How It Works – Commission Your Pet Portrait
Commission your very own pet portrait in 6 easy steps.
Follow the step-by-step chart below for an overview of the process. This applies to all commissions — classic pencil portraits, Life Story portraits, and oil paintings. Read on for the process in full.
How It Works
Step 1 – Choose a Photo
Select a clear, high-quality photo of your pet. Email or message us your photos.
Step 2 – We create a mock-up
We create a design so you know what your portrait will look like.
Step 3 – Place a Deposit
We will request a deposit to save your space in our list.
Step 4 – Client Portal
Receive access to our private client portal.
Step 5 – We Create the Artwork
We draw or paint your portrait and keep you up to date at all times.
Step 6 – Receive Your Portrait
Approve your portrait, we then ship worldwide!
Pencil drawing of Milo by Melanie.
Step 1: Choose a Photo
Choosing the perfect photo is an important first step. We recommend selecting your favorite image — one that really captures your pet’s character, whether it’s a cheeky expression, their soulful eyes, or simply a pose that feels so them. The clearer and more natural the photo, the better the result.
If your pet has sadly passed away, don’t worry — just send us everything you have. We’ll go through them with care and help you decide which one will work best for your portrait. You can find more guidance on what makes a great reference image on our Photography Tips page.
Step 2: We Create a Mockup
Based on the photo or photos you have sent, we create a design mockup showing how your portrait will look. This might involve removing a background, taking out a collar, adding cropped ears or a tail, or placing two pets together into one composition. The mockup is shared with you before anything is started — it is a conversation between us and you, and nothing goes ahead until everyone is happy with the result.
Step 3: Place a Deposit
Once you are happy to go ahead, we ask for a deposit to secure your place in our portrait schedule — £100 for a pencil portrait or £500 for an oil painting. This confirms your booking. The final balance is only due once the portrait is finished and you have seen and approved it.
Step 4: Client Portal
Once your portrait is booked in, we place you into our private Client Portal which you can access via a provided link once the deposit has been made. Here you can either see your pencil drawing mockup in the commissions list or if you have ordered an oil painting view it in progress, along with some video clips.
Oil painting detail by Nicholas.
Step 5: We Create the Artwork
Nicholas paints all of the oil portraits on fine linen canvas, and I draw all of the pencil portraits on Arches Watercolour paper. We work together in our garden studio in rural Wales, with Lily, our Tibetan Terrier, usually curled up nearby on one of her many beds! Once the portrait is underway, we send you a secure invoice for the final balance — but this is only due after you have seen and approved the finished artwork.
Step 6: Final Approval and Delivery
When your portrait is finished, we take clear photos and email or message them over for you to see. If there’s anything you would like adjusted, we can make tweaks at this stage before it’s packed and sent.
Once you are happy, we will carefully package your portrait in a presentation box with tissue paper and ribbon — ready to give as a gift or to unwrap and enjoy yourself. We take care to make it feel special from start to finish.
The portraits are wrapped in foam wrap and placed in a double-walled cardboard box. This makes the whole package safe and secure to travel, quite often, thousands of miles on its journey all around the world, safely to your home. We send our portraits on an express tracked service both overseas and within the UK. If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to contact us at any time.
What's Included in Every Commission
Our comprehensive service ensures a smooth, enjoyable experience from start to finish, with professional guidance every step of the way.
Complete Service Package
- Photo Consultation: Advice on selecting the perfect photo
- Mockup Preview: See your composition before we start
- Client Portal Access: Private access to your oil portrait's progress
- Progress Updates: Regular photos showing development
- Final Approval Process: Adjustments on completion if required
- Presentation Packaging: Gift box with tissue paper and ribbon
- Worldwide Shipping: Fully tracked and insured delivery
- Same Day Response: Quick replies to all enquiries
No hidden costs - everything is included in your commission price. Professional service with personal attention throughout the entire process.
Pet Portraits FAQ
Most portraits are completed within 6 to 10 weeks from deposit to delivery. This depends on the size, medium and our current schedule. We give an estimated completion date when you book and keep you updated throughout. If you have a specific deadline — a birthday, anniversary or Christmas — just let us know when you get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate it.
We start with your photos and any special requests you have. From there, we create either a pencil drawing or oil painting entirely by hand – no digital tricks, just traditional techniques. You will receive updates as your portrait comes to life and we will send final photos before it’s packaged and shipped.
Pencil portraits start at £275 for an 8x6 inch drawing. Life Story portraits (multiple poses in one composition) start at £1,200. Oil paintings start at £1,500 for a 12x10 inch canvas. Prices increase with size. You can find the full breakdown on our prices and commission information page.
Absolutely – and not just because we say so! Our clients often tell us their portraits are among their most treasured possessions. A custom portrait is timeless and deeply personal, capturing a beloved pet’s personality in a way a photo simply can’t.
This depends on how much detail you would like and how many pets are included. A 12x10" size is perfect for a single head and shoulders portrait. Larger sizes allow for full body poses or multiple pets. We are always happy to advise based on your photos and preferences.
We often recommend soft, neutral backgrounds that don’t distract from your pet – something timeless and elegant. That said, we are happy to work from specific settings if you have something meaningful in mind, like your garden, a favorite chair or a scenic landscape.
It starts with your enquiry and photos. We will discuss composition, style and size. Once you are booked in, we begin sketching or painting, sending updates along the way. Once completed, we will share a photo for your approval, then package your portrait with care and ship it to you.
Oil Portrait Packaging
Pencil Portrait Packaging
Portrait Packaging
We take great care in packing our portraits. Whether I am packing up one of Nicholas's oil paintings or my own pencil portraits. They are both wrapped and packed with love. Having spent many days or weeks lovingly creating the artwork, we obviously want to do everything possible to ensure it arrives to you safely. They are part of our lives, as are the dogs, cats or horses we are creating within the artwork.
So it is important for us to package our artwork as best we can, so that we can send it on its way to its new and forever home.
Professional Packaging and Presentation
- Wrapped in Cellophane
- Placed in tissue paper
- Care information included
- Placed in an archival presentation box
- Tied with ribbon
- Placed in foam wrap and cardboard box
We have been packing our portraits for many years and have refined the process so it's the perfect unboxing experience.
