Dogs have been the subject of artists for hundreds of years, with everyone from old masters to fashion photographers finding inspiration in those soulful eyes and waggy tails. And it’s no surprise that some of today’s most celebrated illustrators have also put pen to paper in celebration of our furry friends. So we’ve found seven of our favourite hand-drawn dogs – everything from pugs on mugs to portraits of poodles – for all you illustration enthusiasts.

Woof Models

1. WOOF MODELS PORTRAITS

There’s a healthy dose of creative anthropomorphism going on over at Woof Models, which specialises in doggie portraits with just that extra level of detail. For example, Pippa the poodle wears gold-plated leather earrings with a Miu Miu wool coat, while VV the Welsh corgi favours a Marc Jacobs scarf and Sonia Rykiel brooch. The colours of each portrait can be customised, and markings added to match your own much-loved pooch. See more at www.woofmodels.com.

Lisa Jones Studio

2. DOG TEA TOWEL

Let’s be honest, no-one ever wants to do the dishes. However you can probably raise a smile from even the most discouraged dish washer with this hand-printed Lisa Jones Studio tea towel, and its peacefully snoozing pup. See more at www.lisajonesstudio.com. 

image: Flying Eye Books

3. DOGS IN CARS

Introduce younger readers to the wide world of dogs, with this illustrated book drawn by Emmanuelle Walker and released by Nobrow. A play on the traditional A-Z, each breed has been paired with a car, creating plenty of opportunity for clever alliteration – jack russells in jeeps, whippets with the wind in their hair, and so on. See more at flyingeyebooks.com.

Image: Dodgy Dogs

4. DODGY DOGS CARD GAME

Jean Jullien celebrates the badly behaved dog in this mischievous deck of cards featuring 50 different naughty pups. Drawn in the illustrator’s characteristically charming style, the game challenges players to get rid of their dodgy dogs before one another, with special cards (such as the dog whisperer) keeping things interesting along the way. Dodgy dogs is fully funded on Kickstarter, so we can expect to see it hit the shops later this year. See more at www.kickstarter.com. 

Image: Ohh Deer

5. PUG POSITIONS MUG

Reigning queen of illustrated pugs Gemma Correll has perfectly captured the many poses of this much-loved breed, everything from ‘the sprawl’ to ‘the sympathy vote’. Few artists have so accurately depicted that squishy face and those mournful eyes, making this a must-have for any pug enthusiast. See more at ohhdeer.com. 

Image: Thames & Hudson

6. DOGS AND CHAIRS: DESIGNER PAIRS

If you love your Arne Jacobsen chair, but you equally adore your dog, then this book will really hit the sweet spot between the two. Illustrator Cristina Amodeo has drawn some of the design world’s best-loved classics, and paired them with ‘matching’ dog breeds. Admittedly this requires some suspension of disbelief – does a bull terrier really resemble a Harry Bertoia chair? – but once you’re past that, this is a visually pleasing page turner. See more at thamesandhudson.com. 

Image: Etsy UK

7. WOMEN AND THEIR DOGS PAINTINGS BY FAYE MOORHOUSE

For those of you after a true original, look no further than Faye Moorehouse’s Women and Their Dogs series. These satisfyingly painty pieces are a purposefully messy alternative to neat line drawings, and depict dogs in all manner of situations – crammed in the shopping trolley, diving into a paddling pool and getting involved with your park picnic. See more at etsy.com. 

Have you seen some dog illustrations you love lately? Tell us about them in the comments below!