EZGlassPattern · Pet portraitsA stained glass pattern of your dog or cat

Drop a photo of your pet. You'll get a pattern sized for your panel, with any piece that can't be cut marked and fixable in one click.

Photos never leave your device. The check runs in your browser.

Answer in 30 seconds

A good pet portrait in glass comes from a clear, front-on photo simplified into large pieces, with the eyes, nose and ear edges kept and the fur texture left out. EZGlassPattern makes the pattern from your photo and checks every piece can be cut.

  • Use a head-and-shoulders photo: eye level, good light, plain background.
  • Let the glass do the fur: streaky or textured glass suggests fur better than many tiny pieces.
  • Watch the small pieces: eyes and noses are often the first slivers. The checker flags them.

Before you drop the photo

  • Face visible — both eyes clear, head not turned away.
  • Even light — no harsh shadow across the face.
  • Plain background — a wall, grass or sky works; clutter doesn't.
  • Crop close — head and shoulders fill most of the frame.

Key takeaways

  • Simplify, don't trace fur — fewer, larger pieces read better in glass and are easier to cut.
  • Eyes matter most — keep them as clean, separate pieces; they carry the likeness.
  • Size changes everything — a 10-inch portrait needs fewer pieces than a 20-inch one.
  • Private — Your photo never leaves your device: the whole check runs in your browser.
A real pattern made by the engine from a photo of a sunflower against a blue sky, in amber and blue glass: numbered pieces in glass colours, with the cuts the checker flagged circled in red and orange.
A real pattern made from a photo, with its cut-check flags and suggested fixes.

Choosing the photo

A slightly downward phone photo at your pet's eye level is ideal. Dark pets need good light so the eyes and nose separate from the fur. Light-coloured pets need a background that isn't also light.

Busy markings (tabby stripes, brindle, spots) make busy patterns. Start with the Beginner or Intermediate preset; you can add pieces later if the likeness needs it.

Making it cuttable

The tricky spots on pet patterns are predictable: thin wisps of fur between ears, deep curves where the ear meets the head, tiny pieces around the eyes and nose, and many lines meeting at the nose. The cut check marks each one at your real size, and the fix is usually to merge a sliver into its neighbour or add a break line across a deep curve.

See which cuts are impossible in glass for why these matter.

Memorial pieces

Many pet portraits are memorials. If you'd like a name or dates around the portrait, plan them in the border with simple shapes. Our memorial pattern page has more on that.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of pet photo works best for stained glass?

A clear head-and-shoulders photo at eye level, with even light and a plain background. Both eyes should be visible.

How many pieces does a pet portrait need?

It depends on the size. Smaller panels need fewer pieces, because pieces can't shrink below what you can cut and grind. Start with the Intermediate preset and adjust.

Can I do a cat or a dog with long fur?

Yes. Leave the fur texture to the glass: streaky or textured glass suggests fur far better than many tiny pieces.

Is my pet's photo uploaded?

No. Everything runs in your browser and the photo never leaves your device.

Can I make it as a gift or for a commission?

Yes. The pattern is yours to use. A Project Pass covers 30 days of unlimited packets if you're doing several.

The check is free. Pay once when you print.

No account and no card for the cut check. A Project Pass is $5 one-time for 30 days of printable pattern packets, with no subscription. Lifetime covers everything, forever.

See pricing

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