In this guide
For a 50th, 60th or 70th, the gifts that land are the ones that could only be for that person: a hand-painted portrait of their family from a photo, a painting of a place tied to their life, or the artwork they have loved for years. Hand-painted work takes 21 to 28 days, so order once the date is set.
What makes a good milestone birthday gift?
A milestone birthday is the one year when nobody wants another candle or bottle. The gifts people keep tend to pass three tests.
- It could only be for them. Their family, their dog, their street, the painting they have always stopped in front of.
- It lasts longer than the party. Flowers and hampers are gone in a week. A painting is still on the wall at the next milestone.
- It gets displayed. A gift that goes on the wall is seen every day, which is why art works where another gadget does not.
That is also why art suits a group gift. Several people can go in together on one painting that none of them would buy alone, and a larger canvas then becomes easy to justify.
What should you give for a 50th birthday?
At fifty, the house is usually settled and the children are teenagers or older. The strongest gift is a record of the family exactly as it is right now, before everyone scatters.
- A family portrait from a photo. One photo, or several combined into one painting if the family has never been in the same frame. Up to four subjects on one canvas.
- A portrait of the two of you for a spouse's 50th, painted from a wedding or holiday photo.
- The house they made. Homes, boats and places are painted from a photo too, and are quoted individually, so send the photo and ask.
What about a 60th birthday?
Sixty usually brings grandchildren, retirement plans and, often, a smaller house. Gifts that recognise the new chapter work better than ones that look backwards.
- A portrait of the grandchildren. Painted from a photo, and far more likely to end up in the hallway than in a drawer.
- The place they are heading to. The beach house, the caravan spot, the town they retire to.
- Their dog or cat, painted from a photo. See custom pet portraits for dogs, cats and horses.
- A favourite masterpiece, hand-painted in oils rather than printed, for someone who has always liked one particular painting.
And a 70th birthday?
At seventy the gift that moves people is usually a memory brought back, not something new.
- An old photo painted properly. Their wedding day, their parents, themselves at twenty. Faded, creased and torn prints are workable, and our artists rebuild what the print has lost.
- The childhood home or home town. Photograph the house or find an old family photo of it.
- An Australian landscape they know. The Heidelberg School painters knew the country they lived in: see Australian paintings or read our guide to famous Australian paintings.
- The whole family on one canvas, three generations in one painting, as a gift from everybody.
Which gift suits which milestone?
| Birthday | What tends to land | What to think twice about | How long it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50th | Family portrait as they are now, couple portrait, the family home | Anything that jokes about age | 21 to 28 days, hand-painted |
| 60th | Grandchildren, the pet, the retirement place, a loved masterpiece | Bulky gifts if they are downsizing | 21 to 28 days, hand-painted |
| 70th | An old photo painted, the childhood home, three generations together | Anything that needs setting up or charging | 21 to 28 days, hand-painted |
| Any, at short notice | Gift card, so they choose the photo and the size themselves | Guessing their taste under time pressure | Emailed within minutes |
Canvas prints take 10 to 14 days if a print suits the gift better than a painting. Delivery is free anywhere in Australia on everything.
Personalised birthday gifts by who it is for
For mum or grandmother
A portrait of her children or grandchildren, painted from the photo already on her fridge. If she has lost a pet, a portrait of it is a gentler gift than it sounds, and more welcome than most people expect.
For dad or grandfather
The boat, the ute, the bike, the farm, the team's ground, or the dog that follows him around. Backgrounds can be changed, so the caravan can sit somewhere better than the driveway.
For a husband, wife or partner
A portrait of the two of you from a photo you both like, or the place you were when it was taken. Anniversary-style gifts work at a milestone birthday too: see anniversary gift ideas.
For a friend, colleague or someone who has everything
A gift card from $50 to $2,000 avoids guessing at their walls, and it never expires. Or choose a hand-painted reproduction of a painting you have heard them talk about.
How far ahead should you order?
- As soon as the date is set for anything hand-painted. Portraits and paintings take 21 to 28 days to paint and dispatch, and a portrait also needs your approval round.
- Two to three weeks ahead for a canvas print, which takes 10 to 14 days.
- The same day for a gift card. It is emailed within minutes, or scheduled to arrive on the morning of the birthday.
Ordering a portrait costs a 20% deposit to start. The balance is charged only after you have seen a photo of the finished painting and approved it, and adjustments before that are unlimited and free.
What if the birthday is next week?
Order the portrait anyway and give the intention. Print the photo you have chosen, put it in the card, and write that it is being hand-painted. If the first progress photo has already arrived, print that instead. The wait becomes part of the gift, and the painting arrives when the party is over and the house is quiet.
Questions people ask
Is a painting too personal a gift for a friend or colleague?
A portrait of their family is, unless you know their walls well. A gift card or a reproduction of a painting they have mentioned is the safer version of the same thought.
What size should a birthday portrait be?
Portraits come in 40 x 50, 50 x 70, 60 x 90, 90 x 120 and 100 x 150 cm. One face works at 40 x 50; a family of four needs 90 x 120 or larger to give everyone room. Our size guide shows each size against furniture.
Can I order it without them knowing?
Yes. You send the photo, you get the progress photos and you approve the painting, so it stays a surprise. We deliver to any Australian address, including yours if you want to wrap it.
What if they do not like it?
Every order carries our 30-day money-back guarantee, custom portraits included. Before that, you can ask for changes at the approval stage at no cost.
Related guides
- Oil painting from a photo: which photos work best
- Christmas gift ideas for her: personal gifts she'll treasure
- Art above the bed: what size and how high
Next step: Start a portrait from your photo, or send us the photo first and we will tell you how it will paint.
