In-Depth Guide to Pet Portrait Gifts
Everything you need to know about giving a pet portrait as a gift. What to buy, when to give it, how to handle the photo and what to expect at every budget.
By Melanie Phillips and Nicholas Beall — Professional Pet Portrait Artists since 1996
Between us we have completed over 850 commissioned portraits and a significant proportion of those were given as gifts. Birthdays, Christmases, anniversaries, retirements, weddings and more memorial commissions than we can count. We have seen every kind of gift situation imaginable and we have learned a great deal about what works, what does not, and what makes the difference between a gift that moves someone to tears and one that misses the mark.
This guide is our attempt to share all of that honestly, so that wherever you are in the process of deciding whether to commission a portrait as a gift, you can make a genuinely informed choice.
What This Guide Covers
- Why a commissioned portrait is fundamentally different to any other pet gift
- An honest comparison of all the options from mugs and canvas prints to traditional hand drawn artwork
- Which occasions suit which type of gift and how to match the gift to the moment
- Pencil or oil, how to choose the right medium for a gift
- The surprise gift problem. How to get the photo without giving away the secret
- Portrait vs voucher — when each option works best
- Gifting across distance — commissioning for someone in another country
- Memorial gifts — timing, sensitivity, and how to approach a difficult situation
- A clear budget guide — what you get at each level
- Practical information - timelines, Christmas deadlines, shipping
Gift card for Derek and Kevin sat in Melanie's Kitchen
Why a Commissioned Portrait is Different to Every Other Pet Gift
There is a large and growing market for what I would call photo based pet gifts. Canvas prints, mugs, phone cases, cushions, calendars, jigsaws, phone cases etc. They are all produced by uploading a photograph to a website and letting a machine do the rest. Many of them are genuinely lovely, well made and a thoughtful way of celebrating a pet. I am not dismissing them.
But a commissioned portrait is something categorically different and I think it is worth being clear about why. The distinction matters when you are choosing what to give.
A commissioned portrait is created by a human artist who studies your pet's photograph, makes decisions about composition, light, expression and detail. They then works for many hours, sometimes many days, to interpret what they see into pencil or paint. The result is an original piece of artwork. Not a reproduction of a photograph. Not a digital file run through a filter. An original drawing or painting that did not exist before, created specifically for one pet and one person.
When someone receives a really good commissioned portrait, they are not just seeing their pet rendered in a different medium. They are seeing their pet understood. The artist has looked closely enough at the animal to capture the specific thing that makes them them — the slightly uncertain expression, the way the fur grows around the muzzle, the particular angle of the ears when they are paying attention. That takes skill, time and genuine engagement with the subject. A machine cannot do it. And that is precisely what makes a commissioned portrait a gift in a different league to anything else you could buy.
The most common thing our clients say when they receive a portrait is some version of: "you've captured them exactly." Not just their likeness — their personality. That is what we are trying to do, and it is the reason a portrait as a gift lands so differently to anything else.
Rory the Westie is waiting for his owner to open his portrait!
An Honest Comparison of the Options
If you are searching for a pet related gift, the options broadly fall into a few distinct categories. Here is an assessment of each, because the right choice genuinely depends on the recipient, the occasion and the budget.
Mass-produced photo gifts (canvas prints, mugs, cushions, calendars)
Quick, accessible and often very reasonably priced. They make a good secondary gift or stocking filler, particularly for someone who might not appreciate or expect a more significant piece of artwork. The limitation is that they are produced identically for any pet. Your dog's face is reproduced using the same process and settings as thousands of others. There is no interpretation, no artistry and the recipient knows it. They are nice, but they do not particularly surprise anyone.
Digital pet portraits
A growing category, where an artist (or increasingly, an AI tool) creates a stylised illustration of a pet, often in a pop art, watercolour or cartoon style. These range enormously in quality. A genuinely skilled digital artist can create something beautiful and very personal. At the lower end, AI-generated digital portraits are produced in seconds and show it. If you go this route, look carefully at the artist's portfolio and make sure it is a real person doing real work. The end product is always a digital file or print. It is never an original piece of artwork.
Traditional hand-drawn pencil portraits
This is what I create. A graphite pencil drawing on Arches Hot Pressed paper, built up through many layers over many hours. The result is a classic black and white portrait. Timeless, detailed and elegant. Because pencil works in tones of grey, the drawing focuses entirely on form, expression and character. These are especially well suited to any breed where the fur texture and facial structure are the most distinctive features. They work in almost any home because they are essentially monochrome. Starting at £275 for an 8x6 inch drawing.
Traditional oil paintings
This is what Nicholas creates. Oil paint on fine linen canvas, rich in colour and depth. An oil portrait is a more substantial piece of artwork. Larger, more vivid and often the kind of thing that becomes the centrepiece of a room rather than a discreet addition to it. Nicholas's particular skill is the ability to include landscape backgrounds, which creates a portrait that feels like a complete scene rather than just a study of the animal. Oil paintings are a more significant investment, starting at £1,500, and they take longer to complete. They are most appropriate for a significant occasion where you want to give something genuinely remarkable.
Life Story portraits
One of my signature services is a pencil montage combining multiple photographs of the same pet into one composition that tells their story. These are particularly meaningful as a gift for someone whose pet has been part of their life for many years. Or as a memorial piece that draws from photographs spanning a lifetime. Starting at £1,200 for a 16x12 inch drawing.
Summary comparison
- Canvas print / photo gift — machine-produced reproduction, any budget, fast turnaround, good secondary gift
- Digital portrait — varies enormously, check the artist carefully, always a print or file
- Pencil portrait — original hand-drawn artwork, classic and timeless, from £275
- Oil painting — original hand-painted artwork, rich and colourful, from £1,500
- Life Story portrait — pencil montage spanning the pet's life, from £1,200, deeply personal
Luke sat with his oil painting commissioned as a gift.
Which Occasions Suit a Portrait Gift
A portrait works as a gift for almost any occasion where the person has a deep bond with their pet. But some occasions suit it particularly well, and it is worth thinking about the match.
Significant birthdays — 50th, 60th, 70th
By far our most common gift occasion. When someone reaches a milestone birthday, the usual gifts — wine, flowers, vouchers, spa days — feel increasingly inadequate. A portrait of their dog, cat or horse is something they could not have bought for themselves and would not have thought to. It is personal in a way that nothing generic can be, and it tends to be one of those gifts that is still hanging on the wall and still talked about twenty years later.
Christmas
December is our busiest month by far for gift commissions. Portraits work particularly well as Christmas presents because Christmas is a time for giving something you have really thought about. The key practical issue is timing — a portrait takes 6 to 10 weeks from deposit to delivery, so a Christmas commission needs to be started by early October at the latest. If time has run out, a gift voucher solves this completely: you can order a personalised card right up until the last few days before Christmas and the recipient collects the portrait experience in the new year.
First paper anniversary
The traditional gift for a first wedding anniversary is paper. A pencil portrait on archival Italian paper is a rather beautiful interpretation of that tradition. It is personal, meaningful and genuinely original as a gift idea — far more so than a paper book or stationery. Many couples have a pet together, and a portrait of that pet makes a lovely early piece of shared artwork for their home.
Weddings
A portrait of the couple's pet as a wedding gift is one of the most personal things you can give. It acknowledges that their dog, cat or horse is part of their family — which anyone who has a pet will deeply appreciate. An oil painting in particular tends to work beautifully as a wedding gift because it is the kind of artwork that belongs in a home rather than just on a shelf.
Retirement
Many people who retire have a dog who has been their daily companion throughout their working life — early morning walks before the commute, evenings on the sofa, the constant presence. A portrait celebrating that bond at the moment of retirement is a thoughtful and moving gift. It also works well as a group gift from colleagues when a larger portrait is being considered.
Mother's Day and Father's Day
For parents whose children have grown up and who now have a dog or cat as their main daily companion, a portrait makes a genuinely special gift. Practical note: Mother's Day and Father's Day dates can catch people out. These events arrive quickly. A portrait started in late January should arrive in time for Mother's Day in the UK in March. If in doubt, a gift voucher removes the deadline pressure entirely.
New pet celebrations
Commissioning a portrait shortly after someone gets a new pet — particularly a puppy or kitten — captures them at the beginning. Some of our most treasured client stories involve portraits of animals at a young age that became memorial pieces years later. A portrait at the start of a pet's life is a gift that grows in meaning over time.
Memorial gifts
This is covered in detail in its own section below, because it requires particular thought. But a portrait as a memorial gift — given to someone who has lost a pet — is one of the most meaningful things you can offer. It requires sensitivity around timing, and a gift voucher is often the best approach. See the memorial section below for our full guidance.
Pencil or Oil — Choosing the Right Medium for a Gift
If you are commissioning a portrait as a gift rather than for yourself, choosing between pencil and oil involves thinking about the recipient as well as the pet and the occasion. Here is how we would approach that decision.
Think about the recipient's home
A pencil portrait is black and white, elegant and relatively neutral. It tends to work in almost any home — traditional, contemporary, minimalist or maximalist — because it does not bring its own colour palette. An oil painting is rich, vibrant and vivid. It fills a wall in a way a pencil portrait does not. If you know the recipient's home well and there is a obvious place for a large, colourful piece of artwork, oil is wonderful. If you are less sure about their interior taste, pencil is the safer and more versatile choice.
Think about the pet
Dogs, cats and horses all work beautifully in both mediums. But if the pet's colouring is particularly striking — a vivid chestnut horse, a strikingly patched cat, a dog with unusually rich colouring — an oil painting captures that in a way pencil cannot. Pencil excels at capturing fine fur detail, expression and character. It is particularly beautiful for animals with interesting facial structure and texture.
Think about the occasion and budget
Pencil portraits start at £275 for an 8x6 inch drawing and make the most accessible gift size. Oil paintings start at £1,500 and represent a more significant investment. For most gift occasions, a pencil portrait is entirely appropriate and genuinely impressive. For a very significant occasion — a major milestone birthday, a wedding, a retirement where several people are contributing — an oil painting can be the right choice. It is a piece of artwork that will genuinely define a room and outlast everything else in the house.
If you genuinely cannot decide, ask us. We will look at the pet's photos and the occasion and give you our honest recommendation. There is no obligation and it takes us two minutes.
A gift voucher lets the recipient be part of the portrait journey from the beginning
The Surprise Gift Problem — How to Get the Photo
The most common practical difficulty with commissioning a portrait as a surprise gift is the photograph. We need a good quality reference photo to work from, and getting that without alerting the recipient to what you are planning can feel tricky. Here are the approaches that work.
Check their social media
Most people with pets post photos of them regularly. Instagram, Facebook and even WhatsApp group photos are often a perfectly good source of reference material. Have a look and see what is available. If you can find several clear photos — ideally including one at eye level with good natural light — you may have everything we need without having to ask anyone anything.
Ask a family member or friend
If the person you are buying for has family members or friends who know about the plan, they can often supply photos discreetly. A sibling who visits regularly, a friend who dog-sits — these are good sources. We do not need a perfect studio photograph. Any clear, well-lit photo taken at the pet's eye level gives us something solid to work from.
Be creative about asking
Sometimes you can ask for photos without giving anything away. "I want to make a little photo album of your dog — can you send me some good ones?" or "I'm putting together a birthday card and need a photo of Barney" — these approaches work more often than you might expect. People are rarely suspicious about photo requests.
When all else fails: a gift voucher
A gift voucher removes the photo problem entirely. The recipient contacts us directly when they are ready, chooses their own photos and is fully involved in the design process from the start. This has the added benefit of meaning they get exactly what they want — the right size, the right medium, the right composition. Many people actually prefer to receive a voucher precisely because the process of commissioning a portrait is something they enjoy being part of. Our gift vouchers are personalised A4 Moonpig cards printed with the recipient's name, their pet's name (if you have a photo), the occasion and your personal message. They arrive looking like a real gift, not just an envelope with a code in it.
Portrait or Voucher — Which is Right for This Gift?
This is a genuine question worth thinking through, because the right answer depends on the situation. Here is how we would frame it.
Commission the portrait if:
- You have good photos and are confident about which one captures the pet best
- You have enough lead time — at least 8 weeks before the occasion
- You know the recipient's taste well and can choose a size and medium they will love
- The surprise element is important to you — you want them to open a finished portrait
- It is a memorial gift and the pet has passed away — the recipient may find it easier to receive a finished portrait than to go through the process themselves
Go with a voucher if:
- Time is short — you can order a personalised voucher card right up to a few days before the occasion
- You cannot get a suitable photo without giving away the surprise
- You are not sure about size or medium and want the recipient to choose
- The recipient would enjoy the process of commissioning — many people genuinely do
- It is a memorial gift and you want to give the recipient time and control over when they are ready
- Multiple people are contributing and one person is taking the lead on gifting
There is no wrong answer. Both result in a portrait — it is simply a question of who makes the decisions and when. We are happy to help you think through which approach suits your specific situation. Just get in touch.
Barney (left) was commissioned as a Christmas gift by James — who was in Australia when his mum in the UK received it
Gifting Across Distance
We ship worldwide on an express tracked service, fully insured, and we do so regularly. A significant number of our gift commissions are placed by people who live in a different country to the recipient — children who have moved abroad, family members scattered across the world, friends who want to send something genuinely meaningful rather than something that fits in a padded envelope.
Barney is a good example. He was a cockapoo — a beautiful dog who had been his owner Dawn's companion for years. When he passed away, Dawn's son James wanted to do something that would really matter. James was living in Australia. Dawn was in the UK. He commissioned an 8x6 pencil portrait of Barney as a Christmas gift, sent directly to his mum's door.
A few weeks after it arrived, Dawn sent us a message: "You have totally captured him and the little things that made him the adorable pet that he was. I will get it framed properly — no Ikea frame for this work of art. You have an incredible talent."
The process for a gift sent overseas is exactly the same as for a UK delivery. We just need a good shipping address and slightly more lead time. For the US and most of Europe, express tracked delivery typically takes five to ten working days. If you would like us to include a handwritten note from you, just send us the message and we will write it out and include it with the portrait.
Regarding international tariffs: as far as we are aware, original hand-drawn artwork is not subject to import duty in most countries including the USA. If you are ever charged, please send us proof and we will reimburse you.
Memorial Gifts — Giving a Portrait After a Pet Has Passed
This is the section we feel most strongly about getting right, because memorial commissions are the most emotionally significant work we do, and the gift dimension adds another layer of complexity.
A portrait of a pet who has passed away is one of the most profound gifts you can give someone who is grieving. It says: I know how much they meant to you, and I wanted you to be able to see them again. No other gift says that. But it also requires thought, particularly around timing.
Timing is everything
Grief for a pet is real and it follows its own timeline. Some people want a memorial portrait almost immediately — they find the process of commissioning it helpful, a way of focusing on who their pet was rather than on the loss. Others are not ready for weeks or months. A portrait arrived too soon can feel difficult to look at.
If in doubt, a gift voucher with our two-year validity is almost always the better approach than commissioning immediately. It gives the recipient the freedom to come back to it when they feel ready, without any pressure. And it still communicates everything the gift is meant to say.
What if I do not know the pet's photos?
This is very common with memorial gifts — you may be buying for a friend or family member whose pet you knew but did not photograph. Again, the gift voucher is the solution. The recipient has their own photos and can choose the one that means the most to them. We work with whatever they have, including older or lower quality photographs, and we can combine multiple photos where needed.
What to say on the card
If you are ordering a personalised gift card, you might want a brief moment to think about the message. Something simple and honest is always best. "A portrait of [pet's name] because I know how much they meant to you" is enough. You do not need to say much. The gift says everything.
We have created hundreds of memorial portraits over the years. Many of them began as gifts. They are among the commissions we feel most honoured to complete, and we approach every one of them with that in mind.
Budget Guide — What You Get at Each Level
Here is an honest guide to what is available at different budgets, to help you decide what is right for your occasion. All prices are current as of 2026.
£275 — The 8x6 inch pencil portrait
Our most popular gift size. An 8x6 inch graphite pencil drawing on Italian handmade paper, presented in tissue paper and ribbon inside an archival gift box. It is the right size to sit on a desk, a shelf or a mantelpiece, or to be framed and hung on a wall. The portrait takes 6 to 10 weeks and captures one pet in a head or head-and-shoulders study. This is the size James chose for Barney. It is unpretentious, it is beautiful, and for someone who treasures their pet it means everything.
£375 — The 9x7 inch pencil portrait
A little larger than the 8x6, with slightly more room in the composition for the pet's neck, chest and immediate surroundings. Still a single subject. Works well when the breed has a distinctive body shape that is part of what makes them recognisable.
£550–£950 — Larger pencil portraits
At these sizes (10x8 through to 16x12 inches), the portrait becomes more of a statement piece. There is room for full body compositions, more elaborate backgrounds, and the fine detail of the pencilwork becomes even more apparent. These sizes suit a living room wall rather than a desk. A 16x12 at £950 is a substantial piece of artwork by any measure.
£1,200–£1,500 — Life Story portraits and entry oil paintings
At this level the options branch. A Life Story pencil portrait (from £1,200) is a montage drawing combining multiple photographs of the pet — puppyhood through to maturity, favourite poses, different expressions. These are deeply personal and almost universally treasured. Alternatively, a 12x10 inch oil painting by Nicholas starts at £1,500 — rich colour, painted on fine linen canvas, and the beginning of something truly special.
£2,000–£5,000 — Major oil paintings
These are the portraits that anchor a room. A large Nicholas Beall oil painting — whether it is a 16x12 at £2,000, a 20x16 at £3,500 or a 30x24 at £4,500 — is a significant piece of artwork in any context. Many of our most treasured commissions in this range were gifts — retirement presents from whole departments, group wedding gifts, family contributions to a parent's significant birthday. If you are considering this level, it is almost always worth getting in touch to discuss it. We can help you think through the composition, the size, and what will work best in the recipient's home.
Full pricing is on our prices and commission information page.
Lex's portrait arrived as a Christmas gift — the 8x6 is our most popular gift size and price point
Practical Information — Timelines, Deadlines and How to Order
How long does a portrait take?
From deposit to delivery, most commissions take between 6 and 10 weeks. This accounts for the mockup stage, our commission queue, the drawing or painting time, and shipping. Some commissions move faster, particularly at quieter times of year. December is always our busiest month — if you want a portrait delivered before Christmas, we need your deposit by early October at the latest. We will always be honest about whether a deadline is achievable when you get in touch.
Christmas deadlines
We get asked about this every year, so here is a clear answer. For a pencil portrait to be completed and delivered in the UK before Christmas, we need a deposit by approximately the first week of October. For international delivery, add two to three weeks to allow for shipping. After that point, a personalised gift voucher card is always the right solution — we can create and post those up until mid-December.
What we need from you to get started
- Your best photos of the pet — ideally several, taken in natural light at eye level
- The occasion and recipient's name if it is a gift (helps us advise on size and approach)
- Whether you want the portrait sent to you or directly to the recipient
- Any special requests — particular expression, inclusion of a favourite toy, specific background
- A £100 deposit for pencil portraits or £200 for oil paintings to secure your place on the commission list
When is the final payment due?
The final balance is only due after you have seen and approved the finished portrait. We send photographs of the completed work before it leaves the studio. You can request tweaks if anything is not quite right, and the portrait is only dispatched once you are completely happy. This applies whether it is a gift or a personal commission.
To get started, simply get in touch. We respond to every enquiry the same day.
Gift Questions — Answered
Everything we are regularly asked about giving a pet portrait as a gift, answered from 28 years of experience.
A hand-drawn or painted pet portrait is one of the most personal gifts you can give someone who loves their pet. It is entirely unique, it cannot be bought off a shelf, and it means something different to every single person who receives one. After 28 years and 850+ commissions, many of which were gifts, we have seen the reactions — and they are almost always extraordinary. "No Ikea frame for this work of art" is one of our favourites. A pet portrait is not just a good gift. For the right person, it is the best gift.
A canvas print reproduces a photograph using a machine. A commissioned portrait is created by a human artist who studies the pet and interprets what they see in pencil or paint. The result is an original piece of artwork — not a reproduction of a photograph but something created from scratch. The difference in the recipient's reaction is significant. People can tell, instinctively, that someone has spent many hours working on something specifically for them. That changes how it lands.
Our 8x6 inch pencil portrait at £275 is our most popular gift size and represents excellent value for an original hand-drawn artwork. For a more significant occasion, larger pencil portraits range from £375 to £1,250, Life Story montages from £1,200, and oil paintings from £1,500 to £5,000. The right amount depends on the occasion and how well you know the recipient's taste. When in doubt, start with an 8x6 — it consistently surprises people with how significant it feels when they actually hold it.
Check their social media first — most pet owners post photos regularly and there is often an excellent one available. Failing that, ask a mutual friend or family member in on the plan. If neither works, a gift voucher is the perfect solution. The recipient chooses their own photo and contacts us directly. Our personalised voucher cards are printed with the pet's name, the recipient's name, the occasion and your message, so even the card itself feels like a real, thoughtful gift.
Commission the portrait if you have good photos, plenty of lead time, and you want the surprise of a finished portrait. Choose a voucher if time is short, you cannot get the photo, you want the recipient to be involved in choosing size and medium, or it is a memorial gift and you want them to have control over the timing. Both result in the same thing — a portrait. It is simply a question of who makes the decisions and when.
Yes, and it can be one of the most meaningful gifts imaginable. The key question is timing — some people want to start a memorial portrait almost immediately, finding the process helpful; others need more time. A gift voucher with our two-year validity is often the kindest approach, because it gives the recipient the freedom to come back to it when they are ready. We have created many memorial portraits that began as gift vouchers, and they are always among the most deeply cherished commissions we complete.
Yes, absolutely. We ship worldwide on a fully insured, tracked express service, and we regularly send portraits directly to recipients rather than via the person who commissioned them. Just let us know the delivery address and whether you would like a handwritten note included — we will write it out and add it to the package. For international deliveries, allow a little extra time for shipping.
In our experience — and we are not an unbiased source — a hand-drawn pencil portrait of their dog. Not because we make them, but because of everything we have seen over 28 years of creating gifts for dog lovers. A mug, a canvas print, a cushion — these are all lovely and thoughtful. But a portrait created by an artist who has studied the specific animal, captured their particular expression and their individual character? Nothing else gets the reaction a portrait gets. If the dog is the centre of that person's world, the portrait should be the gift.
For a pencil portrait delivered in the UK before Christmas, we need your deposit by early October. For international delivery, allow an additional two to three weeks. After early October, a personalised gift voucher card is always the right solution — we can create those up until mid-December. The voucher arrives as a beautiful A4 Moonpig card that already feels like a real gift to open on Christmas morning.
Yes, this works very well and is particularly popular for retirement gifts and significant birthdays. Several family members or colleagues each contribute towards a single, larger portrait — perhaps a 16x12 pencil drawing or a 12x10 oil painting that one person could not justify alone. One person usually takes the lead on liaising with us. Just get in touch and tell us what you have in mind and we will help you work out the best approach.
