Start a portrait

The photo makes the painting.

We keep your pet's eyes, markings, and proportions; only the paint changes. So the better the photo, the better the portrait. Three things matter.

Start with a photoPhoto questions

Good photos, and ones to avoid.

  • A calico cat lying on a rug, photographed at its eye level, looking into the camera
    Good example: Face and markings in view
  • The same cat photographed from behind, its face turned away
    Avoid: Markings hidden
  • A golden retriever puppy sitting on a wooden floor by a window, sharp and evenly lit
    Good example: Daylight, in focus
  • The same puppy in a dim room, smeared by movement
    Avoid: Dark or blurred
  • A scruffy grey terrier on a porch, its head and shoulders filling the picture
    Good example: Fills the frame
  • The same terrier as a small figure in the middle of a large lawnThe terrier's eyes and nose only, its ears and chin cut off
    Avoid: Too far, or too close

Three things that matter.

Phone photos are perfect. Nothing here needs a camera.

  1. Daylight, no flash

    Near a window or outside in open shade. Flash flattens the fur and puts a green glow in the eyes; deep shadow hides the markings we paint from.

    Overcast days are the best light there is.

  2. The face in focus

    Get down to your pet's eye level and tap the face on your screen to focus. Eyes sharp, the nose can be soft.

    A treat held next to the lens gets the look you want.

  3. The whole head in the frame

    Ears, chin, and a little room around them. We crop to the portrait, so leave us space rather than cropping tight yourself.

    Straight on or a three-quarter turn both work.

What to leave out.

We turn down a photo we cannot make sense of, and we tell you why. These are the usual reasons.

Filters and costumes
Hats, glasses, and app filters end up in the painting. Send the plain photo and let the style do the dressing up.
People and other things
Keep hands, laps, and everything else out of the frame. Any number of pets is fine; see the style's page for one-pet portraits.
Screenshots and tiny files
Send the original from your camera roll, not a screenshot or a photo forwarded through chat, which shrinks it. JPEG, PNG, or HEIC up to 25 MB.

Old and black and white photos.

A scan of a print works if the face is clear. Black and white photos work too; the FAQ says what to expect.

More on old photos How photos are handled

Got the shot?

Upload it, pick a style, and see your pet painted before you pay.

Start with a photo