A portrait to keep them close

Why a portrait helps

Grief after losing a pet is real grief, and it is often dismissed. A portrait is a way to give that bond a place in the room: something to look at that is not a phone photo, and not a reminder of the last vet visit.

The photos we keep are rarely perfect. They are the blurry one from the sofa, the one where they are half asleep, the last one. That is exactly the photo to use.

Choosing the right style for a memorial

• Watercolour — soft, quiet, and forgiving of imperfect photos. The most common choice for memorials.
• Oil painting — warmer and more substantial; suits a framed print in a living room.
• Renaissance — formal and dignified, with a dark background that gives the portrait weight.

We do not recommend the cartoon styles for a memorial. Playful is not wrong, but it is a different kind of remembering.

If the photo is old or low quality

Old phone photos and scans often still work. The model keeps the face and fur pattern; it does not need a high-resolution image to produce a good portrait. If the result does not feel like them, try a different photo — you have free previews to test with.

For someone else

If you are ordering for a friend who has lost a pet, the gift pack is the usual choice: they can make several portraits from the photos they love, in their own time. Send it with a short note rather than a long one.

A note on timing

Some people want the portrait immediately. Others need a few weeks. There is no right answer; the previews are free, so there is no cost to waiting until the photo feels right.