HELLO.
My name is Zann
I live and work out of my coastal studio on Vancouver Island and ship my custom oil pet portraits across Canada. If you’d like to get a unique painting of your pet by a Canadian artist, you’re in the right place.
paintings by Canadian pet portrait artist Zann Hemphill
HOW TO ORDER
1. Send me photos
I paint pet portraits from photos, so send me a few and tell me about your pet.
2. Choose a size
I’ll work with you to make the composition just right based on your images.
3. Give Feedback
You’ll get updates as I paint so you can see the whole process—usually 1-3 weeks.
4. Enjoy!
Your oil portrait will arrive ready-to-hang so you can brighten your walls right away.
Curious?
Start your own pet painting today! Send me photos and I'll make a mockup for you.
Now you know you’re in the right place to get a unique, handmade oil painting of your pet by a Canadian artist. So if you have a portrait in mind I’d love to hear from you.
Use the form or email me: pawsbyzann@gmail.com
FAQ
Like good pizza, good art takes time. My standard pet portrait sizes can be complete and ready to ship within three weeks, but please note that oils take a few days to dry and even a rush order will require drying time.
If you have a particular deadline in mind, feel free to reach out to see if I can work with you to make it happen!
I can definitely put multiple pets in one portrait!
If you can find a photo with all the pets together to use as a primary reference, there is no extra charge, pricing is just based on size. But if they’re all in different photos and need to be arranged into one piece then I charge a 10% composition fee. Adjusting the lighting to make different photos look natural together can be a real challenge, so one photo is better if possible.
Pet portraits are priced by size, and you can see a full list of available sizes here on my pricing page.
Canadian Pet Portrait Artist
My journey as a pet portrait artist began in Vancouver, BC, where I worked with local pet owners who wanted to capture their best friend in on canvas with realism and depth. Since moving to Vancouver Island, I’ve worked with more pet parents in Nanaimo and Victoria, and have expanded my online presence to reach others. My animal portraits brighten the walls of pet-loving homes across Canada and the US—from BC to Toronto and Down to New York.
Painting pets from photos has allowed me to make a career of my two favourite things: art and animals. Dogs, cats, rabbits and horses, I paint them all.
pet painting videos
Paws By Zann on YouTube
To share more about how I work, I’ve put together a series of pet painting videos. You can find a more complete collection on YouTube, but these go through the basic steps I follow to ensure each pet painting comes out looking just right.
My oil paintings are all created using traditional media and techniques. To start, I render a basic sketch of my subject, and then work up layer by layer, paying careful attention to lighting and form. It’s important to get these basics in before getting distracted by detail, or the final piece tends to fall flat. If you have questions about how I would approach painting a portrait from your images, do get in touch! I’d love to go through the process with you and talk about the many different options.