Custom art · Portraits from your photo
Your own photograph, painted or drawn by hand
Hand-painted or hand-drawn from your favourite photo. Free delivery Australia-wide.
Send us a favourite photo and our artists paint or draw it by hand in oil, watercolour, charcoal or coloured pencil. People, pets, weddings and family groups, made to order with free delivery Australia-wide.
Pick your portrait
Your photo- Hand-painted in oil or watercolour, hand-drawn in charcoal or coloured pencil
- Made to order from your photo, 20% deposit to start
- Free delivery Australia-wide
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Rated 4.81/5 from 549 reviews
All 4 ways to turn your photo into art
Oil portraits arrive stretched or framed, ready to hang. Watercolour, charcoal and coloured pencil portraits come framed, or flat and unframed. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Why custom portraits
The photo you choose matters more than the size you order
An artist can only paint what the reference shows, so light and resolution decide the outcome long before the brush touches canvas.
The single most common problem is a reference shot taken indoors with a phone flash. It flattens the face, blows out the forehead and kills the shadow under the cheekbone, which is exactly the information an artist needs to build form in oil. Outdoor shade, or light from a window to one side, gives far more to work with. Send the largest file you have, uncropped, rather than a screenshot.
For one head and shoulders, 60 x 90cm is the honest minimum on a main wall; smaller than that and the face starts competing with the frame. Two or more people need horizontal formats, usually 100 x 75cm or wider. Hang the eyes at roughly your own eye level, not centred in the wall space, and keep portraits off walls that get direct afternoon sun. Backgrounds work best kept quiet and close to your room's wall colour.
How your painting is made
- Choose the size and finishSeven standard sizes from 60 × 50cm to 200 × 135cm. Stretched ready to hang, rolled, or one of our frames. The size guide on every painting shows it to scale.
- Painted to order, by handA university-trained artist paints your piece in oils on canvas, working from the original. Two to three weeks at the easel, then drying time.
- Stretched, framed, checkedGallery-wrapped or framed in our workshop, then photographed and checked before it leaves.
- Delivered free, Australia-wideMade to order in 21 to 28 days, then tracked to your door. Thirty-day money-back guarantee if it isn't what you hoped.
Questions people ask
Is this a print or a real painting?
A real painting. Every piece is hand-painted in oils on canvas by a professional artist. Nothing here is printed, and nothing is a print with paint dabbed on top.
How close is it to the original?
Very. Our artists work from high-resolution references of the original and match composition, colour and brushwork. Because it is painted by hand, no two are identical, which is rather the point.
What sizes can I order?
Seven standard sizes, from 60 × 50cm up to 200 × 135cm, and custom sizes on request. Open the size guide on any painting to see each size to scale next to a sofa.
Framed or unframed?
Your choice at checkout: stretched and ready to hang, rolled in a tube, or framed in floating, classic or ornate frames. A floating frame adds a few centimetres each side; an ornate frame adds roughly 8 to 12cm.
How long does it take?
21 to 28 days, because it is painted to order. Delivery is free and tracked anywhere in Australia.
What if I don't love it?
Thirty-day money-back guarantee. Tell us within thirty days of delivery and we will make it right or refund you.
Hand-Painted Custom Portraits
Your photo, painted by hand into a timeless portrait
People, pets, families, couples and weddings — painted on canvas by professional artists. Begin with just a 20% deposit, and pay the rest only when you love it.
Send a photo of the people — or pets — you love, and our artists re-create them by hand in oil on canvas, or in watercolour, charcoal or coloured pencil on paper.
Your photo
Your photo
Choose your medium
Oil on canvas, or watercolour, charcoal and coloured pencil on paper. Every one is made by hand from your photo, with the same free proof and 20% deposit.
| Medium | Look | Best for | Sizes | From | Arrives | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil on canvas | Rich colour; realism or impressionist | Statement pieces, families | 40 x 50 to 100 x 150 cm | $449 | Stretched or framed, ready to hang | 21 to 28 days |
| Watercolour | Soft, light and airy | Children, pets, gentle photos | 40 x 50 to 60 x 90 cm | $379 | Framed, or flat and unframed | 21 to 28 days |
| Charcoal | Black and white, strong shadow | Single faces, memorials | 40 x 50 to 60 x 90 cm | $379 | Framed, or flat and unframed | 21 to 28 days |
| Coloured pencil | Fine, true-to-life detail | Pets with fur, close-ups | 40 x 50 to 60 x 90 cm | $379 | Framed, or flat and unframed | 21 to 28 days |
Which medium suits my photo? Bright colour or a big wall: oil. Soft light or a child: watercolour. Strong shadow or an old black and white photo: charcoal. A sharp close-up of fur or hair: coloured pencil. Compare them all on the custom portraits page.
Choose your style
From lifelike realism to expressive impressionism, or a classic charcoal sketch — your portrait, your way.
How it works
A simple, guided process — you stay in direct contact with your artist from photo to finished canvas.
Send us your photo
Upload a favourite photo and choose your size and style. Pay just a 20% deposit to begin.
Our artist paints it by hand
A professional artist paints your portrait on canvas, sharing progress photos for your feedback.
Review, approve & receive
We refine it until you say it's perfect. Only then do you pay the balance — and we ship it ready to hang.
The 20% Deposit-to-Start Program
For over 10 years we've made commissioning a painting risk-free. You pay just 20% to begin, and not another cent until your artist has finished and you've approved the final piece. It moves the risk away from you — and it's why so many Australian families trust us with their portraits.
Watch a portrait come to life
This is what you’re actually buying — not a print, not a digital filter, but a real artist at a real easel, building a family’s portrait from your photo in layer after layer of paint.
Every commission is painted by hand from the photo you send us. As the painting takes shape we share progress photos, and nothing ships until you’ve seen the finished artwork and said yes.
- 100% hand-painted on artist canvas
- Progress photos as your painting develops
- Unlimited revisions until you’re 100% happy
- Just a 20% deposit to begin
A few of our hand-painted portraits
Every commission is unique. These examples show the styles our artists paint from a photo.
A gift from the heart
Looking for a present that's truly personal? A hand-painted portrait is affordable, beautiful, and radiates warmth into any room. Perfect for anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, Christmas, memorials, or just because — a one-of-a-kind portrait of the people, or pets, who matter most.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a custom portrait take?
Because our artists won't stop until every detail is right, there are several review rounds with you, so timing varies. Most portraits take 21 to 28 days from order to delivery.
How does the 20% deposit work?
You pay just 20% to start. You won't pay another cent until your artist has finished the portrait, sent you a high-resolution photo, and made any changes you ask for. The balance is charged after you approve your finished artwork, before it ships.
What can you paint?
Almost anything — people, pets, families, couples, weddings, homes and buildings, or a favourite scene. Choose oil on canvas (realism or impressionist), or watercolour, charcoal or coloured pencil on paper. We also paint memorial portraits and hand-painted reproductions of famous artworks.
What photo should I send?
Any clear, well-lit photo works best. Not sure if it's good enough? Send it anyway — our artists can enhance or combine photos, and we'll let you know before we begin.
Is a custom portrait a good gift?
Absolutely. Anything personalised has more meaning than a store-bought gift, and a portrait carries lasting sentimental value. Because it takes time to make, it shows real thought — never a last-minute gift.
As featured in
Ready to start your portrait?
Upload your photo today and choose your size and style. Begin with just a 20% deposit — the balance is only due once you love it.