Shania Heyde

Your pet,
painted by hand.

I paint pets from the photos you send me, in acrylic or oil on canvas, against a bold colour or a fuller scene. Every piece is a one-off commission.

Request a commission See the work

Recent work

Pick a category to browse. Tap any piece to see it larger.

How a commission works

  1. 01

    Send your photos

    Fill in the form below and upload between one and five photos of your pet. Clear, well-lit photos taken at eye level give the best result.

  2. 02

    We plan the piece

    I'll email you back to talk through size, pose and background, along with a quote and a timeframe.

  3. 03

    I paint it

    Your portrait is painted by hand in acrylic or oil, whichever you choose when you commission it. Most of the hours go into the fur and the eyes.

  4. 04

    It comes home

    Once it's finished and dry, your portrait is ready to collect or be sent to you.

Aki the shih tzu sitting beside his finished portrait
Aki, with his portrait.

Hi, I'm Shania.

I'm an artist based in South Australia, and I paint people's pets. Each portrait starts with your photos and ends as an original painting in acrylic or oil that you can hang on the wall.

Backgrounds can be a simple, bright colour that puts your pet's personality first, or a more detailed scene like the barn behind Molly and Luna. We'll decide together when we plan your piece. Cats, dogs, or the whole crew together on the couch, I'm happy to talk it through.

I also paint banners for kids' birthdays and any other event you're celebrating. Each one is painted by hand on kraft paper, with the guest of honour's name and their favourite things worked into the design.

If you have something else in mind, ask. I'd love to paint a memorial portrait of a pet who's passed, a horse or farm animal, a welcome sign for a wedding or engagement party, a baby shower banner, or a sign for your shop or market stall.

You can follow new work on Instagram at @pawtraitsbys.

Request a commission

Tell me about your pet and what you'd like painted. I'll reply by email, usually within a couple of days.

Photo tips

  • Natural light, ideally outdoors or near a window
  • Taken at your pet's eye level
  • Sharp focus on the eyes
  • A few angles help me get markings right
Paint (you choose when you commission)
Background (we'll finalise this together)
Reference photos * 1 to 5 images

Add photos or drag them here

JPG, PNG or HEIC. Large photos are resized before sending.