How Julia Builds a Limited Colour Palette for a Pet Portrait

One of the secrets to the PawsPal style is restraint. When I start a new custom pet portrait, I don’t use every colour available on the iPad. Instead, I build a limited colour palette.

A limited palette means choosing just a few core colours - usually a warm tone, a cool tone, a dark shade for contrast, and a light shade for highlights. By mixing and layering only these colours, the portrait immediately feels cohesive and intentional. It stops the artwork from looking chaotic or overly digital.

For example, if I’m drawing a golden retriever, I won’t just use yellow. I’ll select a muted mustard, a deep terracotta for the shadows, and perhaps a soft, dusty blue for the background to make the warm tones pop. This approach is rooted in traditional painting techniques and is what gives our portraits their signature contemporary, flat-colour look.

You can see how these limited palettes come to life across different breeds in our custom portrait options.