Tartan Christmas Pet Portrait

A tartan pet portrait dresses your pets in red cable-knit hats with cream turned-up brims and heavy tartan capes fastened with antique clasps, set against a warm cream ground with their names lettered above in a serif face.

This is the most traditional-looking Christmas style in the collection, and the one that reads as winter rather than specifically as December. The tartan is red, green and gold, the painting is soft and detailed, and there is no tree, no snow and no Santa iconography anywhere in it — which is exactly why some people leave it up well into February.

Why a tartan pet portrait suits one, two or three pets

The composition scales properly. A single pet sits centred and upright; two sit shoulder to shoulder; three form a row, all in matching capes, all in matching hats. Because the costume is identical across every animal, a group never looks assembled — it looks like a family who agreed to this together, which they certainly did not.

A tartan pet portrait rewards a heavy coat. Long-coated breeds and long-haired cats gain the most, since the fur falls over the cape collar and blurs the join. Cavaliers, pomeranians, ragdolls and anything with heavy feathering are the standouts. Short-coated animals work perfectly well and read slightly smarter, with a cleaner line at the shoulder.

How your tartan pet portrait is made

Choose the number of pets first, then send one clear photo of each, taken separately. Eye level, light on the face, both eyes visible. Nothing seasonal is needed in the photo. The photo guide explains what helps.

Each animal is generated in this style and then individually reviewed and refined by a person before printing: markings matched to your photos, eye colour corrected, and — where there is more than one pet — the relative scale adjusted so a small animal reads as small rather than being stretched to match the others. Names are set from what you enter at checkout, so send exact spellings in the order you want them. You approve a proof within one to three working days, with free unlimited revisions.

Sizes, framing and finish

Framed, canvas or digital download. Framed prints come on 200gsm matte paper in a real pine frame with shatterproof plexiglass and a hanging kit, ready to hang, roughly four to six days after approval. Canvas is a slim 2cm stretched cotton-polyester blend, five to six days. Natural wood or dark wood framing suits the cream ground better than black.

Sizes are 8×12, 12×18, 16×24 and 24×36 inches. One pet reads well at any size; with two or three, 16×24 gives each face room. Free tracked shipping on every order. Brighter and more modern styles are in the Christmas and Holidays collection.

Questions about this portrait

Can a tartan pet portrait mix cats and dogs?
Yes, and mixed groups are among the best results. Everyone wears the same cape and hat regardless of species.

Is this too Christmassy to leave up all year?
Less so than most. There is no tree, snow or Santa imagery in it, so it reads as winter and many people keep it up through the colder months.

Can I have four pets?
This style is composed for up to three. Ask in your order notes for four and you will get an honest answer.

Do the photos for a tartan pet portrait need to be recent?
No. Any clear photo works, including old ones and photos of a pet who has since died. What matters is light on the face and visible eyes, not when it was taken.

A share of every month’s orders goes back to rescued animals.