How Your Portrait Is Made

People often ask whether their portrait is hand-painted. The honest answer is no — and we think the real process is just as special. Every portrait is created in our studio using an AI image model, working from the photo you upload, in the style you choose. A person on our team then reviews it and sends you a proof, and nothing is printed until you're happy with it.

From photo to portrait

• Upload: you send us a clear photo of your pet and pick a style and product.
• Studio + AI: we generate your portrait in our studio, using an AI image model that works from your photo in the style you chose.
• Review: a member of our team checks the result — the likeness, the lighting, and the little details that make your pet unmistakably them.
• Proof: we email you a digital proof to approve, typically ready within 24 hours.
• Print and dispatch: once you approve, our print partners (Gelato or Printify) produce and ship your order with tracking.

Why we always proof first

AI is brilliant at producing a striking image quickly, but it isn't perfect on the first try — a marking might be missed, or an expression not quite right. That's exactly why a human proof step matters. We'd far rather catch anything before production than have you open a parcel that isn't spot-on.

Revisions until it's right

If the first proof isn't quite your pet, just tell us what to change and we'll revise it. Because nothing is printed until you approve your proof, you can ask for changes before anything is produced. Questions at any stage? Email us at hello@thefence.uk and we'll happily help.