The 6 Pet Portrait Styles, Explained

Choosing a style is the fun part - but it can also be the part that stalls people, because every option looks lovely and it's hard to picture your own pet in each one. So here is a plain-English guide to the six styles we offer, what each one does best, and the kind of pet and room it tends to suit.

1. Classic oil painting

The timeless one. Rich, painterly depth, warm tones, and the sense of brushstrokes you'd find in a gallery portrait. It flatters almost every pet and suits a home with any amount of character. If you want something that feels like a genuine heirloom - the portrait your family keeps for decades - this is the safe, beautiful default.

Best for: dogs and cats with expressive faces; traditional or warm interiors.

2. Soft watercolour

Light, airy, and gentle. Watercolour leans into softness - washes of colour, a delicate edge, a dreamy quality. It is quietly emotional, which is why it is a favourite for gentle-natured pets and for memorial portraits where a softer, more tender treatment feels right.

Best for: calm or sweet-faced pets; bright, minimal, or pastel rooms.

3. Regal Renaissance

The one that makes everyone smile. Your pet, dressed in noble finery, painted like aristocracy - a ruff, a velvet coat, a commanding gaze. It is gloriously tongue-in-cheek and yet genuinely striking on a wall. The most popular choice for a gift, because it captures a pet's self-importance perfectly.

Best for: characterful, slightly haughty pets (cats know exactly who they are); a statement piece in a hallway or study.

4. Clean line art

Modern and minimal. A confident single-weight line that captures the essence of your pet with almost nothing - no colour, no shading, just form. It looks superb in a contemporary home and pairs beautifully in a set of two or three.

Best for: sleek breeds and strong silhouettes; modern, monochrome, or design-led interiors.

5. Bold pop art

Colour turned all the way up. High-contrast, graphic, and full of energy - think bold blocks of colour and a confident, poster-like finish. It is the most playful, eye-catching style and it brings a room to life.

Best for: bold personalities and bright homes; a child's room or a fun, modern space.

6. Warm storybook

Characterful and charming, like an illustration from a beautifully made children's book. It softens and humanises your pet without losing what makes them them - a lovely choice if you want warmth and whimsy rather than realism.

Best for: family pets and younger households; cosy, characterful rooms.

How to actually decide

Three quick questions usually settle it:

1. What's the room? Traditional and warm → oil or Renaissance. Modern and minimal → line art. Bright and playful → pop art.
2. What's the pet's personality? Dignified → Renaissance. Gentle → watercolour. Bold → pop art. Timeless → oil.
3. Is it a gift, and do you know their taste? If you're unsure, a digital gift card lets them choose the style themselves - no risk of guessing wrong.

You can see all six side by side on our styles page. And whichever you choose, we hand-finish the portrait so it genuinely looks like your pet - not a stock version of the breed.

Start your portrait here - about thirty seconds to begin, and made right here in Malta.