Cats · Black Cat
Custom Black Cat Portraits, Hand-Painted From Your Photo
We paint Black Cat portraits by hand from your photo. Trade pricing applies from one piece, and you approve a digital proof before anything ships.
- Coat
- Short or long, solid black
- Common colours
- black — often with a brown or rusty cast in sun
- Build
- Any; usually a domestic shorthair
- Canvas orientation
- Portrait or square — the eyes and the outline against the ground
- Detail levels
- Painterly · Refined · Hyperreal
- Minimum order
- 1 piece — retail or trade
On the canvas
Painting a Black Cat: what we pay attention to
Black cats are painted as colour. The whole animal sits in the darkest quarter of the value range, so the form has to come from temperature: cool blue-blacks in the shadow under the chin and inside the ears, warm brown-blacks where the light wraps the top of the skull, the cheeks and the shoulder, and highlights placed along the direction of the fur so the cat reads as a three-dimensional animal with a coat, not a silhouette.
The eyes carry the painting — gold, green or copper, glazed in transparent layers so they glow — and with them the nose leather, the inside of the ears and the whisker pads, which catch the light and give the face its structure. A daylight photo in soft, bright light is essential; flash flattens a black cat to a shape with two discs.
We choose a ground a step or two lighter than the coat with some warmth in it, so the outline holds without a hard edge. A straight-on head-and-shoulders study is the composition that shows the eyes best; a full body seated against a lighter ground makes the silhouette itself the subject. Black cats are one of our specialties, and the digital proof is where you see it before it ships.
For the trade
Selling Black Cat portraits?
Breed-specific portraits are a strong seller for Etsy shops, breed clubs, groomers and gift retailers. Order one at trade pricing, or a set for a shop or a single interior, shipped to you or your customer. The same policies apply to every trade account.
See the trade program| Policy | What we offer |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | 1 piece |
| Trade pricing | Applies from the first piece |
| Capacity | 50+ painters in the studio; volume orders in the thousands, not the dozens |
| Largest single piece | Up to 5 m on the longest side — freight is checked before we quote |
| Ship direct to your customer | Yes, worldwide |
| Branding on the parcel | Yours, ours or none — you tell us |
| Sample policy | Discounted first sample |
| Digital proof | Sent for approval before every shipment |
| Payment | Deposit + balance after proof approval |
| Price list | On request |
Recent work
View portfolio →
Every piece is painted by one painter through eight documented stages — see how we paint.
Black Cat portrait FAQ
Will the painting just be a black shape?
No. Black fur is painted as colour — cool blue-blacks in the shadow, warm brown-blacks where the light wraps the skull and the shoulder — with the fur direction shown through highlights along the ears, cheeks and back. The eyes and the nose leather are the focal points.
What background works for a black cat?
A ground a step or two lighter than the coat with some warmth in it — a muted ochre, a soft green, a warm grey — so the outline holds without a hard edge and the eyes glow.
My cat's coat goes rusty in the sun — which do you paint?
The colour in a daylight photo. Many black cats have a warm cast, and painting it is what keeps the cat from looking like a cut-out.
Do you paint from a phone photo?
Yes, as long as it is the original file rather than a screenshot or a photo of a photo. Sharp eyes and even light matter more than the camera. Send it and we will confirm whether it will work.
Can I order a single piece at trade pricing for a client?
Yes. Trade pricing starts from a single piece, and a project — a series for one interior, or a standing monthly order — is quoted the same way. Request the trade price list from the trade page.
Other cats we paint
All cats →Ask about a Black Cat portrait
Send a photo of your Black Cat and tell us the size you have in mind. We reply with a quote and tell you honestly whether the photo will work.
Thank you — we have your inquiry.
We reply within 24 hours on business days. Want an answer sooner? Message us on WhatsApp and mention your name.
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