Pet Portrait Artists in the UK and Around the World
Looking for the right artist to capture your beloved pet? This guide brings together a carefully selected collection of talented pet and portrait artists from the UK and around the world.
Every artist has their own distinctive approach. Some specialise in highly detailed and realistic work, while others create portraits with a looser, more expressive or contemporary feel. The artists featured here work in a variety of traditional media, including pastel, coloured pencil, watercolour, oils and acrylics, as well as graphite, charcoal, pen and ink and other techniques.
The artists are organised by geographic region to make the guide easier to explore. Whether you are looking for an artist in your part of the UK or simply searching for a style of work that appeals to you, we hope this resource will help you discover the variety of approaches available in contemporary pet portraiture.
Choosing a Pet Portrait Artist
When choosing an artist, it can be helpful to consider both their style and the medium in which they work. Coloured pencil and graphite can be ideal for intricate detail and fine texture, while watercolour often creates a lighter and more fluid effect. Oil and acrylic can offer richness and depth, while pastel is particularly suited to subtle transitions of colour, expressive detail and the texture of fur and feathers.
It is also worth looking carefully at an artist's portfolio. Some specialise in dogs, while others regularly portray cats, horses, wildlife or people. Beyond technical skill, you may also be drawn to an artist's use of colour, composition or atmosphere. Ultimately, the right portrait is one that reflects not only the physical appearance of your pet, but something of their individual character.
Pet Portrait Artists in the UK
UK - South West England
Pet and portrait artists based in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, working in a range of traditional media and styles.
Stan Hurr Portraits
Stan Hurr creates colourful and expressive pet portraits from photographs, with pastel featuring prominently in his work. He also offers commissions in charcoal, sanguine, oil and pencil, portraying dogs, cats, horses and many other animals (based in Bristol, Somerset).
Naomi Jenkin Art
Naomi Jenkin creates hand-drawn pastel portraits of pets and animals, with a detailed and realistic approach that aims to capture the distinctive personality and character of each subject (based in Cornwall).
Amy Trudgian Art
Amy Trudgian creates lifelike commissioned animal portraits using coloured pencil. Her detailed work includes dogs, horses and other animals, combining careful observation with a strong sense of personality (based in Cornwall).
UK - Southern and South East England
Portrait artists based in Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, West and East Sussex, Kent, Essex and London, creating portraits of people and pets in a variety of media.
Watercolour Pet Portraits by Rosie Coyne
Rosie Coyne creates bespoke pet portraits from photographs, specialising in watercolour and also offering pen-and-ink work. Her paintings provide a lighter and more fluid alternative to highly detailed drawing styles (based in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex).
Amanda's Pet Portraits
Amanda Brown creates commissioned pet portraits in oils and coloured pencil, producing carefully observed portraits of animals from photographic reference (based in Kent).
Suzanne Burn
Suzanne Burn creates characterful commissioned pet portraits with an emphasis on celebrating the individuality and personality of each animal (London based).
UK - Midlands
Pet, wildlife and portrait artists working across the Midlands and surrounding counties.
Andrew Mackay Wildlife Art and Pet Portraits
Andrew Mackay creates paintings and illustrations inspired by birds and wildlife and also accepts commissions for pet portraits, bringing the same close observation of animals to his commissioned work (based in Leicestershire).
UK - Northern England
Portrait artists specialising in pet and animal portraits across Northern England, including Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Becca Barron Art
Becca Barron is a professional pet and wildlife artist specialising in highly detailed, realistic coloured pencil portraits. Her commissioned work focuses on capturing the individual character, beauty and distinctive features of each animal (based in Preston, Lancashire).
Bobby's Portraits by Robert Shirt
Robert Shirt creates hand-drawn portraits from photographs, specialising in graphite and coloured pencil as well as hand-painted acrylic work. His commissioned pet portraits include dogs, cats, horses and a wide variety of other animals (based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire).
UK - Wales
Pet and portrait artists based across North and of South Wales, specialising in a variety of traditional media.
Mark Whittaker Pet Portrait Artist
Mark Whittaker specialises in pastel pet portraits, creating detailed commissioned artwork of dogs and other animals for clients in the UK and abroad (based in Newport, South Wales).
Tracey Davies Art
Tracey Davies creates pastel portraits and paintings of pets and animals from photographs. Her colourful, hand-created work reflects a particular love of animals and wildlife (based in Holywell, North Wales).
UK - Scotland
Pet and animal portrait artists working throughout Scotland, serving the major urban areas such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife and the Scottish islands.
Pet Portraits by Laura Young
Laura Young creates highly detailed, hand-drawn pet portraits in graphite and coloured pencil (based in Glasgow).
Tracy Hall
Tracy Hall creates flower paintings, pet portraits, wildlife and bird art in watercolour (based in Orkney).
Sasha Malik Art
Sasha Malik creates hand-drawn pet portraits using professional coloured pencils. Her detailed work focuses on capturing the distinctive personality and character of each animal (based in Edinburgh).
KLM Pet Portraits
Katie creates lifelike pet and livestock portraits using high-quality coloured pencils on pastel paper. Her commissioned work includes dogs, cats, horses and farm animals (based in Dumfries and Galloway).
UK - Northern Ireland
Pet and animal portrait artists working throughout Northern Ireland, including Belfast, Derry and the surrounding areas.
Nuala Herron Art
Nuala Herron specialises in commissioned pet and wildlife portraits, creating artwork from photographs in a range of traditional media including oil, acrylic, watercolour, graphite and charcoal. Her work focuses on capturing the individual character and expression of each animal (based in Derry).
Dee Tyndall Art
Dee Tyndall is a portrait artist creating commissioned portraits of both people and pets. Her work includes detailed pencil drawings and painted animal portraits, with a strong emphasis on likeness and expression (based in Belfast).
Emma Colbert Art
Emma Colbert is an experienced soft pastel artist creating commissioned portraits from photographs. Her work includes realistic portraits of pets and other animals, with careful attention to detail, colour and likeness (based in Northern Ireland).
Portrait Artists in the United States
Portrait artists serving communities throughout the United States, creating portraits of people and pets including dogs, cats and horses in watercolour, pastel, oils, acrylic and other traditional media.
Melissa Smith Art
Melissa Smith creates custom pet portrait paintings, including dog, cat and horse portraits, as well as pet gifts and memorial artwork (based in Dallas, Texas).
Artwork by Ashley Burdon
Ashley Burdon is a portrait artist specialising in realistic graphite and charcoal drawings. Working from photographs, she creates detailed commissioned portraits of pets, people and other subjects with a strong emphasis on capturing individual features and likeness (based in Phoenix, Arizona).
Phil Levine
Phil Levine is known for figurative and expressionist paintings of people, bringing a distinctive and painterly approach to portraiture (based in New York).
Dave Kramer
Dave Kramer creates original fine-art oil paintings and commissioned portraits in a romantic realist style (based in Dallas, Texas).
Pencils and Pixels Art
Nicole I. Hamilton creates commissioned graphite pencil portraits from favourite photographs, alongside original artwork and prints.
Julie T. Chapman
Julie T. Chapman creates bold and colourful fine art inspired by wildlife, rodeo and animals (based in Missoula, Montana).
Pet Portrait Artists in Canada
Pet Portraits by Sarah Theophilus
Sarah Theophilus creates lifelike and sensitive pet portraits in oil pastel, capturing dogs, cats, horses and other animals from photographs (based in Victoria, British Columbia).
Animal Art and Pet Portraits by Colette Theriault
Colette Theriault creates realistic graphite drawings and watercolour paintings of animals and pets, including dogs, cats, horses, birds and other domestic animals (based in Northern Ontario).
Janice Booth
Janice M. Booth creates lifelike paintings of beloved pets, producing individual commissioned portraits designed to celebrate the bond between people and their animals.
Pet Portrait Artists in Australia
Sally McLean – Portraits That Bite
Fine artist Sally McLean works in pastel and oil to create distinctive pet portraits that aim to capture both the likeness and individual character of each animal (based near Brisbane, Queensland).
Pastel portrait of a Border Collie by Julie Palmer
About the Curator
This guide has been put together by Julie Palmer, a professional portrait artist who has spent more than twenty-five years creating commissioned portraits of pets and people for clients in the UK and around the world.
Julie works primarily in traditional pastel, creating hand-drawn portraits from photographs with a particular focus on likeness, expression and the individual character of each animal. Over the years, her work has included dogs, cats, horses and many other much-loved companions.
Exploring the work of other artists is one of the pleasures of working in this field. Every artist brings their own experience, materials and creative approach, and this guide is intended to celebrate that variety and help visitors discover portrait artists whose work speaks to them.
You can explore examples of Julie's work or find out more about her background and approach.