Paint Your Pet: Custom Dog Art for Dog Lovers
In this article we’ll look at a carefully curated selection of custom pet portrait providers who’ll ‘paint your pet’ in a range of styles and on a myriad of backgrounds (not to mention with a minimum of fuss).
As you browse through their sites, you’ll see that personalized pet art has become both more and more sophisticated and more and more ubiquitous as artists make use of new technologies and leverage popular cultural references to broaden their appeal. Particularly when it comes to custom dog art prints (as opposed to the hand-painted pet portraits from photos genre).
And there’s certainly a market for it. After all, bespoke dog portraits make perfect gifts for dog lovers and dog parents. As a way to pay tribute to our fur BFFs while they’re with us … and a great way to remember them when they’re gone. Not to mention that some are just so darn good that it’s hard not to appreciate them as the fine pieces of ‘doggy décor’ they are.
Owning a dog is an emotional, bonding experience. Just as our appreciation of art is very personal. So, it’s no surprise that the two are such a powerful combination.
The point is, no matter what your reasons are for buying, there is no doubt there are few things that will ‘speak' to you like a portrait of your own dog, paired with a design of your choice.
Before we get into the list, a quick disclaimer. We haven’t personally bought a puppy portrait (aka dog portrait paintings). Although we love our dogs dearly, we’re just not doggy décor kind of people. But we totally get that other people are (and have certainly admired some of the pieces our friends have commissioned).
So, to arrive at our list, we’ve relied on those self-same friends … as well as reviews for each of the sites. That way, although we do receive a small commission from these providers (at no extra cost to you), we can happily say that while these are not our personal recommendations … they are nonetheless good ones.
The quality of reviews each of the sites have received, as well as the fact that a number have been featured in five-star publications, are more than enough evidence for us to feel comfortable featuring them here.
With that said, let's dive in.
Speaking of five-star publications, our first paint your pet site has been featured in GQ, Vogue and Allure (among others). BABABOOM’s mission is to help you celebrate your pet.
‘Commissioning’ your very own pet portrait with BABABOOM is a simple four step process: 1. select the product you want the portrait printed on, 2. choose a design, 3. upload your photo, and 4. place your order.
As you would expect, you get to approve the design before it’s printed, and they'll make any adjustments until you’re 100% happy.
Compared to some of the other pet art providers on this list, what makes BABABOOM different is the variety of designs (and products) you can choose from. From contemporary, to classic, to geometric to surreal.
Up next is Mr & Mrs Paws. They have a gorgeous looking website, and although the choice of designs is more limited, the results are truly dramatic.
The focus on classic and pop culture canvas portraits - renaissance dog portraits or Star Wars pet portraits anybody? - is evident in the quality i.e., what they do, they do extremely well. Seriously, go have a quick peek at the website and be prepared to be wowed.
As with BABABOOM the process is simple. Choose your design. Upload your photograph. Place your order (with unlimited revisions before printing).
They have free worldwide shipping and give away a free iPhone case with your design, too.
Which brings us to Guilty Paws. Their custom pet art focuses on humor. You can have your dog placed on a wanted poster, a magazine cover or as a prison mug shot.
Although the process for ordering is similar to Mr & Mrs Paws and BABABOOM, you’ll need to enter a little more information up front. For example, if you order a ‘Wanted’ design you’ll enter the name of your dog, select the reward for their capture (e.g. 100 bones or 25 pig ears) and the crime they’ve committed (e.g. indecent exposure, manslobber, pooping in public and destruction of property).
This one is a lot of fun and the review gallery shows a ton of happy customers, too.
Next up is Portrait Flip. Portrait Flip takes a 'true to life' portrait approach to their artwork. Which is perhaps not surprising since they’re 100% hand painted.
Their dog portrait paintings tend to place your fur kids in natural environments or use similar background hues and/or drawing styles to those we’re accustomed to seeing in more traditional human portraits. If this is what you after, then you’ll love the results.
The process for ordering is roughly the same as with the other providers. Including unlimited revisions, free shipping and a 100% money back guarantee (no questions asked).
One of our close friends has used Portrait Flip and we have to say the result was impressive.
In many ways Paint Your Life is similar to Portrait Flip: they have a similar feel, offer custom handmade portraits painted from your photos (of both people and pets), and have a ton of amazing reviews.
They also offer unlimited revisions and free shipping (we couldn't see a no questions asked money back guarantee).
If you like the Portrait Flip / Paint Your Life style, the choice between the two may well come down to the variety of options you have in your canvas and the pricing.
Personally, we love the fact that you can choose from over 250 artists to paint your pet ... so the odds of you finding a style that's just right for you just got a LOT shorter :-)
West & Willow is another personalized pet portrait provider that’s been featured in some serious publications. Including Marie Claire, CNN, Fashionista, Brides and more. This is one for those that love a clean, simple and contemporary style.
You can also add your portrait to a range of other products, including mugs, phone cases and cards. Although we think the designs speak for themselves, it’s worth checking out their review gallery to see some of their happy customers showcasing the results.
And if you purchase through our West & Willow referral link - just click on West & Willow to open in a new tab - you get 15% off!
Finally, let’s take a look at Pop Your Pup. Pop art dog portraits that, er, pop!
Pop Your Pup covers a range of styles and has probably the broadest range of products in this list on which to plaster your personalized pooch portrait. Again, the ordering process is straightforward, and they have an impressive customer review gallery.
For us, the designs that really stand out here are the namesake bold, single-color backgrounds (as shown in the photograph).
And that’s a wrap.
Despite the ton of personalized pet portrait sites you can find on the web, we’re pretty confident that if you browse through the ones in this list you're pretty much guaranteed to find something that's right for you.
We hope you enjoyed the article!
You may also be interested in our articles on Where To Find The Best Dog Mom Apparel (It’s Not Amazon or Etsy) and The Luxury Dog Accessories Market Just Crowned A New Queen.