🐾 Pet Portraits with Paula 🐾
Because some family members have four legs.
Custom oil portraits of the animals who make our houses feel like home.
COMMISSION A PORTRAIT - It’s Easy!
Why would you want a pet portrait?
Because They're Family.
You know that.
The way they greet you when you walk through the door.
The way they curl up beside you.
The funny habits that nobody else understands.
The look in their eyes.
The personality that somehow feels bigger than their little body.
That's what makes a pet portrait special.
It’s a very special way to preserve that relationship for generations.
I don't want to simply paint what your pet looks like.
I want to paint a reminder of how your pet makes you feel.
How it works:
🐾 From your favorite photograph to family heirloom. 🐾
Easy-Peasy.
📸 1. SEND ME YOUR PHOTOS
We'll choose the photograph that best captures your pet's personality.
✏️ 2. SKETCH & APPROVAL
I'll create your pet's sketch and send it to you for approval before I begin painting.
🖼️ 3. CHOOSE YOUR SIZE
Select the portrait size that's right for you.
🗓️ 4. SECURE YOUR SPOT
Pay your 50% non-refundable deposit to reserve your portrait on my calendar.
🎨 5. I PAINT
Your portrait is lovingly built layer by layer in oil paint.
📦 6. FINISH & SHIP
Once your heirloom is complete, and the oil painting is varnished and dry, you'll pay the remaining balance and I'll carefully ship your painting right to your door.
Your finished portrait will be ready in approximately 4 weeks. ❤️
Want to know more about what happens behind the scenes?
Read below about my process.
Sizes & Pricing
Choose the size that fits your story.
5 × 7 — $400
A beautiful little portrait for a special place.
8 × 10 — $800
My signature size for capturing your pet's personality.
11 × 14 — $1,000
A statement portrait with room for all those wonderful details.
16 × 20 — $1500
For a larger statement piece––a portrait with more room to breathe.
It’s easy to get started - send me your photos, and I’ll send you a mock-up sketch with your pet and the background.
Choose your size, then pay your 50% deposit.
Pay the remaining 50% when your oil painting is finished.
Want to know more about the process?
Read on to see how it works →
🐾 From your favorite photograph to family heirloom. 🐾
📸 SEND ME YOUR PHOTOS!
We'll choose the photograph that best captures your pet's personality.
Email them to me @ Paula@paulamillhousefineart.com.
Send several, at least three - you know, the ones that hold your heart.
I want to see your pet’s best features.
Capture their eyes in sunlight if possible.
🐾 From your favorite photograph to family heirloom. 🐾
✏️ First we Approve the Sketch Together ✏️
I create your portrait sketch, email it to you, and we make any needed adjustments.
This is where we decide on the background.
Up to two revisions are accepted in the sketch phase.
Once we’ve agreed on any final changes, you choose your size for the painting.
🗓️ Then you SECURE YOUR SPOT on my Pet Portrait Calendar by paying your your 50% non-refundable deposit.💰💵💳
Then I start your painting.
🐾 From your favorite photograph to family heirloom - the Underpainting Stage. 🐾
One I receive your deposit, I start the underpainting.
This is an important stage, as I establish the values which shows the form and beauty of your pet. 🐶🐱🐴🐰❤️
Underpaintings are done in oil. They usually take about 72 hours to dry.
Then we move on to the first color block stage! (So exciting!) 🖌️ 🎨
🖌️ 🎨 Color Block Stage 🎨 🖌️
I paint in the main colors.
By now, your Pet Portrait is really taking shape. But this is only the first layer!
Oil paintings come to life in the next few layers with fine details that make your pet uniquely yours.
The background is added now.
These layers take at least two days to dry, sometimes more.
The waiting is the hardest part!
🐾 Next layers 🐾
Final Details are added.
The painting needs a week to dry.
🐾 Next layers 🐾
I make sure to paint the edges of the deep canvas too.
You can frame your painting if you want, but you don’t have to.
It comes finished and ready to hang.
Nice touch!
See how I measure, drill, and wire the pet portraits in my studio myself.
Your Pet Portrait is done!
Once the final details are done and dry, I varnish your painting. This is why it takes approximately four weeks from sketch to finish.
Oil paintings are worth the wait!
When the painting is ready, I notify you by email.
You pay your remaining balance.
Then I carefully package and ship your painting to your door right here in the USA.
🐾 Every pet has a story…
I’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOURS!
Here are a few of the beloved faces I've had the joy of painting in my studio.
These are paintings created while exploring the art of capturing the personality and spirit of our animal companions.
Perhaps your pet will be next.🐾
COMMISSION YOUR PET PORTRAIT
🐾 Meet Winston the Retriever 🐾
Winston is the kind of dog who seems to know when someone needs a little extra love, always ready with a gentle gaze and a wagging tail.
He makes everyone feel welcome, whether they're coming through the front door or simply having a difficult day. His greatest gift is the quiet, uncomplicated joy he brings just by being there.
His watchful eyes tell me he’d be at home in the country watching over his Master’s property, guarding the homestead.
That easy tilt of his head says he’s just as happy curled up beside his Master’s chair, content just being by your side.
Oil on canvas panel - 8×10
🐾 Meet Belvedere, the English Bulldog 🐾
This sweet Bulldog has mastered the art of looking serious while carrying an enormous amount of love in his heart.
Beneath that wonderfully wrinkled face is a loyal companion who would much rather be close to his people than anywhere else. He's a reminder that sometimes the biggest personalities come in the squishiest packages.
Known as the University of Georgia’s official football mascot, UGA, bulldogs come in a variety of colors and sizes.
Oil on canvas - 6×6
START YOUR COMMISSION
🐾 Meet Copper the Red Dalmatian 🐾
Copper has a curious spirit and a face that makes it nearly impossible not to smile. He's the sort of companion who turns an ordinary afternoon into an adventure simply by following his nose and his heart. Wherever Copper goes, a little more fun seems to follow.
Oil on canvas panel - 8×10
🐾 Meet Teddy the Cockapoo
Teddy is a happy little soul with a heart much bigger than his fluffy coat.
He has a way of making everyone around him feel like they're his favorite person in the whole world.
His greatest talent may simply be reminding us that life is better with a little silliness, a lot of love, and a very good dog nearby.
Oil on canvas panel - 8×10
🐾 Meet Snowball, the Siberian Cat 🐾
Snowball looks like she stepped out of a winter fairy tale, with those enormous blue eyes and a coat made for cuddling. Her brightly colored background fits her heritage - Northern Lights for a Siberian Kitty.
She's gentle, beautiful, and just a little bit regal—though she knows perfectly well that the best place for a princess is in someone's lap.
Once Snowball chooses you, consider yourself wonderfully and permanently loved.
Oil on Linen canvas panel - 5×7
🐾 Meet Rosie -
King Charles Cavalier Spaniel 🐾
Rosie has the kind of gentle expression that seems to say, “Come sit with me.”
Laps are her favorite place to share. She loves being near her people and has a special talent for turning ordinary moments into cozy ones.
With her soft eyes and beautiful ears, Rosie is the definition of a little dog with a very big heart.
Oil on Linen canvas panel - 8×10
🐟 Meet Finn —
Fighting Betta Fish 🐠
Who says all pets have to have four legs? Sometimes the best pets have fins.
Finn may be small, but he fills his little underwater world with extraordinary color and personality. Watching him glide through the water is like having a tiny jewel come to life right before your eyes.
His turquoise and gold coloring tells us God was having a great day when He created Finn.
He's proof that some of the most beautiful companions don't need four paws—or even a bark—to steal your heart.
Oil on cradle board - 11 × 14
🐾 Baby Dog Brutus — American Bulldog Puppy 🐾
Brutus was our dog.
He was a fierce protector of his home and his people, taking his job very seriously while having the gentlest heart with the children he loved.
He gave his family the comforting feeling that someone was always watching over them, but underneath that brave exterior was simply a dog who loved his family completely.
Though Brutus is gone now—he’s crossed the Rainbow Bridge—the love and protection he gave remain part of the family story—and that is a beautiful legacy for a such a good dog. ❤️
Oil on canvas - 8×10.
🐾 Meet Lucky Charms — the Orange Tabby Cat 🐾 ☘️ 🐈
🧡 Our Unexpected Love Story…
Lucky Charms didn't exactly get adopted—he adopted his people, arriving as a stray and somehow deciding that he'd found his forever home.
He escaped the night from a BEAR who was on the loose in our neighborhood! God sent him straight to our doorstep, and we invited him in. 🧡
Of course, we opened our home, and our hearts to him. Best. Decision. Ever.
He's a fabulous mouser, loves his dogs, and has the softest, gentlest purr that makes it impossible to remember that he once lived life as a stray.
Lucky Charms is living proof that sometimes the very best family members are the ones who find you. 🐱
Oil on canvas - 6×6.
🐾 Meet Squeaky Lou — The Lap Warmer 🐾 🐈
Squeaky Lou she brought with her the most incredible, beautiful yellow-green eyes, and a gentle little spirit that makes it impossible not to love her.
Squeaky is special. She has a quiet way of making herself at home, especially when there's a warm lap available for curling up on.
Sometimes a gift from God arrives with four paws, a magnificent tail, and a very clear opinion about whose lap belongs to her. 🧡
5×7 Oil on canvas.
I would love to hear about your special pet.
When you’re ready to get started, click the button below.
FAQ
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Thank you for asking!
We Turn Your Favorite Pet Photo into a Family Heirloom - from photo to hand made oil painting.
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Approximately 4 weeks
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50% deposit to secure your spot; balance when finished.
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Absolutely! This collaboration is often the best part of painting pet portraits.
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No; they're gallery-wrapped and ready to hang.
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Yes, right to your door. US shipping only.
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Send me an email with your pet photos to paula@paulamillhousefineart.com and we’ll get started!