Professional Pet Portraits in Oil and Pencil by Melanie and Nicholas

We specialise in highly detailed pencil drawings and classic oil paintings of dogs, cats and horses. Our pencil pet portraits have a timeless, elegant feel, while our oil paintings are rich and full of character. Whether you are looking to commission a traditional head study or a full-body portrait, we will help you choose the perfect style for your pet and your space.

All of our pet portraits are hand drawn or painted by us – Melanie and Nicholas. We have been full time pet portrait artists for over 28 years, creating hundreds of bespoke commissions for clients around the world. We work from our home studio in the UK and each portrait is lifelike, crafted with care, capturing their personality in each pet portrait.

Absolutely – many of our custom pet portraits are commissioned as gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and memorials. If you're short on time or unsure which photo to use, we also offer beautifully packaged gift vouchers, which can be posted directly to the recipient. They make the perfect gift when you would like the recipient to be involved in the process.

Most portraits are completed within 1 to 3 months, but this can vary depending on our schedule and the complexity of the piece. If you have a deadline in mind, such as a birthday or special occasion, please let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate it. We always keep clients updated during the process.

We use the highest quality materials to ensure your pet portrait will last for generations. Our pencil drawings are created using professional grade graphite pencils on handmade Italian Fabriano paper, while our lifelike oil paintings are painted on fine linen canvas using premium oils. Everything is crafted with longevity in mind.

Of course. We are happy to look through your photos and help you choose the best one for a pet portrait commission. If needed, we can combine features from several images to create the ideal composition. The most important thing is that we can clearly see your pet's eyes and expression – the soul of the portrait.

Yes – we regularly ship to clients in the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe. All portraits are securely packaged using archival tissue, ribbon and sturdy boxes, and are fully insured and tracked. We'll provide a shipping quote based on your location during the booking process. If you would like to see how we pack our portraits too, why not take a look at our Packing Pet Portraits Behind The Scenes page.

Yes, you'll find hundreds of examples in our online gallery for oils on our Gallery for Classic Drawings and on our blog, where we share behind-the-scenes stories, client feedback and finished portraits. You can see how we capture personality, fur texture and that all-important sparkle in the eyes.

Each portrait includes the original artwork, beautifully wrapped in tissue paper presented in a black presentation box tied with ribbon, along with a hand written card and care leaflet.