Pets are our best friends. Whether you have a tiny kitten or a huge dog, the bond between humans and our furry companions is undeniable. They live with us, spend all day by our sides and cuddle up to us in the evenings. They love playing with us when we’re feeling our best, and they’re amazing at consoling us when we’re at our worst. They’re such an important part of our daily lives.
The one inevitable and heartbreaking thing about having a pet is that they won’t be around forever. It’s crucial to make the most of every special little moment, and take lots of beautiful photographs to treasure forever. One of the best ways to immortalise your four-legged friend is through a bespoke and meaningful piece of art: a pet portrait.
Why should you get a pet portrait?
Though pets aren’t around forever, art lasts a lifetime. A unique portrait is a beautiful way to pay tribute to your furry companion, and hang them proudly in your home for generations to come. Capturing their quirks and character in a timeless piece of art is a thoughtful way to honour them – and it creates a stunning talking point in your home.
Pet portraits also make wonderfully personal gifts. If you’re on the hunt for a gift for an animal-lover, getting them a portrait of their pup or kitty is a touching way to show your love.
What kinds of portraits are there?
Once you’ve decided to invest in a pet portrait, you need to choose what you’d like it to look like. There are numerous types of portrait, and each one showcases your pet in a different way.
The most simplistic form of portrait focuses on just the head or body against a plain white background. This minimalist style is the perfect way to bring out your pet’s unique features and let them shine. This form of portrait is also the most low cost, as there isn’t a complex background or scene to paint around your pet.
Another option is to choose a home setting. Your pet feels most comfortable in their own home, so choosing to get a portrait painted of them relaxing at home will get great results. This understated form of portrait feels most candid and casual, capturing your pet in their natural habitat.
A classic but more formal style of pet portrait is the breed standard, traditionally used for dog shows to capture a breed’s natural characteristics. This style aims to showcase your breed, capturing their full body and highlighting their features like long limbs, glossy coat or perky ears.
Looking for something more adventurous? If you live an active lifestyle with your pet and you love to travel, a nature portrait might suit you best. This style of portrait typically captures dogs out and about in nature, running around against a beautiful backdrop of mountains, fields, forest or the ocean.
The last option is a little more humorous. If you don’t take life too seriously, you might want to go for a comical portrait. These quirky pictures normally display a pet doing something unusual or wearing something amusing, and they create a hilarious talking point in your home.
How much do pet portraits cost?
The actual cost of a pet portrait is dependent on a number of factors. There are a few things you need to decide to make sure you’re totally happy and comfortable with the cost of your portrait.
Firstly, decide on your budget. Expensive portraits will be of a much better quality and will last forever, but they might not be affordable or realistic. Lower cost portraits won’t look quite as professional and will likely fade, but they may fall more comfortably within your budget. Being honest with how much you wish to spend is the best place to start. Pet portraits can cost anything from $250 to $1000+.
Finding the right artist also makes a big difference to cost. A new artist who is only just starting out will be the most budget-friendly option, but an established, experienced artist will create the most impressive and detailed work.
The content of your portrait can also have an effect on the total cost. If you’d like a complex background or scenic piece, these extra details will increase the final price of your pet portrait. If you’d also like more than one pet in the picture, this will inevitably increase the cost – generally you can expect to add an additional $150+ per subject.
Different artists will also use different materials and mediums, like paints, pencils, brushes and types of canvas. Their choice of equipment will affect how long your portrait lasts without fading, how vibrant it will look in your home, and how much the finished portrait costs.
Finally, other things to factor in when considering the cost of a pet portrait is how the finished product is delivered to you. If it comes in a frame, you can expect to add another $50+ to your budget. Also ensure you look into hidden costs like packaging and shipping, as these can add a significant amount to the final cost.
Pet portraits that blend quality with affordability
If the cost of an experienced artist with the finest materials is out of your reach, there are other options available. There are ways to get a pet portrait that is still bespoke, high quality, long lasting and beautiful to look at, but without an eye-watering price tag.
Our bespoke art prints are a wonderful way to treat yourself to a modern, minimalist pet portrait. We don’t cut corners – our pieces are printed on the highest quality fine art paper there is. Our creation process allows you to select your desired style, colours and breed, along with adding the name of your beloved pet.
If you’re ready to invest in a pet portrait to hang proudly in your home, you can start creating your unique print here.
