Cat Portraits

Understanding your cat

Before I begin drawing your cat, it’s key that I can learn as much about them as possible. I’ll ask you to give me an insight into their characteristics, their quirks, their likes and dislikes. Where did she come from? Has she been a member of your family since a kitten, or is she a rescue that had a hard start to life.

​You can tell me stories, or send me photos that really sum up her nature. You can even send me a short video clip if you wish.

These key insights will help me to build up a wonderful picture of your cats’ personality, so that I can craft a portrait that captures their true likeness.

Drawing your portrait from photos

As well as sending me photos which demonstrate your cat’s personality, I’ll also ask you to send me some good quality photos which I can use to draw your cat. I call these ‘reference photos’. Your reference photos might be the same as your ‘personality photos’ of course, and that’s fine. Just bear in mind that reference photos will need to be of good quality; taken at high resolution, with sharp details and good lighting. You can view my photo guide for more tips on choosing suitable reference photos.

Gifting a portrait to a loved one

If Christmas is looming on the horizon, you’re probably searching for that perfect gift for your loved one. Or maybe they have a special birthday coming up. Whatever the occasion, if your loved one is besotted with their feline friend, then a beautifully hand-crafted cat portrait will make for a truly memorable gift.

​I’m always very discreet with surprise portraits; I know how precious that moment of unwrapping will be, and the excitement of watching your loved one see their portrait for the first time. I’ll never post up images or details of your portrait on my website or social media channels until you’ve gifted it to your loved one. I’ll also check your delivery preferences with you. You may wish to have it delivered to your work address for example. All exterior packaging will be unbranded so as not to give the game away!

​If you wish to gift a portrait for a special occasion, then it’s key to get in touch with me early. Often my waiting list can be several months long. In the event that I’m booked up, you may wish to purchase a gift voucher instead. These work especially well if you think your loved one would love to be involved in the creation of their artwork. Not only will they be able to tell me all about their cat, and choose which photos I work from, but they’ll have the added excitement of seeing photo and video updates as their portrait unfolds. For more information, please visit my gift vouchers page.

Choosing the size of your drawing

I have a wide range of size options available for your artwork so there’s something to suit everyone. Selecting the right size for your cat portrait will need a little more thought than simply ‘what will fit on my wall’. Obviously, this is an important consideration, but there are a few other things you might want to think about…

For example, is your cat a giant bundle of Maine Coon fluff, or is she a petite Cornish Rex. Your cat’s physical size can have an important bearing on the dimensions of your portrait, as you may wish to go for something that’s life sized.

What are your favourite features of your cat? If you love his gorgeous captivating eyes, and his cute eye whiskers, then I’d recommend a head and shoulders portrait. Or if you adore her unique fur markings and want to show off her beautiful figure, a full body portrait might be more fitting. I’d always recommend going for a larger size if you’d like the full body option. The bigger the size, the more detail I can work into the drawing, creating an exceptionally high level of realism.

These are just two examples of points you may wish to consider. For a full run down, please read my size guide.

International delivery

I am based in a beautiful part of the world called Cornwall, in the UK. Some of my clients are local to me, but the vast majority are spread all over the world. My portraits are regularly shipped to all corners of the globe, including the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe. My prices page details delivery costs to destinations in the UK, USA and Europe. If you’re located elsewhere, don’t worry. Just contact me and I can provide you with a personalised shipping quotation.

More information

You can find some more generic information on my how it works page. This details how the whole process works, from ordering your bespoke portrait, right through to receiving it on your doorstep.