Turn your photo into a masterpiece in a few simple steps. Our pet portraits are proudly Australian made and printed on 310gsm fine art paper, don’t fall for anything less! Fast and free courier shipping Australia-wide.
WORKSHOP: Paint YOUR Pet
NEW format & in-person classes
1- You will paint on canvas panels instead of stretched canvases
(the switch is due to supply costs)
2- You can choose the size of your canvas panel – 8×10 or 11×14
3- You get to choose your painting style – Realistic or POPArt
4- You will also learn how to transfer your pet photo to your canvas
Please scroll down & check the FAQ for additional info
In this new format, you have the option to bring your own supplies
Enter code: SUPPLY ($10 off)
If you are bringing your own supplies (canvas, brushes, & Paint)
(recommendations provided)
This is a self-paced workshop, and you can sign up as often as you like. Lovejoy will assist in your process, and you are encouraged to paint at home and sign up again when you have questions.
The workshop will be broken up into sections. Start where you are with your current project
With the self-paced style, you will watch a pre-recorded video for the step you are on. Lovejoy will be onsite to help and answer questions.
Sections to learn:
1-Transfer your photo to your surface (can skip if you bring your canvas pre-drawn)
*Email your photo to Lovejoy & it will be printed for you
2-Learn Brush control – outline the transfer
3-Learn Color mixing -start with painting your background
4-Learn Shadows and Highlights – break each section into 2 shades/colors
**choose Realistic colors or pop art colors
FYI: the more you paint the faster your skills evolve 😉
Choose your Style – Realistic (Most Popular choice) or Pop Art Style
You can decide your style the day of class,
I don’t want to purchase my own supplies? can you provide them?
No problem, purchase the full workshop and your supplies will be provided for you. *FYI the supplies are not yours to keep, you will return the brushes.
Where do I purchase Supplies? How much is it going to cost?
(if you bring your own supplies enter the code: SUPPLY at checkout for a discount)
Your supply cost will range from $20-$120. Pick something within your budget. FYI- You can get away with cheaper brushes and canvas, it is worthwhile to get quality acrylic paint (recommended brand: Liquitex Basics, Arteza. )
You can purchase supplies on Amazon, Micheals store, Walmart, or local art store. Many of those places offer full kits. You will be utilizing your supplies multiple times. Click here to see recommended supplies
**If you use the code and don’t bring supplies, you can purchase at the workshop for $15 cash or venmo
Supplies you need to bring If you are bringing your own:
Printed photo 8×10 or larger (simple B&W printer paper is best, you will be drawing on top of this)
**Email your photo prior to class and it will be printed for you
1-Surface: canvas (stretched or panel)
8×10 in, or 9×12 in. or 11×14 in recommended
2-Brushes: 1 pointy and 2 square flat brushes
3-Acrylic paint: Bring what you have – Recommended brands: Liquitex basics, Blicks or Arteza
Click here for PDF of recommended supplies
Your Phone/tablet/computer & headphones to watch the videos
*Limited number of tablets are available to use if you don’t have a device
Provided by Lovejoy:
Instruction & support
Printed photo to transfer, if you email it prior to class
Pencil
Paper towels
Plastic apron
Table Easel
Water Cup
Carbon Paper
Tape
Brushes (for those that purchase full workshop)
Acrylic paint (for those that purchase full workshop)
Canvas panel (for those that purchase full workshop)
Do I have to wear a mask in class?
Yes, You are required to wear a mask for indoor events at the San Diego Humane Society. If you do not want to wear a mask please check out the online courses that you can take in the comfort of your home PaintwithLovejoy.com
What kind of photo should I send?
The recommended subject for this workshop: Pet photo (most popular), or Animal Photo
Photos need to be clear, in-focus & good lighting. The best photo will be chosen. If you have a preference please let me know when you send the photos. Bring your own photo, or email prior to class and it will be printed for you.
Can I bring food, or wine/beer?
Depends on the Location:
You can bring snacks, and non-alcohol beverages to most locations
Will the instructor be painting a demo and teaching the whole class?
In this digital age, Lovejoy has utilized recorded videos to teach people to paint around the world. In this workshop, you get the added benefit of in-person support. This is a self-paced workshop, and you are encouraged to paint at home and then come back to the workshop. Lovejoy will give an intro to the whole class, and then will go around and help students as needed.
Can my friend come & watch?
Only paid students are allowed in class.
Can I bring my pet, it’s an emotional support animal?
Please leave your pets at home so you can focus on painting. If everyone brought their pet it would be very distracting for the entire class. For emotional support animals, painting is a form of creative therapy, you will gain more benefit if your animal stays at home and you focus on you.
Can kids attend the class?
Kids 8-13 can attend class with an adult. Both must purchase a seat and both paint. With this age range, the kid needs to have this experience with you.
No exceptions, You CAN NOT sign your kid up and watch while they paint, classes are NOT set up for that.
Kids 13 and older are welcome to attend the class by themselves, though I do recommend taking the class together as its a fun memory you both will always reference
48 hr cancellation policy?
You can get a refund or switch your date (up to 2 times) 48 hrs prior to the date of your class. Please email [email protected] with your order number and date you want to switch to. I understand that emergencies (death, illness, car accident, etc..) happen, please email me as soon as you can.
These classes are usually at capacity. A last-minute cancellation means that someone else could have taken the class, so again email me asap so I can try to fill your spot.
I am aware that art is an elective fun thing for you, but for me, this is my business and the policy is in place to protect my business and your commitment.
During class, YOU will realize that you :
1- Needed a break from reality
2- Are more creative than you realize
3- Need a creative outlet
4- Actually enjoyed the process of stepping outside your comfort zone
(this can be said after the completion of the class)
Pet Portraits in 3 Steps
Choose your favourite image of your furry friend. Don’t forget to check out our image guidelines prior to upload.
Make it yours
Choose a background image & font that best suit you & your pet. Multiple sizes available, from A4 to A2!
Wait patiently for the mailman
Sit back and relax while our team of talented designers bring your creation to life, typically dispatched within 7 business days.
FAQ
What sizes do you offer?
Our personalised pet portraits come in 4 sizes, A4, A3, A2 & A1. If you are looking for something outside these sizes let us know and we can get back to you with custom pricing.
What paper do you use?
We use fine art paper rated at 310 gsm for all our custom pet portraits. Our industry leading paper and print capabilities enable us to use a full colour gamut, meaning high dynamic range and a vibrant end product. We pride ourselves on our industry leading design, print and paper quality. All pet portraits printed on fine art paper are backed with a lifetime warranty.
What kind of pet art do you offer? Do you do birds?
We don’t just do custom dog portraits; we can create artworks for all types of pets, including custom cat portraits, personalised horse portraits, rabbits, birds, snakes, chickens, etc. The possibilities are endless!
How long will it take to receive my portrait?
Our typical dispatch time is 7 business days after creating an order, however during busy periods there may be some delays. We are partnered with multiple print studios around Australia meaning fast shipping times. If you want your pet portrait sooner we can also help out with express shipping options and digital prints, just get in touch.
Am I able to download the pet portrait design?
We offer a digital download option for all our pet portraits. Our digital pet portraits are provided in the highest resolution possible.
What if my pet photo is missing a body part (ears/legs/paws/etc.)?
Our talented designers are capable of adding in missing details of your pet. In these scenarios we encourage you to send through multiple pet photos for our design team to recreate your pet as accurately as possible.
I’m not sure which photo to use, can you help?
We would be happy to! Please send your pet photos to us and our design team will review and let you know the best option.
Can I customise the look of the portrait?
Definitely! You have full control over background colour options, frame style, and font type. If you have any additional custom requests just get in touch with our friendly team and we’ll sort you out!
What other custom pet gifts do you sell?
We’ve recently introduced our pet socks, watercolour pet portraits, pet blankets, and custom pet pillows. It’s our ambition to be your prime destination for personalised pet gifts.
How is the pet portrait packaged?
All our products are packaged carefully to ensure no damage occurs during transit. Unfortunately accidents do happen, and if your order arrives damaged, we will replace it free of charge.
Do you post outside Australia?
Whilst we ship pet portraits within Australia, we also ship internationally to Canada, USA & the UK.
Will the finished product look like my pet?
You bet! Our designers work directly with the source materials to recreate your pet. We use a combination of free hand and rendering to ensure great results, every time.
Do my pets have to be in the same photo for a two or three pet portrait?
Not at all. We do the hard work to allow for multiple pets to be included on the same portrait even from completely separate photos. No need to remove the backround either!
Do you sell gift vouchers?
Yes. Please see our gift card page for more details.
Can I get my pet on a harness?
No, but our partners at DogHarnessCo offer a dog harness with name option.
Do you have any tips on how to capture the right photo?
Lighting matters. Take a photo outdoors if you can, otherwise a bright well-lit room will suffice. It’s important to minimise harsh artificial lighting, as you want the colours in the photo to reflect the true colouring of your pets fur. We recommend crouching down to get an eye-level shot, allowing for close up of your pets head and chest in focus. Consider your background, as you don’t want any to lose your pets finer details by them blending in-to the background. If your pet has a lighter fur a darker background works best and vice versa.
Do the photos need to be digital?
Digital photos work best. If you only have access to printed photos we may be able to work with them. Your best bet is to take high quality photos of the physical copies in natural light and send them through to [email protected].
