Why commission a custom oil pet portrait?

Ah, the creatures that dwell among us, whether you call them pets, companions, fur-babies, or familiars — bring magic into our homes and our hearts.  They keep us grounded (and sometimes up at all hours) and remind us to slow down and feel deep, genuine connection and unconditional love in the hectic modern world. Honor their presence in your heart with a permanent place in your home. Pet portraits also make exceptional, meaningful gifts for loved ones or as tribute to a creature that has recently passed.

All portraits are hand painted with professional grade oil paint on archival quality gallery wrapped canvas (ready to hang, no framing required) based on a high-quality photograph we agree upon as a reference.

Please note, you are commissioning an artist’s rendering, not a photo realistic image. I work in an impressionist style and seek to capture the spark of the creature’s soul and personality. Think of it as charisma on canvas. Your unique painting will have the enchanting movement and vibrancy that only oil paints can conjure.

How much does a custom oil portrait cost?

Pricing is based on size and complexity of the portrait, and a 20% deposit is required to secure your spot in my calendar and start the work.

The composition I suggest is just the head or bust (chest up) of your pet with a simple single or double color background so your creature is the feature. This works beautifully on a 10x10” canvas which is perfect for just about any space and is great for giving as a gift.

The base price for a 10x10” gallery wrapped canvas (ready to hang, no framing required) is $350.

More detailed backgrounds (for example a full body or a special location visible around the animal in your reference photo) or a larger canvas will increase the time and therefore the price of your portrait. Please reach out for an accurate quote on your commission.

I offer FREE USPS GROUND SHIPPING in the continental USA and Alaska. Local pick up is available if you’re here in Juneau!

Email me for a quote: hello@ginajmorris.com

How long do your pet portraits take?

Portraits are generally complete and ready to ship within 3-4 weeks. Oil paints need time to dry, even for rushed orders, so please email me if you have specific timeline in mind and we’ll see what’s possible. Please note that I live in Alaska, so shipping times are often a week longer than the USPS thinks they will be. We will stay in close contact about the shipping timing and work to get it shipped well before its needs to be where it’s going to mitigate delays as best we can.

What makes a good photo for an oil portrait?

Good lighting and clearly visible eyes are the key elements of a vibrant painting. A clear (not blurry) photo, in natural light, or high contrast light, is what we’re after. A photo taken down at their eye level is ideal, but not required.

Send me several photos and we can work together to decide what works best for this specific creature!

Do you take other commissions?

The short answer is: sometimes! I am happy to take a commission for a portrait of a person, still life, or landscape when I have the space in my calendar. Please contact me with your request (include the image you would like painted) and we can go from there.

Email: hello@ginajmorris.com

Commission Confidence

I will paint your oil portrait based upon an agreed good quality photograph.  I offer a 100% guarantee on my portraits, so if the painting is not what you wanted when you view the final update before shipping,  I will keep the painting (and all rights reserved) and refund you in full.