— Pet Portrait
Pet Portrait Tattoo Zurich — the face that waits at the door.
Micro-realistic animal portraits in fine line style — dogs, cats, horses, rabbits. Every portrait is drawn personally by Jon from your own reference photos. From CHF 650. Studio at Staffelstrasse 8 in Zurich.
A portrait, not a sticker
There are two ways to put an animal on your skin. One is a symbol — a stylised silhouette, an emoji-like logo, an outline tattoo that fits any dog. The other is a portrait — a specific face that belongs to a single animal. Yours.
At Sinkply we work exclusively on the second kind. A pet portrait is a small, micro-realistic piece — delicate like a pencil drawing, but with enough texture for the eyes to still be recognisable in five or ten years. The texture of the fur, the expression in the eyes, the tilt of the head when they listen — these are the details that make your pet different from every other. These are the details we draw.
Pet portraits are our most intimate work. They rarely come from a whim. Usually they come after a longer thought process — a pet who got sick, a pet who has already gone, a pet who still sleeps on the bed every night. We treat every case with the same care.
Jon — the pet portrait specialist
Pet portraits at Sinkply are drawn and tattooed by Jon — not by Aroa, not by the rest of the team. That's not an arbitrary split: Jon has focused on this one discipline for years. Micro-realism on animals is technically a different world from fine line mini tattoos or lettering. Different needle configurations, different shading speeds, different sketching methods.
— Artist
Jon · Pet Portrait Tattoo Artist
Jon works at the Sinkply studio on Staffelstrasse 8 and specialises in micro-realistic animal portraits. Dogs are his most frequent subject — French Bulldogs, Labradors, mixed breeds — but he regularly draws cats, horses, rabbits and smaller animals too. His style sits between pencil drawing and photography: fine enough to feel delicate, detailed enough to make a face recognisable.
Every portrait is drawn by Jon personally from your photos. No AI templates, no purchased designs, no generic outline stickers. You see the draft before anything is tattooed. If something about the expression isn't right, he redraws it — free of charge, until it fits.
Instagram: @jontattooist — ongoing portfolio of his pet portraits.
The design process — from photo to tattoo
A good pet portrait doesn't come together on the day of the session. It comes together in the weeks before, in several small steps — steps that don't take much time individually, but together make sure the tattoo really looks like your animal.
- 01 You send us 3 — 5 reference photos via WhatsApp and describe what matters to you about the expression — the gaze, the ear position, a specific tilt of the head.
- 02 Jon picks the strongest photo (or combines two — body from one, gaze from another). If needed, he asks for additional shots from a specific angle.
- 03 The first draft is drawn as a sketch and sent to you. You say what works and what doesn't. One revision round is included.
- 04 Appointment is booked. 48 hours before the session, Jon finalises the draft based on your feedback.
- 05 On the day: transfer on the skin, final placement and size. Only then do we tattoo. Second-Skin patch applied, aftercare instructions to take home.
From the first WhatsApp message to the finished tattoo, expect three to six weeks. For memorial pieces we can speed the process up — just tell us what you need.
Reference photos — what makes a good one
The photo decides everything. A clear photo yields a clear tattoo. A blurry or badly lit photo can't be "rescued" even by a talented tattoo artist — information that isn't in the photo can't make it to the skin. Here's what we look for:
Daylight, no flash
Natural light from a window or outside in the shade. No hard camera flash — it flattens the fur and kills the eyes.
At the animal's eye level
Get down. A photo from above distorts the head and makes the eyes look smaller. Eye level shows the animal the way it sees the world.
Sharp focus on the eyes
Everything else can be soft — the eyes can never blur. They carry the expression. If they're sharp, the tattoo will work.
High resolution
Original file, not an Instagram screenshot. The more pixels we have in the face, the finer the texture we can reproduce.
Natural expression
The relaxed look after a walk, not the wide-eyed stare at a treat. Choose the photo that looks most like your pet — not the technically perfect one.
Send multiple photos
3 — 5 photos is ideal. That way Jon can combine body from one and expression from another — often the best portrait comes from a composition.
Not usable: photos taken from far away, heavily filtered shots, low-contrast black-and-white conversions, video stills. If you're unsure — send what you have, we'll tell you if it's enough.
Sizes & body areas
A pet portrait needs room. The area you choose determines how detailed it can get — and how long it will stay sharp. Too small, and the eyes blur into one surface. The guidance below helps you decide.
Wrist / inner forearm
Head only, minimal. 5 — 7 cm.
Outer forearm
The classic spot for pet portraits — head plus hinted shoulder. 8 — 12 cm.
Outer upper arm
More surface for fur texture and background. 10 — 14 cm.
Shoulder blade / upper back
For larger, richer compositions or dual portraits. 12 — 18 cm.
Thigh
Maximum detail — full body, texture, background elements. 15 — 22 cm.
We don't recommend pet portraits under 5 cm. The eyes need at least 6 — 8 mm in diameter to carry the pupil and the light reflex cleanly.
When your pet is no longer here
A large share of our pet portraits are memorial pieces. Dogs who were put to sleep two weeks ago. Cats who didn't wake up at 17. Horses who haven't been alive for years and still aren't forgotten. We treat each of these pieces the way they should be treated: no rush, no pressure, no paperwork.
What we offer when the loss is fresh:
- — You don't have to explain anything. Send the photos you have. One sentence is enough: "He's gone, I want a tattoo."
- — If you're not sure you're ready, that's okay. We keep the photos and the draft safely. You come when it fits — in two weeks, in six months, in a year.
- — If you want it soon, we find a slot. Memorial pieces have priority with us when the emotion is fresh.
- — If your pet is still alive but sick — take the photos now. Not later. The eyes often change in the final weeks. Earlier images carry the expression you want to remember.
And if your pet passes during the design process — it happens, and we handle it with care. We keep working from the photos you've already sent. You don't have to send anything new, you don't have to explain. You decide whether we keep the appointment or postpone it.
Price list — pet portraits
Mini portrait · head only, 5 — 7 cm
Wrist or inner forearm. 3 — 4 hours, one session.
Standard portrait · 8 — 12 cm
Forearm or upper arm. Head with hinted shoulder. 4 — 5 hours, one session.
Detail portrait · 12 — 18 cm
Shoulder blade or thigh. Full head with fur texture and background. Two sessions.
Large portrait · 18 — 22 cm
Thigh or back. Full body or dual portrait. 2 — 3 sessions.
Dual portrait · two animals
Two animals as one composition. Price depends on size.
All prices include design process, revision round, Second-Skin patch and free touch-ups. Cash, Twint or bank transfer. Multi-session pieces are billed per session.
How to book
- 01 Write to us via WhatsApp with 3 — 5 reference photos of your pet, name, desired body area and approximate size.
- 02 Jon replies within 48 hours with an estimate on size, number of sessions, price and the next free appointment.
- 03 Appointment is booked. You get the first draft one to two weeks before the session, for you to approve.
- 04 On the day: welcome at the studio on Staffelstrasse 8. Transfer, placement, size check — only then do we tattoo.
- 05 Second-Skin patch applied, aftercare instructions to take home. Fully healed in three to four weeks.
Response time: usually 24 — 48 hours via WhatsApp. Faster for memorial pieces — just tell us in the first sentence what it's about.
Gallery — pet portraits & detail work
Alongside published pet portraits we show fine line detail work from our studio that illustrates the level of finesse and technique we also apply to animal portraits. Every image is labelled for what it actually is.
More ongoing pet portraits from Jon on Instagram: @jontattooist.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pet portrait tattoo cost in Zurich?
A pet portrait tattoo at Sinkply starts at CHF 650 for a smaller forearm piece. Larger multi-session work on thigh or back lands between CHF 900 and CHF 1200 — depending on detail, size and number of sessions.
Who draws the pet portraits at Sinkply?
Pet portraits are Jon's specialty — a tattoo artist focused on micro-realistic animal portraits. You can see his work on Instagram at @jontattooist. Every portrait is drawn by him personally, never generated from a template.
What reference photos do I need?
Ideal is 3 — 5 high-resolution photos taken in daylight, at the animal's eye level, with a sharp focus on the eyes. No backlight, no flash, no blurry phone snapshots. The clearer the eyes in the photo, the more alive the tattoo will feel.
What if my pet passes away during the design phase?
It happens, and we handle it with care. We continue working from the photos you already sent us — you don't have to explain, you don't have to send anything new. We never pressure you to come in. If you need more time, take it. If you want the tattoo as a memorial piece right away, we'll make that happen too. You decide.
How long does the session take?
A smaller portrait (forearm, ~8 — 10 cm) is done in one session of 3 — 5 hours. Larger pieces on thigh or back take two sessions of 4 — 5 hours, with at least four weeks between them to heal.
Can two pets be combined?
Yes. Dual portraits are a common choice — two dogs, a cat and a dog, a current pet alongside one that has passed. The composition is drawn as a pair, not as two separate portraits placed next to each other. The result reads as one piece.
How realistic do the portraits look?
Jon works in a micro-realistic fine line style — which means: recognisable eyes, textured fur, correct proportions. Not classic colour realism, but a graphite-like, delicate rendering that stays readable in five or ten years.
Which body area works best?
Forearm and upper arm are the most common — good visibility, smooth skin, heals cleanly. Shoulder blade and thigh work for larger, more detailed compositions. Chest and ribs are possible but more painful and more active during healing.
How far in advance do I need to book?
Pet portraits are in high demand — Jon usually books 3 — 6 weeks ahead. For memorial pieces after a loss we find faster slots when it matters emotionally. Message us via WhatsApp with your photos; we reply within 48 hours.
Studio & Location
Our studio is at Staffelstrasse 8, 8045 Zürich. Open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 — 18:30. Free parking available.
— See also
Ready for your pet portrait?
Send us 3 — 5 photos of your pet via WhatsApp. Jon replies within 48 hours.
Book via WhatsApp