Custom Pet Portraits Starting at $75 – Hand-Painted from Your Photos

Having your dog or cat hand-painted on canvas is probably less expensive than you think. I am a professional artist residing in Phoenix, Arizona who specializes in dog, cat and other pet portraits from photos. Hand-painted Custom Pet Portraits on gorgeous, professional quality stretched canvas, in a variety of styles to suit your decor and personal aesthetic, ALL start at under $100.

In fact, at the time of this post, my least expensive option, simply because it's the smallest, is just $75.

Below are the various styles of pet portraits I offer. Click the link below each one to view size and pricing options. Rest assured that each order, no matter how small or large, is treated with the same care and  customer service. 

Click the title below any of the portrait styles above to see pricing and size options for that style, or click here to go to my Etsy shop, which has them all on one page. As always, if you have any questions at all I'd be happy to answer them! Click here to send me a message. 

Custom Pet Portraits – What type of portrait is right for you?

When you decide to have a portrait created of your pet, there are so many options it can be hard to know which style or type of portrait to choose! Would you want a realistic pet portrait, something symbolic and meaningful as a memorial of your pet, a bright and colorful pet portrait, a pop art pet portrait, or maybe something completely custom and unique, with you and your pet together in the portrait! 

I offer all of these options and more, painting pet portraits from your photos in a variety of styles and on a variety of mediums. 

Check out my store at artbyisadora.etsy.com to explore some of your pet portrait options! There are lots of great styles to choose from. 

In addition to the standard options in my shop, I can always create something completely custom, so please contact me if you don't see exactly what you're looking for in my shop! 

Pet Portraits Painted from Photos – Tips for the Perfect Reference Photo

Capturing a great photo of your pet is the first step in getting an amazing painted pet portrait!

When you hire me to paint a custom portrait of your pet, quality reference material is the key to an amazing finished painting!

There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. When I'm painting a memorial portrait, I know the customer can't follow my guide to capture an ideal photo, and that's OK. In those cases, I simply ask for as many photos as you can provide, from a variety of angles, and I create a great portrait anyway. I've even painted a portrait of two best buddy dogs together when one passed and their owner realized he'd never captured that "perfect" photo of the two dogs together.

Barring that unavoidable scenario, there's no reason you (yes, YOU!) can't capture a fabulous photo of your pet by following a few easy guidelines. This may even change the way you photograph your pets from now on!

Read on for my fail-safe guide to photographing your pet, and when you're done, be sure to visit my Pet Portraits page for information on ordering a painting created from your beautiful photo!

1. Get down to "pet level"

Photos taken from "human" height tend to look down on your pet, and that results in awkward photos. Get down on the ground yourself for some great angles right at eye-level with your pet. You'll be surprised how much better your photographs turn out with this simple adjustment in angle!

Tip: prop a treat up on top of your camera to encourage your pet to look towards the camera with a bright, eager expression!

2. Take your photos at the highest quality level your camera or phone offers

I can paint with great detail if the detail exists within the reference photo itself. Fuzzy, low-quality, grainy or pixelated photos don't give me a lot of fine detail to work with. Zoom in on the photos as you take them to make sure they're focused, crisp and full of all of that great detail I love to reference in the paintings themselves!

3. Light is your friend when taking photos of your pet!

Both overly dark photos, taken in deep shadows or dark homes, or overly bright photos with glaring sun, can destroy the subtle shadows and highlights that give the best result in your final photo. However, soft, natural light is wonderful! One great way to achieve this indoors is to take the photo by a glass door or large window, which will allow the light to softly wash over your pet for a beautiful effect.

Tip: Pro photographers call the time shortly after sunrise and right before sunset 'The Magic Hour" because the light has a gorgeous, soft, gold-to-red glow. If you can take a photo of your pet outside at this time, nature will provide you with absolutely stunning light!

4. Avoid these common errors

See below some examples of what not to do when photographing your pet: