Guides, songs and portraits · Pet portrait

A pet portrait from a photo: start with a good picture of them

Dogs, cats and rabbits do not sit for portraits, so everything depends on the photo. A few simple tricks make a big difference. Below: how to get the shot, which kinds of pet portrait you can order, and how ours is made from the picture you send.

Taking the photo

Get down to their level. Photos taken from above make pets look small and flat. Kneel or lie on the floor so the lens is at eye height.
Use daylight. Near a window or outside on a cloudy day. Flash makes eyes glow and fur look plastic.
Focus on the eyes. Tap the eyes on your phone screen before taking the picture. Sharp eyes matter more than sharp paws.
Get their attention. A treat or a squeaky toy held just above the camera makes them look at you, ears up.
Take many. Twenty quick shots usually give you one where they hold still.

Fur, color and background

A black dog on a dark sofa or a white cat on a white bed is hard to paint, because there is little difference between animal and background. Put them against something of a different tone: a light wall for a dark pet, a green lawn or a wooden floor for a pale one. Keep the background simple. Long fur paints beautifully when the light comes from one side and shows its texture. If you already have a favorite old photo, use it even if it is not perfect; the one that means something beats the technically better one.

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If the photo is not yours

Maybe the gift is for a friend and you want to paint their dog. Their own photo is the best source, but it is theirs. Ask them, or ask someone close to them, for a picture, and say it is for a surprise. Do not take a stranger's pet photo from the internet. If a person appears in the photo with the pet, they should be happy to be painted too, or be cropped out.

Kinds of pet portrait you can get

Hand-painted. Many painters and illustrators paint pets from photos on canvas or paper, shipped to you. Check their earlier pet work.
Printed items. Photos of pets printed on mugs, blankets and cushions are easy to find and quick to make.
Keepsakes. Paw print kits in clay or ink, especially loved after a pet has died.
A digital painting with a song. Sendajoy's artmoovik, made from the photo you send, described below.

How we paint your pet

The portrait is made from your photo, the same way as any other portrait we paint: code lays down brushstrokes one by one, large ones first for the background and the shape of the body, smaller ones only where the detail is, the eyes, nose and edges of the fur. Please mention in the order form that the photo is of a pet, and add its name and anything about it you want in the story. A new song plays while the painting appears; its words and music are made with AI, from what you write. At the end comes your letter, with a certificate number.

For a pet who has died

A portrait of a pet who is gone can be a kind gift for a friend, or something for yourself. Go gently: choose a photo from a happy day, keep the story warm rather than sad unless the person wants otherwise, and consider a soft song or no vocals at all. Give it at a quiet moment, not in front of a crowd.

Price and timing

$25 for the painting from your photo and its song.
Within 24 hours, the first sketch of the final frame. If it is not right, it is redone once.
Usually 1–2 days after you approve it, the finished piece.
Full refund if the work is not made.
No shipping. It is a digital piece on a private link. Save the final frame and print it if you want it on the wall.

Ready letters you can use

Paste one under the film as it is, or change every word — the letter appears at the end of the artmoovik, after the last stroke.

“Happy birthday! I know Biscuit is the real love of your life, and I am fine with that. So here she is, painted stroke by stroke, ears up and very pleased with herself, with a song about her stealing socks. Thank you for letting me share the sofa with you both.”

“Max was with you for fourteen years, and every one of them was better for it. I chose the photo from the beach, the day he refused to come out of the water. I hope watching him appear brings back that afternoon. Thinking of you.”

“To my sister, from me and Pepper's biggest fan. You rescued her when nobody else would, and she has run your house ever since. Here is a portrait she would approve of, if cats approved of anything.”

Questions

What is the best photo for a pet portrait? One taken at the pet's eye level, in daylight, with sharp eyes and a background of a different tone from their fur.

Do you paint cats, rabbits or horses too? We paint from the photo you send, whatever is in it. Mention in the order form that it is a pet and what kind, and add their name.

Can the pet's name be in the song? Yes. Put it in the story when you order, and the AI-made lyrics can include it. You can also paste your own words.

Can a person be in the portrait with the dog? Yes, if the photo shows them both clearly. Ask that person first if the gift is not for them.

How is a pet portrait paid for? With USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20); no other method is available at the moment.

Choose a ready-made artmoovik · $35 Order one made for you · $25