Short answer: a hand-painted oil portrait of a single pet costs $189 to $550 at typical sizes, and a large multi-pet canvas runs $800 to $2,000+. The long answer — why the spread is so wide, and why some listings are 90% cheaper — is below.
What a real oil pet portrait costs, by size
These are our own published prices (single / double / triple pet). Pet portraits are priced exactly like people portraits — the subject is the subject.
| Canvas size | 1 pet | 2 pets | 3 pets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 in | $189 | $259 | — |
| 12 × 16 in | $289 | $379 | $459 |
| 16 × 20 in | $389 | $499 | $619 |
| 20 × 24 in | $549 | $699 | $849 |
| 24 × 36 in | $789 | $1,059 | $1,290 |
| 30 × 40 in | $1,090 | $1,449 | $1,749 |
The starred row — 16 × 20 in, one pet, $389 — is the size most customers choose, and the one we would recommend for a first commission.
What actually drives the price
- Canvas area, roughly quadratically. Doubling the canvas dimensions roughly doubles-to-quadruples the painting time. That is why 30 × 40 in costs five times an 8 × 10 in.
- Each additional subject adds a full rendering pass — a second pet is genuinely more work, not a copy-paste.
- Fur length and detail. Long, light fur ( retrievers, huskies, Persians) takes more layered work than short dark coats. Good studios do not surcharge for this; bad ones do, silently.
- Background complexity. A tonal or softly blurred studio background is included; a detailed room or garden scene is an add-on.
- Restoring an old photo of a pet who has passed — creased prints, faded colours — is typically $60–$70.
Why some listings say $39.99 “hand-painted”
If the price is under $60 and the delivery window is under a week, you are not buying oil paint. You are buying an inkjet print with gel texture, or an AI-generated image on canvas.
This matters more for memorial portraits than for anything else, because the emotional stakes are higher and the deadline pressure (a birthday, a loss) makes the cheap option tempting. A genuine studio will tell you plainly: oil needs 3–5 weeks of painting plus drying and varnish. Anyone promising a real hand-painted oil in three days is counting on you not knowing that.
Ways to spend less, honestly
- Choose one pet, one size down. A beautifully painted 12 × 16 in beats a rushed 24 × 36 in, every time.
- Simple background. Ask for a tonal background rather than a scene — it is usually included, it photographs better, and it keeps attention on the animal.
- Two photos into one painting is an add-on, but cheaper than a two-pet canvas if the pets can share a composition naturally.
- Frame locally. Rolled shipping is free and safe; having your framer stretch it costs a fraction of international framed freight.
Questions to ask any studio before paying
- Is this real oil on canvas, hand-painted — and will you send work-in-progress photos?
- Do I approve a mock-up before you paint?
- What exactly is included in the price (mock-up, one revision, shipping, certificate)?
- What happens if I am not happy with the finished painting?
A studio that answers those four in writing, cheerfully, is quoting you a fair price — whatever the number is.