Pet Memorial Portraits, Hand-Painted from the Photos You Already Have

When a pet dies, the photos on your phone suddenly matter a great deal. Most families only have a few casual snaps, or a printed photo from years ago. That is usually fine. Upload up to three photos: our artists can take the face from one and the markings or the pose from another.

Not sure your photo is good enough? Upload it anyway, or email it to info@directartaustralia.com.au first. We'll tell you honestly what's possible before you pay anything more than the deposit. Scanned prints and black and white photos work too, and charcoal suits an old black and white photo especially well.

You start with a 20% deposit. The rest is charged only after you approve the finished artwork, before it ships.

Many memorial portraits advertised online are AI images printed onto canvas. They can look like paintings in an ad, and the "free preview" is often just the software's first try. A memorial portrait is something you'll keep for decades, so it's worth checking a few things before you buy.

Read what customers say about our paintings on our reviews page.

A dog memorial is often about the small, everyday things: the head on your knee, the spot by the back door, the walk at the same time every evening. A portrait keeps their face in the room. Many owners hang it where the dog used to sleep, or above their bowl and lead.

For the portrait, pick the photo that looks most like them, not the most perfect one. A slightly blurry photo with their real expression is better than a sharp one where they look unlike themselves. Our dog portraits page shows every breed we paint, and two pets can share one portrait if you'd like a brother or sister beside them.

Dog memorial ideas that sit well beside a portrait

Keep their collar and tag on a small hook beside the painting. Plant a tree or a native shrub where they liked to lie in the garden. Put their last lead in a shadow box. Ask your vet whether they offer a paw print impression.

Cats are hard to photograph, so a cat memorial portrait often starts from a photo taken from above, or one with the cat half asleep. That's fine. Our artists work from that photo and can open the eyes or lift the head if you tell us how they usually looked.

Cats have their own spots. Many families hang the portrait above the window seat, the end of the bed or the sunny patch on the floor. See more examples on our cat portraits page.

If a friend or family member has lost a pet, a portrait is one of the most personal pet remembrance gifts you can give. You can order it with a photo from their social media, or ask a family member for one quietly.

If you don't have a good photo, or it feels too soon, a gift certificate lets them choose the photo, size and style when they're ready. Grief over a pet is real grief: healthdirect's guide to grief and loss is a gentle place to start if someone is struggling.

Pet loss gifts: what to write in the card

Keep it short and use the pet's name. "We'll always remember Biscuit waiting at the gate" means more than a long poem. Our pet memorial gift ideas guide has more wording ideas and when to give the gift.

The pet memorial ideas families tell us they're glad they chose have one thing in common: they're seen every day. A portrait on the wall. A plant in the garden. Their collar kept somewhere you pass each morning. Things put away in a drawer tend to be forgotten, however kind the thought behind them.

If you're choosing a frame, our oil portraits come stretched and ready to hang, or in a floating or outer frame. Paper portraits can be framed with a mat board and clear Perspex. Check the portrait size guide to see how each size looks on a wall.

Many families choose oil for a lasting painting. A soft watercolour or a charcoal portrait on paper is a gentle alternative, and suits a smaller space.

Priced by size and the number of pets in the portrait. Each extra pet adds $99 in oil or $85 on paper. Pay a 20% deposit to start; the balance is charged after you approve your finished artwork, before it ships.

Portraits on paper cost about 15% less than oil and come in four sizes. Each extra pet adds $85. They can be framed with a mat board and clear Perspex (wooden frames from $150 more), or ship flat and unframed, ready for a standard frame.