I never set out to become a pet portrait artist, I found it during one of the most difficult chapters of my life - addiction recovery. The process of drawing and painting animals, especially pets, sparked a joy I thought I had lost and renewed my sense of purpose and creativity.
This Masterclass was born from that healing journey - not to dwell on the pain, but to show what’s possible on the other side of it! You’ll learn how to efficiently turn a simple reference photo into a vibrant, realistic pet portrait - even as a beginner artist.
Whether you’re navigating through a tough season or simply longing to create something meaningful, this course is here to guide you. Gain a sense of purpose and support creating pet paintings that bring you and others joy - the calming process, the memories, the smiles, the connection.
That’s why this course is not only about technique, it’s also about building a creative habit with a kind, encouraging community. Students can learn and grow together with regular live paintings, critiques, and while sharing mutual encouragement in the private community.
Learn to paint pet portraits that feel as real and full of life as the pets themselves! Achieve a cheerful, expressive look with just the right balance of realism following my color and technique direction.
The process is both challenging and calming - and absolutely attainable. Creatives are coming into the Masterclass with little or no painting experience and as you can see above, they’re now creating beautiful, life-giving pet portraits.
The Masterclass offers a balanced blend of structured lessons, creative flexibility, and technique-focused learning. Students can freely explore lessons out of order, at any pace, and access all past pet lessons from years ago!
First, creatives learn the versatility and forgiving properties of acrylic paint. Creatives progress to learning the fundamental drawing and painting techniques - how to layer values for depth and form, brushwork for life like detail, using a glaze to adjust tone, and so on. Students move on to my signature 12-step pet painting process tutorials, basic color theory, anatomy, and fur technique lessons.
Whether you’re gifting a portrait, painting for a friend, or working on a commission, your pet art has the power to brighten someone's day! That’s why this class is ideal for creatives looking for a soothing, creative outlet and for those ready to turn their love of animals and painting into a meaningful, purpose-driven job.
For aspiring part-time or full-time pet portrait artist this class also includes my pet portrait commission course. A mini-class that covers how to accept commissions, price your work, manage expectations, and protect yourself with a contract. All the tools you need to create meaningful pet portraits that can bring comfort, preserve memories, and build strong connections with clients.
Let go of perfectionism and be brave with color! Build the confidence and skills needed to create dimensionally realistic, colorfully abstract pet portraits.
Discover how fun and freeing it is to choose, mix, blend, layer, and apply color heavily guided by value. A vibrant process that can lift your mood, reduce stress, and encourage creative mindfulness.
Look forward to new painting projects each month capturing the likeness of a variety of different pets, not just cats and dogs.
Students can also submit photos of their own pets (of any kind) for a chance to become our next Masterclass lesson! Learn to paint horses, ferrets, birds, fish, rodents, and even sugar gliders. Every tutorial will brighten up your day while teaching you something new in brushwork, color, technique, and acrylic skills.
“My pet portraits have improved 100% since joining the Masterclass. Not only in skill, but also in my confidence as well. Lauren I cannot thank you enough for this class and all you have done.”
“Lauren, thank you so very much for all your help. Your encouragement and tutorials these past years have helped me to arrive at this point. Having my own solo show was a dream come true!”
“My mother passed away unexpectedly in October and once I made time to paint again the peace and joy of painting returned to my heart! Thank you Lauren for your love, direction, and guiding all of us through the healing world of art!”
“I’ve never painted this consistently in my life! This is Woodrow, his owner was my classmate who turned out to be a neighbor who turned into a friend. I’m so grateful I can now create something special for him.”
“This is truly the most giving and helpful painting community I have ever been in, and there are HUNDREDS of tutorials I have yet to explore. I’m learning so much Lauren!”
“I never would have tried painting on wood if it were not for your Collie wood ornament tutorial. I still cannot believe that it led to hundreds of custom mini ornament commissions! Thank you so much Lauren!”
“I cannot thank you enough for what your class has given me. Your encouragement, the way you make beautiful art attainable, the variety, the calming nature of you and your class in such a crazy world. Your class has become my safe space! I could go on and on. You have changed my life and I will be forever grateful.”
“I realized I now have the ability to paint from a reference photo without a tutorial! You have been instrumental in that achievement and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
“I signed up for the Masterclass to get painting again and to help me through the hardest 7-months of my life, and it did! I was intimidated to paint something like this that I really wanted to turn out well, but now I’m done and very please to share it!”
“This Masterclass is more than an art class for me. It has helped me to be calm and relax while learning to paint animals, which I love. I am a student forever as there is always something to learn.”
