Handmade vs Digital Pet Portraits: What's the Difference?

Search for "pet portrait" and you'll find thousands of options that all look sort of similar in a tiny thumbnail. They are not similar. The biggest split is between digital portraits and handmade ones, and knowing the difference saves you from ordering one when you really wanted the other.

Quick disclaimer: we paint by hand, so we're obviously fond of that side. But digital art is real art, and plenty of people will be happier with it. Here's the honest comparison.

How digital pet portraits are made

A digital portrait is created on a computer or tablet. The artist might draw from scratch using your photo as reference, or work over the photo itself with digital brushes and effects.

You usually receive a file, a print of that file, or both. Because it's digital, it can be resized, reprinted and shared easily.

How hand-painted pet portraits are made

A hand-painted portrait is made the old-fashioned way. An artist studies your photos and paints your pet by hand onto a physical surface. In our case, that's canvas.

You receive the painting itself. Not a copy of it. There's one, and it's yours.

Materials and production

• Digital: pixels first, physical later (if printed). The quality of the final object depends heavily on the printing.
• Handmade: physical from the very first brushstroke. You get real paint, real texture and the little variations that come from a human hand.

That last bit matters. Small differences in brushstrokes and colour aren't mistakes in a handmade piece. They're the point. It's what makes it a painting rather than a reproduction.

The experience of commissioning

Digital portraits are often quicker, and some are almost instant. Hand-painted portraits take longer because the painting simply takes time.

With a hand-painted portrait, the process tends to be more of a conversation. With us, you chat on WhatsApp, share your photos, and we see your pet's personality before we start. When it's done, we send you a picture of the finished painting before it's shipped. You can read more about what goes into a hand-painted portrait.

Which one should you choose?

A digital portrait might suit you if:

• You want something quickly.
• You'd like a file to use on your phone, social media or stationery.
• You want to print it in several sizes or on several things.

A hand-painted portrait might suit you if:

• You want an original artwork, not a copy.
• You're giving a gift you want to feel properly special.
• You like the idea of something that looks better the closer you stand to it.

Neither choice is wrong. Just make sure you know which one you're paying for. If a listing says "painted", it's fair to ask: painted by hand, or digitally? A good artist won't mind the question. If you're still deciding where to order from, our guide to getting a custom pet portrait in India has a list of questions worth asking.

Frequently asked questions