5 min readLast updated: September 7, 2026
Pet portraits for your wall: how to turn a photo of your dog or cat into art
You've got hundreds of photos of your dog on your phone. One of them could be hanging in your living room as a painting — no need to track down an artist or wait a month.
A custom-painted pet portrait can cost a fortune and take weeks to arrive. Yet the thing that matters most — the look, the posture, the character — is already captured in the photo on your phone. All that's left is turning it into something that looks good in a large format on your wall.
Which photo to choose
With animals, the choice of photo matters even more than it does with people. A dog mid-run, a cat hiding in the shadows, or a shot taken through the glass of a carrier — none of these make a good painting, because the result is missing what makes a portrait a portrait: sharp eyes and a clear outline of the head.
- The eyes are sharp and looking into the camera, or just off to the side
- Light from the front or side, ideally daylight from a window
- The animal fills at least a third of the frame — hold the phone close
- A calm moment: after a walk, while resting, not in the middle of play
- A contrasting background: a dark dog against a light wall, not a dark sofa
- A blurry run or jump, even if it's otherwise the photo of the year
- A shot from far away, where the head is the size of a fingernail
- Flash in a dark room — glowing eyes and a flat-looking face
- A photo downloaded from a chat app that's lost resolution along the way
- Two animals in the shot when only one is meant to be the star
Which style suits which pet
Style changes the mood more than you'd expect. The same photo of a border collie looks like a delicate memory in watercolour, and like a poster for a kid's bedroom in pop art.
Watercolour
Soft transitions and plenty of light. Flatters dogs with pale fur and photos taken by a window. Works well above a bed.
Oil painting
Rich colours and visible brushstrokes. Creates an "ancestral portrait" look — flattering for serious-faced dogs and older pets.
Pop art
Bold blocks of colour and strong contrast. Great for a kid's room or an office; needs a photo with a clean background.
Pencil drawing
Understated and elegant, works in black and white. Great when the photo's colours are a bit uneven.
Anime and comic
Simplified features, bold outlines. Flatters cats and young animals with striking eyes.
Realistic portrait
Stays true to the likeness, just adds light and depth. The safe bet when the portrait's a gift.
What to have it printed on
A canvas stretched on a frame looks like a painting and needs no glass or framing. A poster is cheaper and makes sense if you already have a frame at home. A digital file makes sense if you just want the portrait as a profile picture, or you'd rather sort out the printing yourself.
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1. Upload your best shot
Straight from your phone. Pick the one with sharp eyes, using the checklist above.
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2. Try two or three styles
Generating designs is free, so there's no reason to settle for the first one. Your designs stay in your gallery.
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3. Choose a product and size
During checkout, you'll see exactly how the image will be placed on the product — what you see in the preview is what gets printed.
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4. Have it delivered
Printing runs through a network of printers across Europe, usually the one closest to your address. Production takes 1–3 days, delivery 2–5 days.
Does this work for cats, horses or rabbits too?
Yes, the same rules apply: sharp eyes, good light, the animal big enough in the frame. Black cats need extra light, otherwise they blend into the background.
Can I be in the portrait with my dog?
Yes, the style then works with two faces. The best results come from photos where both heads are close together and lit in roughly the same way.
What if I only have an old printed photo?
Photograph it with your phone in daylight, straight on and without glare. The quality will be lower than a digital original, but it's usually enough for a striking portrait.
How large a format can I go for?
Before printing, we automatically upscale the design to print resolution, so even a canvas over half a metre wide comes out sharp. The quality of the original photo matters more than the format.
How much does it cost?
Creating the design costs nothing. You'll find printing prices by product and size on the Pricing and shipping page.
Try it before that photo gets lost among thousands of others
The preview is free — you'll see exactly what you'd be hanging on the wall.