vegan hair dyes for their safety. Such as OPAWZ pet grooming products which are both professional and safe to use on dogs.
Color Dye The Pet's Fur
Have your color set up in the bowls with brushes ready, gloves on, protective coverings on yourself and your area, an old towel nearby to keep your gloves clean and your design on hand for reference and you're ready to begin...
Once you have painted your pet with your completed design you will need to let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes so the color can deposit onto the hair shaft. The longer you leave it the more vibrant the color will be with 1 hour (from the time you finished applying all the color) being sufficient for an even color deposit.
As the color is staining the hair you will want to add a gentle and safe amount of heat from a human blow dryer for 10-15 minutes. Never let your pet sit in a kennel with heated air flow. Always do this step by hand for obvious safety precautions.
When you're ready to rinse your pet take extra care not to get any water or temporary color in their eyes, ears or nose. Use lukewarm/cool water and hypoallergenic shampoo to avoid stripping all the color work you've just completed.
Make sure your entire pet is washed and rinsed several times. You will know you are done in the bathtub when the soap bubbles and water run completely clear. Make sure you are thorough in this step otherwise you will risk transferring excess color onto clothing or furniture.
Now its time to blow dry and finish clipping the hair to finish the desired concept and design. The completed artwork can be a simple small design, an entire full body transformation or anything in between.
In any case, always make sure your pet is completely comfortable, safe and secure throughout the entire creative grooming process. Their health and safety should always be a top priority in any creative work and the entire process should be very calm and connected for both professional pet stylist and pet.
Good luck and thank you for contributing to a more connected and artistic expression of our shared experience with pets!
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