These Artists’ 49 Pet Portraits Capture Each Animal’s Personality In Peak ’80s Style

Their sense of humor also goes well beyond the visuals. The creators clearly understand both animals and the particular way the internet has turned pets into fully developed characters with their own personalities, reputations, and running jokes. Their social media captions often build on whatever expression, pose, or strange habit inspired the portrait in the first place, making the finished images feel less like simple photo edits and more like elaborate tributes to each animal’s personal lore.

And the subjects aren’t limited to people’s pets. Olan Meows has also turned rescued wild animals and zoo residents into gloriously over-the-top stars, along with a few creatures who have already achieved their own peculiar form of online fame. That includes Jimothy, the slightly unusual-looking raccoon beloved across social media, as well as Evil Larry, the cat whose unforgettable expressions have recently made him a recurring face in memes and short videos.

Behind all the absurdity, though, the project has a surprisingly heartfelt origin. Five years ago, the artists created a portrait of their cat Franklin simply as a joke, with no plans to turn it into anything bigger. Franklin sadly passed away from a heart condition at just two years old, but that original image eventually became the starting point for Olan Meows. Since then, the project has grown to more than 200,000 followers, its own website and merchandise, collaborations with popular internet pets and brands, and even an invitation from Disney to create portraits for the Zootopia 2 premiere.

The creators say Franklin is still at the heart of everything they do, and that their affection for animals is easy to spot even in their most ridiculous edits. What began as one funny portrait has become a wonderfully specific mix of nostalgia, internet humor, and genuine love for the strange little personalities that make animals so memorable.