A little love and care goes a very long way! I want to make sure your pet portrait stays just as bright, beautiful, and full of life as the day it arrives.
Below, you’ll find my favourite tips on choosing the right frame, finding the perfect sunny (but not too sunny!) spot to display it, and keeping your artwork safe from damage for years to come.
Take your time exploring and discover valuable tips & advice on framing and caring for your pet portrait.

If you're ordering from within the UK, your portrait will arrive with Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm® the next day. The service is fast and reliable with full tracking and a photo and signature upon delivery.
If you're located outside the UK and wish to order a pet portrait, please get in touch and I'll be happy to discuss your delivery options.
Framing is not currently provided with my pet portraits, but I am careful to ensure that it is presented in a thoughtful manner.
All portraits are provided with an acid-free mount and backing board, and sealed in a clear envelope before being carefully packaged.
While a simple shop bought frame can absolutely work, there are a few things worth knowing so that your original watercolour artwork lasts the test of time as well as looking great in your home.
➔ Professional Framing: Is it worth it and what are the benefits?
➔ Hanging your Portrait: Does the location matter?
➔ Preserving your Watercolour: Ways to protect your painting.
All of these questions and many more are answered in this guide. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Your pet portrait is a hand-painted, original watercolour, and factors such as light, moisture and dust can affect it over time, which is why good framing plays such an important part in protecting it.
A well-chosen frame will also enhance the overall look and feel of your portrait - helping it stand out, feel polished and sit beautifully within your home.
✔ Archival quality, acid-free materials
✔ Knowledge and expertise
✔ More choice of aesthetics/finishes
✔ Options for customisation
Professional framing will likely cost more, but it will be a worthwhile investment for a valuable/sentimental original watercolour painting.
✔ Affordable off-the-shelf frames
✔ Convenient if you have limited-time
✖ Less Durabilty over time
✖ Limited options for customisation and aesthetics
Be aware that shop-bought frames can damage a watercolour over time, so do make use of the acid-free mounts and backing boards that I provide.
If you’re framing your portrait yourself, here are a few simple tips to help you protect it:
A mount is the white border around the artwork. It prevents the painting from touching the glass, which is important for watercolours.
Acid-free mounts and backing boards help prevent yellowing over time.
A backing board is the board that sits behind your painting inside the frame, supporting it and keeping it flat. You can find acid-free mounts and boards in most art or hobby shops.
Never use masking or sticky tape directly on the artwork — it can damage the paper over time.
Use archival photo corners to hold the corners in place, or an archival hinge along the top edge if extra stability is needed. This keeps the painting secure while allowing it to expand slightly with humidity.
Many shop-bought frames have a thin brown cardboard backing behind the artwork, which can attract moisture and damage your painting.
If you see this, replace it with an acid-free backing board. Make sure the outer back panel is securely in place to keep everything snug, helping prevent dust, moisture, and insects from getting inside.
Your artwork shouldn’t be pressed tightly against the mount or glass.
It should sit comfortably inside the frame with no bowing, bending, or crinkling.
Wipe the inside of the glass and gently dust the mount so no bits get trapped around the artwork.
Professional framing protects your custom portrait from environmental damage over time. A professional framer will use:
➔ Acid-free mount & backing board
➔ UV-protective glass
➔ A professionally sealed frame
This helps prevent the delicate paper from yellowing and the watercolour artwork from fading, while keeping out dust & moisture, so your portrait remains perfect over time.
Professional framing doesn't just protect your painting - it enhances its overall appearance. You will have many more design choices such as:
➔ High-quality frame materials
➔ Coloured or textured mounts
➔ Various widths and sizes
Professional framers will advise you on what will best suit your portrait, for a high-quality, carefully thought-out finished look.
Professional framers can add unique, personal touches to a frame that make it even more meaningful. Options can include:
➔ A personalised engraved plaque
➔ Your pet's name tag
➔ A favourite collar
These sentimental features can be beautifully integrated into the mount or frame itself, creating a deeply personal and unique finished portrait.
So what are some of the factors that can actually damage a watercolour artwork over time? Below you'll find some of the main culprits:
➔ Light Exposure
➔ Humidity & Temperature Fluctuations
➔ Insects and Mould
➔ Improper Framing
➔ Poor Quality Materials
➔ Contact with Glass
This is advisory information. Please remember that following proper framing guidelines will help to protect your portrait from any of these potential problems.

Once your pet portrait is framed, professionally or otherwise, you'll want to choose the right place to hang it, where it can be admired every day but where it also stays in perfect condition, for years to come. For that reason, you'll want to be aware of the following considerations:
Avoid direct sunlight or harsh artificial light, as this can cause fading over time. Soft, indirect light is best for maintaining vibrancy.
Try not to hang your portrait on the inside of an external wall. These can be colder, increasing the chance of condensation forming behind the frame.
Keep your portrait in a room with stable, moderate conditions. Avoid bathrooms, kitchens or areas prone to steam or large temperature changes.
Avoid placing it directly above radiators, heaters or air vents, where heat or airflow can affect both the frame and the paper inside.

If you decide to explore professional framing, a quick Google search such as "picture framing near me" or "custom framing [your town]" is usually the best place to start.
It can be helpful to visit one or two framers in person and chat with them directly.
Let them know it's an original watercolour and show them photographs so that they can talk you through possible options. You'll be able to compare styles, see examples and get quotes.
If you do have your portrait professionally framed, don't forget to share your photos with me. With your permission, I'd love to share them on my website.
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