Meet our cat, André. He’s quite the character: comes and goes as he pleases, and always returns with that same air of aristocracy. Naturally, he needed a portrait to match his… refined sensibilities.

Instead of commissioning an oil painter (which might be a hair out of the budget for most of us), I took a modern shortcut with a bit of DIY magic. Here’s how his moody, old-world portrait came to life:

1. Take the photo. I snapped him mid-glare, the kind of look that says, “You may live here, but I rule here.”

2. Give it the oil-painting treatment. I ran the photo through an AI tool to get that moody, old-world vibe. (And yes—I couldn’t resist Photoshopping it just a bit, mostly lengthening his legs to match the grand stature he clearly thinks he has.)

3. Print it on canvas. Canvas paper gives it that authentic, textured finish that instantly feels like a painting. I did same day pick-up at the local Office Depot.

4. Age the frame. An old frame I found in the basement got a coat of chalkboard paint—flat, dark, and just imperfect enough to look antique. A thrifted brass frame would be an amazing alternative, I just used what I had on hand.

5. Skip the glass. Instead of sealing it in, I stretched the canvas inside the frame without glass, which makes it feel much more like a genuine oil painting.

Now André can watch us with all the gravitas of a 19th-century nobleman.

Until next time!

-Danielle

(Lamp and desk from target, because even old-world grandeur should be budget-friendly.)

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