A pet portrait as a gift

Why does a pet portrait work as a gift?

Because it is about the one subject the recipient never tires of. Most personalised gifts need you to ask questions that give the surprise away. A portrait needs one photo of their pet, which you almost certainly already have, and it hangs on a wall rather than going in a drawer.

The hardest people to buy for are the ones who already own everything. A portrait of their pet is the one thing they do not own and cannot buy off a shelf, because it did not exist until you made it.

It also keeps working after the day itself. A candle gets burned once and a bottle gets drunk. A portrait is looked at every day, and the person looking at it is looking at their own pet.

What do you need to order one?

One clear photo of their pet. You do not need their address for the digital version, or any hint that would spoil the surprise. A free preview shows you the likeness before you pay anything.

This is what makes it such a good surprise. The photo is usually already on your phone, or in a message they sent you. Nobody has ever become suspicious because a friend asked to see a photo of their dog.

• A photo where the face is clear and well lit gives the best likeness. There is a short guide to choosing a good photo if you have a few to pick from.
• If the best photo you have is a screenshot, ask them to send the original picture. "Send me that photo of Biscuit, it made me laugh" gives nothing away.
• Generate the free preview before you commit. If the likeness is not right, try a different photo. You only pay once it looks like their pet.

Should you give the digital file or a print?

A print if you have time and want them to unwrap something, the digital file if you do not. The digital portrait arrives by email within minutes and is a complete product on its own. Printed portraits arrive on paper or canvas, with shipping included where we deliver.

What if a framed portrait is too much?

Then give the painting on something they will use instead of something they have to hang. The watercolour tote is the same idea at a fraction of the commitment: their pet painted from one photo, printed on a cotton bag. It suits the person whose walls are already full, the colleague you know a little, and anyone you are not sure enough about to pick a frame for.

• One photo, and nothing else to choose. No style, no size, no frame, which makes the watercolour tote the quickest thing here to order.
• No preview before you pay, unlike the portraits. The painting is made after you order, emailed to you, and you have 24 hours to ask for changes before it prints.
• It is a physical thing that ships, so it is not the answer if you need a gift tonight. A digital portrait is.

Which style should you choose for them?

Match the style to the person, not the pet. A clean modern portrait suits most homes and most people. The classic painted styles suit anyone who would enjoy their cat looking faintly aristocratic. If they share their life with the pet and a partner, the styles built for a person and pet together are the most personal of all.

• Modern Portrait is the safe choice that does not feel safe. It suits modern homes, and it can carry the pet's painted name, which is the detail people mention first.
• The classic styles give a pet formal, painted dignity, and the joke never wears off. Right for the friend whose dog is, frankly, the head of the household.
• The playful styles suit the person who laughs easily. A cat in a bubble bath is a gift with a sense of humour built in.
• The together styles include a person alongside their pet. The most personal option, and the one to choose for a couple or for someone whose pet goes everywhere with them.

Modern Portrait

Their name on the wall

Old Master

The portrait they were always owed

Bubble Bath

Paws up, bubbles high, perfectly at peace

Big Hug

Held close, exactly how you hold them

If you are genuinely unsure, choose Modern Portrait with their pet's name on it. It is the style that works in the most homes, and the free preview means you can see it before deciding.

When should you order?

The digital portrait has no deadline, it arrives within minutes at any time of year. For a printed portrait at Christmas, order by early December so production and December post both have room. For a birthday, a week to ten days ahead is comfortable.

Printed portraits go into production shortly after you order, and delivery typically takes six to eight business days after that. The timing maths, including what to do if you have left it very late, is covered in when to order for Christmas and in the last minute gift guide.

Common questions