The pet portraits helping owners cope with their loss

When Kerrie Bell learned last year that her beloved pet spaniel Holly was dying, she felt that photographs would not be enough to keep her memory alive.

So the ICU nurse from Ballymena contacted Stuart Scott, one of a number of sketch artists across the UK whose strikingly realistic portraits are becoming increasingly popular among pet owners.

The result was to bring immense comfort to Kerrie, who had had nine-year-old Holly since she was 10 weeks old.

"She got me through many hard times in the last few years and I miss her dearly," she says.

"So to have her as a piece of art in my home is a regular reminder of not only where she belongs but the friend I will always hold dear.

"The portrait of her most definitely helped me through the grieving process as I felt she was still with me in some capacity.

"I will cherish Holly's portrait forever. It's worth so much more than a photo to me as there is only ever going to be one portrait of her."

Helensburgh-based Stuart, a self-taught artist whose most popular requests are for dogs, says clients often become very emotional when they see their lost pets memorialised on paper.

"I think with my realistic style of working, clients immediately connect and recognise their pet," he explains.

"It's not like an abstract take or artist's impression, which could be very subjective and miss the mark."

Kerrie is not alone in wanting a portrait to remember a beloved animal.

Isabelle Young, from Ayr, approached local artist John Fisher after her 18-year-old horse Sam died several years ago.

"Sam came into my life at a time when I was really struggling with my mental health, and he helped pull me out the other side," she says.

"When we lost Sam, we as a family were devastated. He was such a huge part of the family that we still feel his loss just as fresh, even after five years.

"We have loads and loads of pictures but we wanted something special. Something that was a one-off that will stay in the family for years and years to come.

"Looking at his portrait brings us memories and reminds us of the good times we had together as a family, with Sam always at the centre.

"We have Sam's picture hanging pride of place in our lounge, watching over us and bringing us comfort.

"Every time we glance at him we see the wee hairs out of place in his mane and we remember the giggles we used to have about how the minute you brushed him he would shake or roll."

John Fisher, who gets regular requests for horses, as well as dogs, babies and weddings, says he has always drawn "since I was able to hold a pencil".

"People ask quite often 'why wouldn't someone just hang a photo on the wall? Why do a photorealistic portrait?'

"For me it's about making a viewer take a second look. When they realise it's not a photo but a piece of pencil work, they might start looking closer and try to figure out how the artist has achieved it.

"I like making them think when they look at my work."

Like Stuart, his work is also incredibly lifelike, with people often mistaking his sketches for photographs.

Both John and Stuart, who often spend dozens of hours on a portrait, also undertake their own projects.

Stuart has completed incredibly detailed sketches of wildlife and has drawn people such as Sir Andy Murray, Queen Elizabeth II and Sir David Attenborough.

John has drawn celebrities including Keanu Reeves, Ron Perlman and the late Angela Lansbury, as well as a range of animals.