How Long Does a Custom Pet Portrait Take?

By the Again Paws studio · October 2026

Short answer: a printed portrait takes days, a painting takes 2–6 weeks, and a handmade felted keepsake takes 2–4 weeks of production plus shipping. Here is what happens inside those weeks, and what actually causes delays.

By portrait type

• Printed / digital: 1–5 days. The artist edits a photo; nothing is made by hand.
• Painted: 2–6 weeks. Oil dries slowly; watercolor is faster.
• Needle-felted (our craft): 2–4 weeks. Each piece is built by hand, one layer at a time — a mini portrait needs around 15 hours of felting, a full-body piece considerably more.

The five steps that make up those weeks

1. Photo review & quote (1–2 days): you send photos, we confirm what we can capture, style and price.
2. Design confirmation (1–2 days): pose, size and timeline agreed in writing.
3. Felting (2–4 weeks): the core work. Larger pieces include progress photos before final detailing.
4. Your review (1–3 days): final-detail photos sent to you; small adjustments made.
5. Shipping (3–10 days worldwide, tracked): protective packaging designed for international transit.

What actually causes delays

• Vague photos. Blurry or dark photos mean a round of "can you send another?" — the single most common delay. Ten seconds spent on our photo guide saves a week.
• Slow replies during design confirmation. The felting clock starts when you approve the quote, not when you first message.
• Holiday season. Orders placed in November queue behind earlier ones. Order early for Christmas; most studios, including ours, say this every year and every year someone is surprised.

Can it be faster?

Ask before ordering — some studios offer rush slots for a fee. What we don't recommend is skipping the design confirmation: it is the cheapest insurance that the finished piece matches your pet.

Frequently asked

Planning ahead? Send your photos today and get a written timeline with your quote — production time is confirmed before felting begins.