Studio test · 11 October 2026

Real photos.
First previews.

Eight public photographs, chosen before painting. Every first outcome is here, including details that drift. Studio-run tests, not customer reviews.

How we chose and tested these photos

We chose one photograph for each challenge: black fur, long white fur, a long-haired cat, a grey muzzle, a shaded face, a puppy, a brindle coat and a side profile. The source needed a traceable reuse licence, one animal, no people and a shorter edge of at least 600 pixels. Two unsuitable profile candidates were rejected before painting.

Each received one Natural detail preview at A Gueliz Café Terrace through the live studio. We kept the first outcome; we did not regenerate to find a more attractive example. Any later correction is shown separately and never replaces that first result.

The setting, pose and any styled accessories can change. The photo supplies the animal’s identity. Observations below are our visual comparisons, without owner approval or a numerical likeness score. Eight selected cases cannot establish a success rate for other pets, photos or styles.

A black coat

A black Labrador lying on grass with amber-brown eyes, floppy ears and a bright yellow-green collar. — Original public photograph

First Natural detail preview: black Labrador at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The dark coat, amber-brown eyes, ear shape and yellow-green collar carry through.

The body changes from lying to sitting. Lighting changes the fur highlights; the source does not reveal every paw or the tail.

Photo: Jwrigh9. Source and licence. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY-SA 3.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

Long white fur

A seated white Samoyed with pointed ears, a black nose and an open-mouth smile. — Original public photograph

First Natural detail preview: white Samoyed at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The fluffy white coat, pointed ears, black nose and open-mouth smile carry through.

The head and muzzle proportions look different, and a red scarf is added by the selected composition. The older source is soft; exact eye detail cannot be verified.

Photo: Keetanii Tegan Larter. Source and licence. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY-SA 3.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

A long-haired cat

A long-haired dark tabby cat with green eyes walking in snow and holding a fluffy tail upright. — Original public photograph

First Natural detail preview: long-haired dark tabby cat at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: Green eyes, tabby facial markings, long fur and the upright fluffy tail remain visible.

The body is repositioned and a scarf is added. The lighting warms the coat, and the forehead markings and muzzle proportions are not exact copies.

Photo: Tomitheos. Source and licence. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY-SA 3.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

A grey muzzle

First Natural detail preview: older dark mastiff at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The grey muzzle, dark coat, resting pose and heavy facial folds remain visible.

The shape and spacing of the wrinkles differ, and some paw detail is inferred. This is our visual observation, not a judgement from this dog’s owner.

Photo: Rlink at English Wikipedia. Source and licence. Public domain. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY 4.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

A shaded face

A cocker spaniel with long copper ears and a greying muzzle photographed in shade. — Original public photograph

First Natural detail preview: copper-coated cocker spaniel at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The long dropped ears, copper coat and lighter muzzle carry through into the brighter setting.

The result adds sharper fur and eye detail that the shaded source cannot verify. A clearer source would give the studio more reliable information.

Photo: Msadp06. Source and licence. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY-SA 4.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

A puppy

A black, tan and white beagle puppy lying sideways on a red blanket, with a narrow white face blaze. — Original public photograph

First Natural detail preview: black, tan and white beagle puppy at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The narrow white blaze, tan eyebrow patches, dropped ears and white chest remain visible; the small puppy proportions carry through.

The head turns further toward the viewer and the tail is less visible. The source’s flash changes the apparent eye and nose colour, making an exact comparison uncertain.

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Pocketbeagle~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims).. Source and licence. Public domain. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY 4.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

A brindle coat

A standing grey brindle greyhound with dark stripes, folded ears, white hind toes and a white tail tip. — Original public photograph

First Natural detail preview: grey brindle greyhound at A Gueliz Café Terrace; watermark retained — First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The narrow muzzle, long-legged proportions, folded ears and brindle coat carry through.

The stripe shapes differ, and the distinctive white tail tip is hidden in the first preview. We requested one correction to make that detail visible; the first result stays here.

One corrected protected preview: grey brindle greyhound at A Gueliz Café Terrace — One correction: We asked to show the white tail tip and retain the small white hind-toe markings, grey brindle coat, long muzzle and folded ears. The first preview above is unchanged.

Photo: Blueskinbay. Source and licence. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY-SA 4.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.

A side profile

Original public photograph

First outcome · Natural detail · No correction

What we see: The rough fur, tan ear area and right-facing profile remain visible.

The head rotates slightly, and the chest and legs are inferred from a close-up source. The unseen side of the face cannot be validated from this photograph.

Photo: Andrew.brown.garcia. Source and licence. CC0. Resized for upload; no subject edits. Preview adaptation: CC BY 4.0. These reuse licences apply to these public test images.