Portraits

Pet memorial portraits

Made from a photo you already have, of a pet you are missing. Here is how it works, and how to give one to someone who is grieving.

5 min readUpdated 25 August 2026

Can a portrait be made from an old photo?

Yes. Any clear photo works, however old, and an imperfect photo of the right pet is worth more than a perfect photo of a different moment. The preview is free and private, so you can see the portrait before deciding anything.

The picture you keep going back to is the right one to use, whatever its quality, and it is the one we would choose too.

The portrait is painted from the photo rather than filtered over it, which is why an older or slightly soft photo can still become something that belongs on a wall. The free preview shows you honestly what your photo can carry, and it commits you to nothing.

Which photo should you choose?

The one that looks like them at their best, if you have a choice: face visible, decent light, taken at their level. If there is no choice, send what you have. A person looks at every portrait, and details that matter can be corrected by hand.

If several photos exist, the practical advice in choosing a photo applies here as it does anywhere.
If the photo you love exists as the original file somewhere, in an old message thread or a cloud backup, that version carries more detail than a screenshot of it.
If a screenshot is all there is, send the screenshot. The preview will show you what it can become before you spend anything.

If the result misses something important, the markings on the wrong side, an eye colour that is not quite theirs, tell us. Those details are corrected by hand rather than left to chance. Getting them right matters more on a memorial portrait than anywhere else, and we treat it that way.

Which style suits a memorial portrait?

The one that feels like them. Many people choose a classic painted style for its stillness and dignity. Just as many choose the style that shows the personality they remember, and there is nothing wrong with a memorial portrait that makes you smile.

There is no rule that a memorial has to be sombre. A dignified classic portrait suits some pets. A portrait with their name painted above them suits others. The free preview lets you quietly try more than one and see which one feels right, in your own time.

Old Master

The portrait they were always owed

Modern Portrait

Their name on the wall

Still In Bed

The spot that's always theirs

A painted portrait of a ginger Vizsla on canvas in a natural wood float frame, hanging above a walnut sideboard in a living room with a trailing plant, a stack of books and a mug beneath it — Where one usually ends up. Not a shrine, just a wall in the house they lived in. This is the canvas in a natural wood float frame.

A year of them

A custom calendar is also a kind of memorial. One photo becomes twelve photographic months of them, each one its own scene, and it can start from any month you choose. Some people find a calendar gentler than a single framed image, because it changes with the year.

Pet portraits

Find the one that feels like them

The preview is free and private, and nothing is bought until you decide.

See portraits

How do you give one to someone who is grieving?

Carefully, and only if you are reasonably sure it would be welcome. Grief is personal, and the same portrait that comforts one person can arrive too soon for another. The digital version comes to your email, not theirs, so nothing lands on their doorstep unannounced.

There is no correct timing. Some people want their pet on the wall within the week. Others need months before they can look at photos at all. If you are unsure, later is kinder than sooner, and the portrait loses nothing by waiting.

Because the digital portrait arrives at your email, you can hold it until the moment feels right, or simply tell them it exists and let them decide when.
If you print it, consider giving it unframed or flat rather than wrapped as a celebration. A quiet gift suits a quiet moment.
A single line in a card goes further than a long message. Their pet's name, and that you remember them, is usually enough.

Common questions

Can a pet who has died appear alongside the pets who are still here?

Yes, and it is one of the most common requests. Send a separate clear photo of each pet, and they appear together in one portrait.

Does the portrait have to look sad?

No. Most people choose the style that feels like their pet, and that is often a warm or even a playful one. The right memorial portrait is the one you will want to look at every day, whatever mood that turns out to be.

Can details like their collar be included?

Collars and small accessories your pet is wearing in the photo often come through. If a detail that matters is missing or wrong, tell us and it is corrected by hand.

Is the preview really free?

Yes, and private. Upload the photo, see the portrait, and take as long as you need to decide. Nothing is purchased or sent until you choose.