An honest comparison

Buying a pet portrait on Etsy

Etsy has more pet portrait artists than anywhere else, and for a specific hand-drawn style it is genuinely the right place to look. It is also a marketplace, not a company, so price, turnaround and revisions are set by whichever shop you land on. Here is what to check, and where a single studio differs.

Four things to check on any listing

These vary shop to shop rather than being set by the marketplace, which is exactly why they are worth reading before you order.

1. 1. Do you see a proof?

   Whether you approve the artwork before it is printed or sent, or whether the first time you see it is when it arrives.

2. 2. How many revisions?

   How many changes are included, and what a further round costs if you need one.

3. 3. Turnaround from when?

   Whether the quoted days start when you order, or when you approve the proof. The difference can be a week.

4. 4. What file do you get?

   For a digital download, the pixel size. A file that looks sharp on a phone may not print at the size you had in mind.

Which one is right for you

We do not paint by hand. If an individual artist's brushwork is the thing you are after, a marketplace painter is the better buy and we would rather say so here than take the order.

What you get here, every time

• 8 versions in 24 hours

  You choose from a set, rather than hoping one attempt lands.

• Revisions until it is right

  As many rounds as it takes, no limit and no extra charge.

• Nothing prints until you approve

  The proof is a gate, not a courtesy.

• Published prices

  Digital $29.99, posters from $39.99, canvas from $69.99, framed from $79.99.

The house styles

• The Renaissance King
• The Empress
• The General
• The Knight

See the full collection, how a photo becomes a portrait, or the comparison of every company.

Common questions

Is Etsy a good place to buy a custom pet portrait?

For many people, yes. Etsy is the largest marketplace of independent artists working in this category, the range of styles is wider than any single studio can offer, and you can read a specific seller's own reviews before committing. If you want a particular hand-drawn or watercolour look from a named artist, Etsy is usually where you will find it. What Etsy is not is one company with one standard: every shop sets its own price, turnaround, file sizes and revision policy, so the experience depends entirely on which shop you pick.

What should I check before ordering from an Etsy seller?

Four things, because they vary from shop to shop rather than being set by Etsy. First, whether you see a proof before the item is printed or sent. Second, how many revisions are included and what a further one costs. Third, the stated turnaround, and whether it is from order or from approval. Fourth, what file resolution you receive if you buy a digital download, since a file that looks fine on a phone may not print at the size you want.

How is Crown & Canvas different from buying on Etsy?

It is one studio rather than a marketplace, so the terms are the same every time. Every order gets 8 versions within 24 hours, revisions for as many rounds as it takes at no extra charge, and nothing is printed until you approve it. Prices are fixed and published: digital is $29.99, poster prints start at $39.99, canvas at $69.99, framed at $79.99. The trade-off is honest: you get one house style range rather than every style on the internet.

Can I get a hand-painted portrait here?

No, and it is worth being plain about that. Our portraits are digitally created from your photo, not painted by hand with brushes on a physical canvas. If a human artist's individual brushwork is the thing you want, an Etsy painter or a dedicated hand-painting service is the right choice and we would rather say so than take the order.

How fast can I get a pet portrait?

You see the first versions within 24 hours of ordering. Digital files arrive as soon as you approve one. Canvas and framed prints ship after approval and typically arrive within 7 to 10 business days. Marketplace turnarounds vary by seller and are worth reading carefully, particularly around whether the quoted time starts at order or at approval.

What if I do not like the portrait?

You tell us and we redo it, as many rounds as it takes, with no extra charge and nothing printed until you say yes. There is also a 14-day satisfaction guarantee on top of that.