Welcome to the Acrylic Pet Portraits Gallery!

The paintings in this gallery are painted with acrylic on canvas. Acrylic is a wonderful medium, contemporary and vibrant. The texture of the paint and canvas create a truly unique portrait. Depending on the reference photographs I work in a loose style around the edges and a fine detail for the main subject.
The gallery shows a selection of some of my previous commissions, including dog portraits, cat portraits, horse and equine portraits and some landscape paintings. Having a pet painted in their favourite surroundings always makes for a much stronger portrait with a lot of personal meaning to the client.

I paint on fine grain stretched canvas. The paintings are very versatile when it comes to hanging, as they do not need to be framed. I can provide a string at back for hanging without a frame.
I can add a full landscape background to your painting, or just a simple shaded background. Examples of each are shown below.
If you would like to commission your own unique portrait in full colour, contact me with your pictures today to discuss your ideas and requirements.

english setter dog sitting in a forest with bluebells - dog portrait painting by a pet portrait artist

Misty the English Setter
2021, 50 x 40 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Pet Painting of an English Setter in a forest with bluebells

acrylic portrait painting of two wheaten terriers sitting in an armchair

Buddy and Nipper in their favourite armchair
2021, 60 x 50 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Dog Portrait of Two Wheaten Terriers sitting in an armchair

acrylic dog painting of a white bichon frise dog

Daisy May the Bichon Frise
2021, 25 x 20 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Head Portrait Painting of a white bichon frise dog

Rafa and Luis Lying on the Stairs
2020, 50 x 60 cm, acrylic on canvas
Pet Portrait Painting of Two Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Dogs
View the Painting in Detail on my Blog

acrylic portrait painting of a border collie dog in an autumn setting

Zola the Collie in Autumn grass
2021, 20 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Dog Painting of a black and white border collie in grass with autumn leaves

Lily the Corgi lying down
2020, 25 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Pet Painting of a Corgi Dog
View the Pet Portrait in Detail on my Blog

dogue du bordeaux portrait painting in acrylic on canvas

Rua the Dogue du Bordeaux
2020, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 60 cm, A painting of a French Mastiff dog with a background of a county Kerry seascape with a lighthouse
View the Painting of Rua the French Mastiff Dog at a beach in county Kerry

acrylic dog painting of two irish wolfhound dogs at river boyne at ballyboggan abbey county meath

Toby and Tara the Irish Wolfhounds at River Boyne
2021, 40 x 60 cm, acrylic on canvas
A painting of two Irish Wolfhounds at Ballyboggan Abbey county Meath

acrylic racing equine painting of two irish horses with jockeys at a flat race - painting from photo

Siskin and Even So at a racing meeting
2021, 35 x 60 cm, acrylic on canvas
A painting of two winning Irish racing horses

Molly the tabby cat
2020, 30 x 25 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Portrait of a Tabby Cat sitting in her Garden
View the Cat Painting in more detail on my Portrait Blog

Tyson the rottweiller dog lying down
2020, 40 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Painting of a Rottweiller dog on a balcony
View the Rottweiller Painting in more detail on my blog

Checky relaxing in the wind
2020, 30 x 20 cm, acrylic on canvas
A Portrait Painting of a Labrador Cross Dog Relaxing in the Wind
View the Labrador Cross Painting in more detail

acrylic equine painting of a brown and white pony

Surgalstown Danny Boy
2019, 45 x 35 cm, acrylic on canvas
A painting of a brown and white pony
View the Pony Painting

acrylic portrait painting of a jack russell dog standing on a wall with green background

Hank the Jack Russell Dog on a Wall
2019, 30 x 40 cm, acrylic on canvas
View the Jack Russell Dog Painting

acrylic portrait painting of a bicolour tabby and white cat

Cathbad cat
2019, 30 x 20 cm, acrylic on canvas
A painting of a tabby and white cat
View the Cat Painting

black and white cat portrait painting in acrylic by a pet portrait artist ireland

Black and White Cat Lying in her basket
2018, 20 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
A painting of a cat from photo

rough collie dog looking up - dog portrait painting in acrylic on canvas

Painting of a Rough Collie Dog
2019, 25 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
Rough Collie dog looking up

hand painted acrylic equine painting of a skewbold pony looking over the hedge

Lucky the Skewbald Pony Looking over the Hedge
2021, 40 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
Equine portrait painting

dog portrait of a bichon frise white curly hair dog in killiney bay at sunset

Toby the bichon frise dog at Killiney Bay
2022, 30 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
More information on Toby's pet portrait

red setter dog lying on a beach with kelp - dog portrait painting in acrylic on canvas

Painting of a Red Setter
2021, 30 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
Red setter dog on a beach with kelp

acrylic dog portrait painting of a shih tzu on a sandy beach in malahide dublin

Shih Tzu dog portrait
2021, 30 x 30 cm, acrylic on canvas
Shih Tzu on a sandy beach

Horse Painting
View the portrait of Milly

Horse Painting
View the portrait of Arlie

Jack Russell
View the painting of Eddie

Golden Labrador Retriever
View the portrait of Ripley

Two Springer Spaniels
View the portrait of Cody and Lucy

Two Bengal Cats
View the painting of Ben and Jerry

Two Cocker Spaniels
View the portrait of Honey and Nuala

German Shepherd
View the portrait of Bobby

Two Cavachons Painting
View the portrait of Isa and Darcy

A Boy and a Horse
View the painting of Ryan and Jenny

Black Cat Painting
View the portrait of Phoenix

four black and white sheep in a field painting

Four Sheep
View the painting

chocolate labrador retriever dog in acrylic

Chocolate Labrador Retriever
View the portrait of Bobby

Chihuahua
View the portrait of Marley

White Horse
View the portrait

Two German Shepherds
View the portrait of Rocky and Mr. Fritz

springer spaniel in snow portrait painting

Springer Spaniel
View the portrait of Aidan

Cat Portrait
View the portrait of Nutmeg

Cat Portrait
View the portrait of Kodi

Golden Labrador
View the portrait of Goldie

Materials and Technique

I use artist quality acrylic paints on thin edge stretched canvas. The canvas I choose is fine grain. This allows me to really work in the detail. The paintings are painted in full colour.

I can work from more than one photograph. I often work from one reference for the subject and another for the background. I will always prepare a portrait proof before painting which shows exactly how the composition will work.

I work the background loosely, saving the detail for the main subject. This is to give the portrait more depth.

Painting Process

My starting point with any painting is a monotone sketch, usually using raw umber. When I have captured the subject, I move onto adding other colours, the background and finally the detailing of the main subject. The last step of the painting process usually takes the longest, I work around the painting moving from area to area constantly to preserve the harmony of colours. I keep to a limited pallete for the same reason.

The paintings are posted unframed. I paint the edges of the canvas with a colour that is prevalent in the painting, keeping it neutral at the same time.