Belly-Up Nap Pet Portrait

About the Belly-Up Nap Style

Belly-Up Nap shows your pet doing what it does best: sleeping on its back with all four paws in the air. The picture is a cozy, modern children's-book illustration in cream, sage green and blush pink. Your pet lies on a soft bed with a chunky knitted blanket, a round pillow and a plush toy close by, eyes closed and a peaceful little smile on its face. The name is written in soft script across the top.

This is the one style where the whole pet is on show. Because the body is part of the picture, the markings, the length of the legs, the shape of the paws and the tail all come from your photo, so a photo that shows more of the body helps a lot. A full-length picture of your pet standing or lying down is ideal, and a clear view of the face still matters most for the likeness. The closed eyes and the sleeping pose are drawn new, so you do not need a photo of your pet asleep. Pets with a white chest, striped tail or one dark leg keep those details, which is half of why the picture feels like them.

The mood is calm and gentle, and it makes a sleeping pet portrait that suits a quiet corner of the house. Dogs who flop on their backs make it a perfect likeness, cats look especially smug, and a tiny dog under a huge knitted blanket is the funny pet portrait everyone smiles at. The soft cream, sage and blush palette is easy to live with and fits most rooms without clashing. We tried it on a dog on a couch beside a person, a small cat far across a room and a dark dog in a car, and each pet came out recognizable.

The obvious homes are a nursery, a child's bedroom or a bedroom above the bed, and it is a warm gift for a new baby, a new home or a pet lover who needs a smile. White Oak suits the pale palette best; Pecan adds warmth. A 12x16 canvas fits a small wall, and a 16x24 framed print works above a dresser. If you want a funnier scene, Bubble Bath keeps the humor with a rubber duck, and Watercolor Blue offers a soft, quiet alternative. Pick a size that fits the room: a small canvas keeps the nursery shelf cozy, and a larger framed print makes the sleeping pet the center of the wall.

Best for

• Dogs and cats who sleep on their backs with their paws in the air
• A nursery, a child's room or a bedroom that needs a calm picture
• New-baby, new-home and housewarming gifts for pet lovers
• Pets with distinctive body markings, long tails or fluffy bellies

Lovely in these spaces

• A nursery or a child's bedroom
• A bedroom above the bed or a dresser
• A quiet reading corner or a cozy living room

Think twice if

Belly-Up Nap shows the whole body, so a photo of only a face leaves the markings on the legs and tail to guesswork. For the best likeness, include a photo that shows more of your pet's body. It is a soft, sleepy picture, so it will not suit someone who wants a dramatic portrait.