Custom Dog Portrait

✨ A custom pet portrait can make a wonderful, unique and bespoke gift idea for a pet parent - it might be a special birthday gift or a thoughtful pet memorial gift to remember a treasured member of the family. Using your photographs for reference, I specialise in realistic, illustrated pet portraits, hand drawn digitally and printed on carefully selected quality 230gsm matte paper. This listing shows a dog portrait, but I welcome commissions of any animal. These portraits make heartfelt gifts or beautiful keepsakes to treasure forever. 

 

✨ A little bit of information:

•  I will hand draw your custom artwork using digital illustration before personally printing your special piece of art in my little studio in East Yorkshire, in the North of England.
• I’d be excited to draw any type of pet - furry, feathered or scaly… I would love to draw your pet for you!
  
• My art style combines realism and illustrative mark making. 
• Your bespoke art print will be size A4. It will be slotted into an 11”x14” mount and accompanied by a little certificate of authenticity.

 

✨ How does the commission process work?

Your commission will fall into the following stages:-

Stage 1 - The Drafting Stage:

This is where we will discuss ideas and, after receiving your order, I will create a draft of the proposed artwork. (If you wish to make an order, please do so through this page of the website. The ‘Add to Cart’ button is near the top of this page. Thank you.)

Stage 2 - The Approval Stage:

I will send you a watermarked copy of the draft by email. There are three scenarios at this stage:

• If you approve the draft, I will move to ‘Stage 3 - The Drawing Stage’.

• If you would like changes made to the draft, if I am able to accommodate these changes, I will edit the draft and then resend it to you via email to approve. 

• If you do not like the draft, or I am not able to meet your request for changes, the commission can still be cancelled at this stage. If cancelled at this stage, a full refund of the product price and any postage and packaging fees for this commission will be actioned.

Please note, I kindly request that you reply within 7 days from the date when I email your draft, to either:

• • Confirm that you are happy with the draft; or
  • Respond with any questions or requests for changes.

• If you think that you may need a little longer to review your draft, please contact me before the deadline to let me know.

• If I haven’t received a response within those 7 days, I will assume that you do not require any changes to the draft, and I will proceed with creating the final artwork. Thank you.

Stage 3 - The Drawing Stage:

Once the draft has been approved, or the 7 day response period has passed, I will start to work on your final piece of artwork. 

Please note, refunds for change-of-mind cancellations can no longer be made once I have entered ‘The Drawing Stage’, because I will have already started to work on your final piece of artwork. Thank you for your understanding.

Stage 4 - The Revisions Stage (Round 1):

Once I have finished your piece of artwork, I will send you a watermarked copy, via email, and ask if you would like any revisions. One of the following scenarios will then happen:

• If you are happy with the finished piece of artwork, we will move to Stage 6 (The Printing Stage).

• If you would like any changes, requests for revisions will be discussed and I will try to accommodate these where possible.

• More information about ‘revisions’ can be found below, in the FAQs section. Please note, I will always try to make requested revisions where possible, but I cannot guarantee that all requests can be accommodated.

Please note, I kindly ask that you reply within 7 calendar days from the date when I email your watermarked copy of your finished artwork, to either:

• • Confirm that you are happy with the finished artwork and that it is ready to be printed; or
  • Respond with any questions or requests for changes.

• If you think that you may need a little longer to review your emailed copy, please contact me before the deadline to let me know. Thank you.

• If I don’t hear back from you within the 7 day period, I will assume that you are happy with the final piece of artwork and will move to Stage 6, after which no further changes can be made.

Stage 5 - The Revisions Stage (Round 2):

If revisions were agreed at Stage 4, I will continue to work on your artwork and then send you an updated watermarked copy, via email. One of the following scenarios will then happen:

• If you are happy with the finished piece of artwork, we will move to Stage 6 (The Printing Stage).

• If you would like a second round of revisions, requests will be discussed and I will try to accommodate these where possible. This is the final opportunity to request any revisions. (Please note, I cannot guarantee that all requests can be accommodated. Further information about this can be found below.) Once any agreed revisions have been made, I will send you a watermarked copy via email, to keep you updated, and then move to Stage 6.

Once again, please reply within 7 calendar days from the date when I email your watermarked updated copy of your finished artwork, to either:

• • Confirm that you are happy with the finished artwork and that it is ready to be printed; or
  • Respond with any questions or requests for changes. (This is the final opportunity to request any revisions.) 

• If you think that you may need a little longer to review your draft, please contact me before the deadline to let me know. Thank you.

• If I don’t hear back from you within the 7 day period, I will assume that you are happy with the updated final piece of artwork and will move to Stage 6, after which no further changes can be made.

Stage 6 - The Printing Stage

• I will carefully print your artwork on A4 230gsm Marrutt Matte Paper, before placing your artwork into an 11”x14” slip mount. (11”x14” are the external measurements.) 

• If you have requested a title for the artwork, I will hand-write this on the bottom left of the mount in pencil. I will also sign the mount on the bottom right.

• I will complete a certificate of authenticity to accompany your mounted art print. 

Please note, further changes to the artwork cannot be requested at The Printing Stage. 

Stage 7 - Delivery

I will then carefully package your order in a board backed envelope, and post it using a Royal Mail ‘Signed for’ service. Alternatively, if you live locally, I may arrange a different method of delivery for your commission. (If this is the case, I will discuss this with you first.)

✨ FAQs

What counts as ‘revisions’?

• Revisions are changes and small adjustments to the existing artwork that do not significantly alter the original concept or require substantial reworking of the illustration. They can be requested at Stages 4 and 5 of the commission process.

• As I create my artwork digitally, the time and complexity involved in making changes can vary depending on how the artwork has been created and how its layers are arranged. Some adjustments may be straightforward, while others may require substantial reworking. If you would like a change to be made at the Revision Stages, please feel free to ask and I will let you know whether or not it’s possible. 

Examples of possible changes will vary depending on the piece of artwork and how it has been drawn, but may include:

• Making minor adjustments to shapes or small details.
• Moving, resizing or adjusting existing elements of the artwork.

(Please note, these changes may not be possible for every piece of artwork. I will always aim to communicate clearly about what I can reasonably accommodate.)

Requests that may not be possible include:

• Changing the overall concept, composition or style of the artwork after the initial draft has been approved.
• Adding new characters, objects or significant details that were not included in the original draft.
• Requesting substantial changes to buildings, backgrounds or other major elements of the illustration.
• Requesting changes that would require significant reworking or recreating of completed sections of the artwork.

Why is there a limit of two rounds of revisions?

• I include two rounds of revisions to give you the opportunity to review the artwork and request any necessary adjustments before the final piece is printed. This allows us to refine the illustration together while ensuring that the commission remains within the scope of the original agreed brief and timeframe.

• Limiting revisions to two rounds also helps me manage my time fairly across all commissions and ensures that each piece can progress towards completion. I therefore encourage you to review the draft carefully and consolidate your feedback as much as possible within each round of revisions.

How many changes can be requested at each round of revisions?

• I will only move the artwork to the revisions stage once I am happy that it meets the agreed brief, so I anticipate that any changes needed will generally be minor tweaks rather than extensive alterations.

• There is no defined set limit to the number of changes that you can request within each round of revisions. My aim is to ensure that you are happy with your artwork, and I include this stage to encourage open communication and give you the opportunity to provide feedback before your final piece is printed. Once I have received your email listing any changes that you would like to request, I will discuss with you which requests can be accommodated. 

• To help keep the process clear and efficient, I kindly ask that you compile all your requested changes into a single email for each round of revisions, rather than sending multiple emails with additional requests. This ensures that I can review your feedback as a whole and address everything together.

• Please note that all requested changes must remain within the scope of the original agreed brief.

What if the artwork requires more than two rounds of revisions?

• In some instances, I may start to make your requested revisions, but then email you with further questions and revisions to check that I have understood your requests, or to offer different options. In these instances, I will communicate with you via email and, where I have suggested further revisions, it won’t count as moving into the next round of revisions. I will always try to make clear which stage of the commission process we’re at, but please feel free to ask if you’re unsure.

What if the requested revisions cannot be made to the final piece of artwork?

• If I am unable to accommodate your requests because it is not possible due to how I have built up the layers of your illustration, I will explain this to you and, where possible, discuss any suitable alternatives. 

• If I am unable to accommodate your requests because they fall outside the brief agreed during the Drafting and Approval stages, and would require additional work beyond the original scope of the commission, I will explain this to you and clarify which aspects of the artwork can be amended within the agreed brief. Any changes that fall outside this scope unfortunately cannot be undertaken, so please ensure that you are happy with the initial draft before we begin the Drawing Stage. Thank you.

What happens if the Commissioner would like further changes to the artwork after the two rounds of requested changes have been made?

• I want you to be happy with your commissioned artwork, which is why I provide the following opportunities for feedback:

• An initial draft for your approval at the beginning of the commission process;

• A preview of the finished artwork with two rounds of revisions. I will always do my best to accommodate reasonable requests for changes where possible.

• Once both rounds of revisions have been used, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to make any further changes. Due to the amount of work that will have already gone into the artwork, please note that, if the artwork reflects the initial draft that you approved, the agreed specifications and any changes we agreed to make, the artwork is now finished and we will move to Stage 6. Thank you for your understanding.

• Once I have moved to Stage 6, the commission is considered complete, and I will no longer be able to accept any further requests for revisions. 

Can requests for changes be made after the artwork has been printed?

• Once we have entered Stage 6, changes to the illustration can no longer be made. 

Thank you for understanding that each commission is individually created and that I take great care to produce a piece of artwork that reflects the ideas and details that we have agreed upon. 

What happens if the artist (Hayley Victoria) feels that she can’t accurately create the artwork that we discussed?

• I want to ensure that I can create a piece of artwork that reflects the ideas and details we have discussed and agreed upon. If, at any stage, I feel that I am unable to accurately create the artwork that we discussed, I will contact you as soon as possible to explain my concerns.

• If I don’t feel that I can create the artwork to a standard that I am happy with, I reserve the right to cancel the commission rather than proceed with a piece that I don’t feel meets the agreed brief.

• If I need to cancel your commission for this reason, I will arrange a full refund of the amount that you have paid for the commission, including any postage and packaging charges.

• I would always rather be honest with you than create a piece of artwork that I don’t feel reflects our agreed ideas. Thank you for understanding and for trusting me with your commission.

 

✨ Timescale:

If you need your art print to be finished in time for a specific date, please let me know before placing the order so that I can discuss estimated timescales. I will do my best to accommodate your request, but timescales will vary depending on the complexity of the artwork and how many commissions I am currently working on.

I take great pride and care in illustrating each commission, and I will always do my best to complete your artwork within the estimated timescale while giving it the time and attention it deserves. However, please note, timescales are estimates and I cannot guarantee that I will always meet the estimated completion date. I will keep in touch with you to let you know if I think that the artwork may take longer to finish than first expected. I’m always happy to discuss this with you before you make your order, so please get in touch if you have any questions.

Please be aware of the following deadlines:

• Once I have emailed you a watermarked copy of the draft, you have 7 calendar days to respond with any changes.

• As soon as I hear from you, I can progress with your commission.
• If you would like more time to review your draft, that’s absolutely fine. Please just let me know within the 7 day period. 
• If I don’t hear back from you within this 7 day period, I will wait until the 7th day has passed before I work on the next step of your commission (Stage 3 - The Drawing Stage). 

• Once I have emailed you a watermarked copy of the finished artwork, you have 7 calendar days to respond with any requests for revisions.

• As soon as I hear from you, I can progress with your commission.
• If you would like more time to review your finished artwork, that’s absolutely fine. Please just let me know within the 7 day period. 
  
• If I don’t hear back from you within this 7 day period, I will wait until the 7th day has passed and then move to Stage 6 (The Printing Stage).

• If we have progressed to Stage 5 (Round 2 of Revisions), I will email you a final watermarked copy of the finished artwork. You have 7 calendar days, from this email being sent, to request any final revisions.

• As soon as I hear from you, I can progress with your commission.
• If you would like more time to review your finished artwork, that’s absolutely fine. Please just let me know within this 7 day period. 
• If I don’t hear back from you within this 7 day period, I will wait until the 7th day has passed and then move to Stage 6 (The Printing Stage). 

Please note: The overall timescale for your commission will depend partly on how quickly I receive your responses at each stage of the process. There is absolutely no expectation for you to reply straight away, and the 7-calendar-day response periods are there to give you plenty of time to review your artwork and consider any feedback. If you happen to respond sooner, I may be able to progress with your commission more quickly. If you need the full 7 days, or request an extension, that’s absolutely fine too; please just be aware that this may extend the overall completion time. 

📸 Photography tips for the best portrait:

• To help me to create the best possible portrait, please send clear, colour photographs of your pet (no blurriness where possible, please!). If I need anything else, I will get in touch to request additional images. 
• Photographs where I can see your pet’s eyes really clearly are especially helpful - thank you!

💫 Photo upload and privacy:

• Please make sure that your photos only feature your pet - no people, please! This helps to protect everyone's privacy. If a photograph includes a person/people, unfortunately I won’t be able to use it and will delete it straight away.
• Also, just a quick note: you’ll need to either be the owner of the photographs or have permission to share them with me. Thank you!
• Your photographs are uploaded through a third-party app (Mini: Photo Upload via Shopify). I don’t see your images until the upload is complete. Please check Mini: Photo Upload and Shopify’s privacy policies for details on how your data is handled and stored during and after upload. 
• Once received, your images are stored on my password protected devices and deleted after your portrait is finished. While I take care to protect your files, I appreciate your understanding that no system is 100% immune to digital risks. 

✨ Reference Photographs and Copyright:

To respect the copyright and creativity of fellow artists and photographers, I can only accept reference photographs that you have taken yourself, or that you have obtained permission to use for your pet portrait commission.

I’m unable to use photographs downloaded from the internet or taken by other photographers unless you have obtained the appropriate permission to use them as a reference for your commission.

I’m also unable to recreate or closely copy artwork created by other artists. All commissions must be based on original ideas and allow for my own artistic interpretation, rather than reproducing someone else’s work.

By placing an order, you confirm that:

• You have taken the reference photographs yourself, or obtained permission to use them for your pet portrait commission.
• You are not requesting a direct copy or close recreation of another artist’s artwork.

Thank you so much for understanding and for helping me respect and protect the creativity of fellow artists and photographers. ♡

✨ Terms and Conditions for Art Print Commissions:

Just a quick note - the details below might sound a bit formal, but they’re here simply to make sure we both have the full details before starting the commission. Thanks for taking a moment to read through the T&Cs! ☺️

By placing an order for a custom piece of artwork, you (the Commissioner) confirm that you have read and agree to these Terms and Conditions.

For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “Artwork” refers to all stages of the commissioned work, both digital and physical, including drafts, watermarked copies of the artwork, the final illustration and the completed printed artwork.

Copyright Ownership and Permissions

The Artist (Hayley Victoria) shall retain all copyright ownership of the Artwork, including but not limited to the rights to reproduce, distribute, adapt and create derivative works of the Artwork. All copyright and intellectual property rights in the Artwork shall remain vested with the Artist, Hayley Victoria.

Purchasing a commissioned art print does not transfer any copyright or intellectual property rights in the Artwork to the Commissioner. The purchase entitles the Commissioner to own and display the physical print for personal, non-commercial purposes, subject to these Terms and Conditions.

The Commissioner may use the Artwork for personal display, but not for any commercial purposes without the express written consent of the Artist.

The Artist grants the Commissioner permission to share photographs of the mounted Artwork, such as social media posts, provided the Artist is credited as the artist using her name (Hayley Victoria at The Little Mouse’s House) or her Instagram handle (@littlemouseshouse.art).

Changes to the Artwork:

Requests for changes to the draft or final illustration must be made within the review periods outlined in the commission process. The Artist will consider each request and confirm whether the requested changes can be accommodated. Not all changes may be possible, particularly where they would require substantial alterations to the agreed composition or effectively mean creating a new piece of artwork.

Once the artwork has been printed, changes to the illustration can no longer be made.

✨ Cancellations:

As your commission is a personalised piece of artwork created specifically in accordance with the ideas and details agreed with you, I kindly ask that you contact me as soon as possible via email (littlemouseshouse@outlook.com) if you wish to cancel your order.

I usually begin working on commissions on the same day that an order is received. If you wish to cancel your order, the following refund policy will apply, depending on the stage that your commission has reached:

1. If I have not yet sent you the draft of your artwork:

If you cancel your order before I have emailed you the draft for approval, you will receive a full refund of the product price and the full cost of postage and packaging, even if I have already started working on your draft illustration.

2. If I have sent you the draft for approval, but you do not wish to proceed with the commission:

If you decide not to proceed after receiving your draft, you may cancel your order and receive a full refund of the product price and the full cost of postage and packaging, provided you have not already approved the draft and the 7-day response period has not expired.

If you request changes to your draft and I am unable to accommodate them, you may also cancel your commission at this stage and receive a full refund of the product price and postage and packaging costs.

3. If you have approved the draft, or the deadline for approving your draft has passed:

If you decide to cancel the order after you have approved the draft, or after the 7-day response period has passed, a refund of the product price will not be given.

A refund for the postage and packaging costs will only be given if the artwork has not yet been packaged and the postage label has not yet been purchased.

4. If your artwork has been completed and packaged:

As your commission has been created especially for you, I am unable to offer a refund simply because you have changed your mind about the finished artwork. This includes the product price and postage and packaging costs.

5. If I need to cancel your commission myself:

If I need to cancel your commission myself at any stage because I do not feel that I can meet the brief, I will let you know as soon as possible and arrange a full refund of the product price and the cost of postage and packaging for this item.

If you have any questions about your order or are unsure about anything, please get in touch. I am always happy to help! 

✨ Refunds, Returns and Replacements:

As your commission is a personalised piece of artwork created especially for you, I am unable to accept returns simply because you have changed your mind about your purchase. However, this does not affect your statutory consumer rights if your artwork is faulty or does not conform to what was agreed.

I take great care when creating, printing and packaging your artwork to help ensure it reaches you in lovely condition. However, if your artwork arrives damaged, please contact me as soon as possible by email at littlemouseshouse@outlook.com. Please include photographs showing the damage to the artwork and its packaging, if possible, so that I can assess the situation and discuss the next steps with you.

Where the artwork has been damaged in transit, I will arrange a replacement of your commissioned print at no additional cost to you. If you are unable to provide photographs, please still get in touch so that we can discuss the situation.

If your artwork arrives faulty or does not match what we agreed upon, please contact me so that I can help resolve the issue.

Refunds or replacements cannot be provided for artwork that has faded, deteriorated or become damaged after delivery as a result of exposure to direct sunlight or other sources of prolonged direct light, moisture, contact with liquids, or touching or handling the printed surface of the artwork. To help preserve the quality and appearance of your artwork, please keep it away from prolonged direct light and damp conditions, protect it from water and other liquids, and avoid touching the printed surface wherever possible.

Additional Information:

Whilst I, as the artist, retain copyright and reproduction rights for the artwork that I produce, I do not intend to sell your design to anyone else. However, images of your commissioned artwork (shown as work in progress and/or completed images or prints) may be used as part of my portfolio to advertise my commission work. This may include, but is not limited to, social media posts, website and Etsy listings and printed examples at my stall.

If you would rather I didn’t use images of your commissioned piece of artwork, please let me know via email (littlemouseshouse@outlook.com) as soon as you place the order. Thank you.

If you are sharing images of your final piece of commissioned artwork online, I kindly request that you credit me - Hayley Victoria at The Little Mouse’s House - as the artist.

My Instagram handle is @thelittlemouseshouse.art. Thank you.

By placing an order, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to the Terms and Conditions outlined above. If you have any questions about anything in the listing, please get in touch before placing your order. Thank you.

✨ Colours, quality and how your artwork is made:

After years of experimenting with different paper types and printing equipment, I now print my artwork on Marrutt 230gsm matte paper. I’ve chosen this paper for its lovely chalky feel and its ability to reproduce the colours of my original digital illustrations beautifully.

I personally print and check each piece in my little studio, taking great care to ensure that the finished print meets my quality standards.

Please note that colours may vary slightly between the digital images you see on your screen and the finished printed artwork. This can be due to differences in screen settings, display technology and lighting conditions.

The wonderful thing about printing the artwork myself is that I can check the quality and colours as I make your artwork. Please rest assured that I will only ever send you a piece of art that I am happy with myself. I take great pride in making sure that you are receiving a piece of work that represents my original illustrations. 🤍

✨Please note:

To help you to get a feel for the size and scale of my art prints, I photograph them alongside various props. The photographs in this listing include examples of my previous drawings, which are shown for illustrative purposes only.

Your purchase is for your own custom A4 art print, presented in an 11×14” mount. The artwork shown in the listing photographs is not the artwork that you will receive.

Any props shown in the photographs, including flowers, paper stars, picture stands, the vase and stationery, are not included in your purchase.

Thank you for your understanding!

✨ Safety & Product Information
• This purchase is for the artwork and mount only. (No frame, fixtures, or fittings are included.) Please place your art print securely in a safe position. If framing, please follow your frame manufacturer’s instructions. Thank you.
• Please inspect your mounted artwork regularly. If any damage or wear is detected, remove it from display immediately to ensure safety.
• This is an art piece made out of paper and card. As this product and its packaging may be flammable, please keep them away from flames, candles, or anything that may cause the items or their packaging to catch fire.
• To keep the artwork in its best condition, where possible, it’s best to avoid touching the printed surface of the artwork, and to keep your artwork away from direct light, moisture and liquids.
• Please handle with care to reduce the risk of paper cuts.
• This product is intended for use as artwork for display or as a collectible gift. This product is not a toy.

 

✉️ Delivery:

Once your artwork is complete, printed, mounted and carefully packaged, I will normally send it using a Royal Mail Signed For service. If you live locally, I may arrange to drop off your artwork rather than posting it.

Your mounted art print and certificate of authenticity will be carefully packaged in a board-backed envelope to help to protect them during transit.

Please note that delivery times are estimates and may vary depending on the postal service.

For further information about delivery, please visit the Shipping and Returns page. 

💬 Contact

If you have any questions about your commission, these Terms and Conditions, or an existing order, please contact me by email at littlemouseshouse@outlook.com. I will be happy to help.