No doubt about it — every cat is one-of-kind
...and deserves her very own portrait!

Capture the unique character of your feline best friend in an original portrait -- you will treasure this family heirloom for years to come!

A memorial portrait is a wonderful way to remember a dear companion who has passed or console a friend who has lost their beloved cat. Or commission your current puss' angelic mug as a reminder next time you arrive home to shredded curtains!

All my portraits are done from photographs -- cats are better at sitting still than most critters, but are very determined if they decide to get up and move! (My cat could miraculously liquify herself to escape being held! ;-) The good news: this means that I can draw or paint your cat's portrait no matter where you live, anywhere in the world! If you'd like tips on taking good portrait-worthy pet photos, read Frequently Asked Questions about Photos or sign up for my free email mini-course "Taking Great Pet Photos."

Black and White or Color?

You'll need to choose which medium you would like to have your portrait in. If you are like most people, who haven't touched drawing or painting materials since school, you may feel at a loss. Don't worry, I can help you out. Think about what you love most about your cat's face. Besides the obvious color differences, black-and-white portraits and color portraits "specialize" in emphasizing different aspects of a subject. Choose the art medium that brings out the characteristics you value most!

When to choose a black-and-white portrait	When to choose a color portrait
A detailed black and white graphite pencil portrait focuses attention on your pet's character and personality by filtering out color as a distraction; The intricate shading possible in black-and-white graphite highlights your cat's expressive eyes, ears, and head; Graphite pencil depicts textures, like soft, velvety ears; silky waves, or wiry curls wonderfully; More about black-and-white cat portraits (below).	Some pets are pretty colorful characters! If people always comment on your pet’s beautiful coat or markings, then you might show those off with a color portrait. Oil pastel's strong, vivid color reproduces the colorful highlights and patterns of a cat's coat; Watercolor and colored pencil's color is more subtle and makes possible much more detail than pastels. More about color cat portraits in oil pastel or watercolor and colored pencil.
The colored pencil and watercolor painting above emphasizes the beautiful coloring and patterns in this threesome's coats.	Two of the same cats done in black-and-white show how graphite pencil emphasizes texture, detail and expression.

It's all here in black and white!

A black and white portrait focuses attention on your cat's unique character and expression. Don't mistake these for sketches! Much more than a sketch, the portrait I draw may be done in graphite (lead) pencil, but it is fully rendered art with subtle shades and intricate textures in a traditional realistic style. I spend eight to ten hours on each portrait drawing <ahem!> out your cat's unique character and expression in careful detail.

Below are some previous pencil portraits -- click the thumbnails to see close-up some of the incredible detail and expression graphite pencil can create! Here are more examples of black-and-white cat portraits.

Is your furry feline friend a colorful character? (Was there a cat born who isn't?)

Consider a color portrait if your cat's coat coloring is particularly striking. My color drawings and paintings are done in oil pastel or watercolor and colored pencil (mixed media). To learn more about color portraits and media available, visit the color portrait page. Prices vary by medium and number of subjects — visit the portrait pricing guide for specifics.

Below are some previous color portraits or cats done from the owners' (are we allowed to "own" cats? ;-) photographs. See more examples of color pet portraits in oil pastel or watercolor and colored pencil.