Digital pet portraits

Digital pet portraits are created on a computer or tablet rather than with paint or pencil on paper. They can look like oil paintings, watercolours, line drawings, cartoons or bold graphic designs, and they're delivered as image files or printed onto paper, canvas or other products. This guide explains how digital portraits are made, what to ask for and what rights you might be getting.

This guide is general information written in our own words. We don't recommend particular artists or businesses, and we never quote prices: they vary widely with the artist, medium and size, so ask for a written quote. It isn't legal advice.

How digital portraits are made

Most digital portrait artists draw or paint with a stylus on a graphics tablet or touchscreen, using software that simulates brushes, pencils and other tools. They work in layers, which makes it easier to adjust colours, backgrounds or details. A digital portrait can be as hand-made and time-consuming as a traditional one; the difference is the tools.

Some services instead use photo filters or automated software, including AI image generators, to turn a photo into an "artwork". These are different products. If you want a hand-made portrait, ask the artist how they work and look at examples of their process.

Styles

Digital portraits come in a huge range of styles:

• Painterly realism that resembles oil or watercolour.
• Line art and minimalist outlines.
• Cartoon and illustration styles, often with bold colour.
• Pop art and graphic designs with flat colour backgrounds.
• Custom scenes, such as your pet in a costume or setting.

Choose an artist whose existing work matches the style you want.

Files and resolution

If you're receiving a digital file, ask:

• What file format will I receive (for example, JPEG, PNG or TIFF)?
• What resolution and pixel dimensions, and what's the largest size it can be printed at good quality?
• Will I receive a version with a transparent background, if relevant?
• Is there a watermark on previews, and will the final file be unwatermarked?

Printers often recommend high resolution for sharp prints. Tell the artist the largest size you might print so they can create the file accordingly. It's hard to enlarge a small file later without losing quality.

Prints

Many digital artists offer prints. Ask about the paper or canvas, the inks and whether they're described as archival or lightfast, which affects how long the colours last. As with any artwork, keep prints out of direct sun. Our caring for artwork guide explains display conditions.

Revisions

Digital work is easy to adjust, so artists often include a set number of revisions. Agree in advance how many rounds of changes are included and what counts as a revision, such as changing a colour versus redrawing the pose. Additional changes may cost extra.

Turnaround

Digital portraits are often quicker than traditional paintings because there's no drying time, framing or postage of originals. Detailed digital paintings can still take many hours. Ask for an expected timeline.

Rights and usage

Digital files are easy to copy, so it's worth clarifying what you can do with them. The Arts Law Centre of Australia explains that, in general, copyright belongs to the creator unless it's assigned in writing, though the law has special rules for some commissioned works, including portraits for private or domestic purposes, and the commissioner usually gets at least an implied licence to use a work for the purpose it was commissioned for. Because the rules can be complex, agree in writing what you can do: print it, use it on social media, put it on merchandise or let a business use it. Our copyright guide explains more.

AI-generated images

AI image tools can produce pet "portraits" from photos. If that's what you want, there's nothing wrong with it, but it's not the same as commissioning an artist. Ask sellers directly how images are made, and be cautious of services that present automated images as hand-painted. Copyright in AI-generated images is an evolving area, so check the terms of any service you use.

Reference photos

Digital portraits depend on good reference photos just as much as traditional ones. Sharp, well-lit, eye-level photos give the best results. Our reference photos guide explains how to take them.

Is a digital portrait right for you?

Choose digital if you want a particular illustrated style, a quick turnaround, a file you can use in several ways or a gift that can be delivered by email. If you want a one-of-a-kind physical original, consider a traditional medium. Our pet portrait planner compares mediums.

Products and merchandise

Many digital artists offer their work printed on products such as mugs, phone cases, cushions, blankets and calendars. Check the quality of the product and printing, and whether the artist or a print-on-demand service makes it. If you plan to have your own products printed from a file, check that your licence allows it.

Animated and social media portraits

Some artists create portraits designed for social media, such as profile pictures, stickers, simple animations or illustrated announcements for a new puppy or kitten. Discuss the sizes and formats you need, as social platforms use different dimensions, and agree how the artist may use the images too.

Use the pet portrait planner

Our free pet portrait planner shows how each medium looks, how it's displayed and cared for, and what to expect about timing. It also gives a reference-photo checklist and a list of questions to ask any artist, adjusted for the size you want, the number of animals and whether it's a memorial portrait. It runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you choose is sent anywhere.

Where our information comes from

Factual statements in our guides are based on expert and official sources, including the Arts Law Centre of Australia, the Copyright Agency and the Australian Copyright Council for copyright; the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material and the Canadian Conservation Institute for caring for artworks; the ACCC and Scamwatch for consumer rights and safe buying; and museum collections for art history. We link to each source at the end of the page and rewrite everything in our own words.

A good commission in one sentence

A good pet portrait commission starts with an artist whose work you love, good reference photos and clear written terms, and ends with a portrait framed and hung where it's protected from sun, heat and damp. Almost everything else in this guide supports those simple steps.

Questions to ask yourself first

Before contacting an artist, ask yourself: what style and medium do I love, where will the portrait hang, how big can it be, what's my deadline, and which photos best capture my pet? Having answers ready makes your enquiry clearer and helps the artist give an accurate quote.

Pet portraits through history

Animals have appeared in art for thousands of years, and portraits of particular, beloved animals have a long tradition. The National Gallery in London describes George Stubbs's Whistlejacket, a life-size portrait of a racehorse painted around 1762, as probably the most well-known portrait of a horse. Nineteenth-century painters made careers painting dogs and cats, and today's portrait artists continue that tradition in every medium.

Your rights when buying

The ACCC explains that consumer guarantees apply to goods and services bought from Australian businesses. Services must be provided with acceptable care and skill and within a reasonable time if no date was agreed, and goods must be of acceptable quality and match their description. Clear written terms with the artist are still your best protection.

Tell us what you think

We review our guides regularly against their sources. If you notice something out of date, have a question we haven't answered or spot an error, please let us know through our contact page. We read every message and correct mistakes promptly.

Key points

• Hand-made digital portraits are drawn or painted by an artist on a tablet.
• Ask about file format, resolution and the largest print size.
• Agree revisions and usage rights in writing.
• Ask how an image is made if you want to avoid AI-generated work.