Immortalize your faithful friend and give them the recognition they deserve.
Custom Pet Portraits
Whether you’re looking for a unique gift from the heart, or would like a treasured keepsake of your special companion, past or present, then look no further. Bespoke pet portraits are wonderful keepsakes and make heartfelt gifts that will be treasured forever.
I create bespoke fine art portraits of humans and animals using a variety of materials. Artistic mediums include oil paint, soft pastels, colored pencils, and digital drawing techniques. All artwork is created with care and finished on the finest quality archival papers / canvas.
Pet portraits are created from your favorite photos of your beloved pet, and many long hours are spent ensuring that your portrait captures a physical likeness and unique personality. Please refer to my photo guide for photography tips.
Commissioning a Portrait
My commission book is currently open and I’m accepting orders for 2025
I’ve made commissioning a portrait as simple and straightforward as possible. Everything will be set out in writing and I will keep you updated every step of the way. Check out the steps below to see how it works.
If you reached this page, you are probably already familiar with my work, and have seen plenty of examples of my portraits. If you haven’t, please visit the gallery, or check out social media for daily updates of not only finished portraits, but works in progress too. You can find my Facebook here or Instagram here.
Mediums and Pricing
Deposit: A non-refundable 25% deposit is required prior to commencing work.
Additional Pets: Please see the price list for additional pet prices. If a price is not listed it is because the size of the artwork is not big enough to allow multiple pets. For more than three (3) pets in one artwork please contact me for a quote.
Full-Body Portraits: Prices listed are for bust artworks. For a full body portrait, an additional fee of 30% is required.
Shipping: Shipping is not included in the price list. A breakdown of all costs will be included in the invoice. You may ship to a PO Box, however be aware that the artwork is shipped flat and therefore may not fit in your PO Box.
Print Discounts: After you book your drawing and send me your reference photos, I may ask if you would accept myself (the artist) selling prints of your drawing. If you accept, you will receive a 10% discount on the price of the drawing (reflected in the final invoice). Your decision will not affect the final outcome of the artwork. All artwork receives the upmost care and attention. Not all commissions receive this request. Please do not factor it into your budget.
Colored Pencil Portraits
Example of a colored pencil portrait of a dog, 2021
Colored pencil drawings are a great way to the capture intricate details and soft texture of your pet. The colored pencils have a soft texture that grips to the tooth of the paper and allows a bit of the white to show through. This brightens up the drawing and gives it an “airy” or “luminescent” feel.
All colored pencil commissions are created on pastelmat board or illustration board and are sealed with a UV archival fixative that will prevent most yellowing and fading.
**8 x 10 inch (20x25 cm) portraits are available for dogs, cats, or other small pets only. Horses, cows, and in general anything weighing over 150 pounds start at the 9 x 12 inch (23x30 cm) size. This is due to the head shapes of larger animals requiring more room for the same level of detail. If you are unsure where your pet fits on this scale, please reach out.
Single Pet Portrait
8x10 in (20x25 cm)** — $200
9x12 in (23x30 cm) — $225
11x14 in (28x36 cm) — $325
12x16 in (30x35 cm) — $400
16x20 in (40x50 cm) — $550
Below is a helpful guide for how the final size will appear when hung above an average 70 inch couch.
Pet Photo Guide
Take your time in choosing the perfect photo for your pet portrait. I can not emphasize enough the importance of sourcing high quality photos in order to get the most out of your portrait. In essence, the higher quality reference photo you provide, the better your portrait will be in terms of detail and clarity.
Take your time in choosing the purrrfect photo for your pet portrait. I can not emphasis enough the importance of sourcing high quality photos in order to get the most out of your portrait. In essence, the higher quality reference photo you provide, the better your portrait will be in terms of detail and clarity.
To summise, the best photos will be:
Sharp
Focused
high resolution
have soft lighting
They will display details such as coat direction, catchlight in the eyes, nose texture and accurate coat colour. These essential details are often lost with lower resolution images.
QUALITY
Digital DSLR cameras take the best photos, but if you don’t have access to one, many modern phone cameras are capable of taking high quality photos now a’days.
Whatever device you use, ensure the camera resolution is set to High and the lens is clean and unscratched, this is especially important when using mobile devices.
LIGHTING
Natural light is always best so either go outside (overcast days are better than sunny days, which can cast hash shadows) or stand next to a bright window or open door. Position yourself with the light source (sunshine or bright window) behind you and have your pet facing towards the light, this allows you to catch wonderful light reflections in their eyes.
AVOID FLASH
Using a flash can create bright flares and red-eye effects in the animal’s eyes as well as harsh shadows. It can also make white or black fogs coats appear dull and lifeless.
SUBJECT
Consider whether you wish to include a collar in your portrait or opt for a natural effect without one.
TREATS
Eyes are the window to the soul so do whatever you can to get your pet to look at you. Treats, funny noises…etc.
ANGLE
The best portraits tend to view the animal at eye level, therefore get down to your pets eye level by crouching down so that you are holding the camera level with the animals eyes. Alternatively, try raising your pet up onto a table or sofa to achieve the same result. Aim to have your pet looking towards you, rather than up at you, or enlist a friend to hold treats up behind the animal to hold their focus just over your shoulder as you take the photograph.
POSITION
Get close to your pet and fill the view finder with the head and chest of your pet without using the zoom function if possible. Long distance shots generally don’t make great portraits, as they lose detail when magnified. Do avoid getting in TOO close though otherwise your lens may distort the image and the resulting photo may not have a natural perspective, unless you are after a quirky novelty effect, which can be really fun.
CHARACTER
It helps to consider what sort of portrait you want on your wall. Eyes to camera shots and side angle poses work well, as do quirky unusual poses that reflect your pets character. Ultimately you want to choose a pose that best represents their personality and unique character.
SELECTION
Take plenty of pics and choose the best, sending over a selection in the highest resolution so I can get an idea of their character and colouring. I’m always happy to advise and make suggestions on the available options based on your images.
…the best tip of all is patience and perseverance!!
If you have any questions or would like help selecting a photo, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d be happy to help!