Figures and portraits · Hand-painted oil on canvas

Paintings that put a person in the room

Two hundred-odd figure paintings in oil: solitary walkers under umbrellas, quiet bathers, cafe crowds, dancers mid-turn, and faithful studies after Renoir and the Impressionists. Each one is hand-painted to order by a university-trained artist in the size and framing you choose, so the brushwork is genuinely yours. Free delivery Australia-wide, allow 21 to 28 days for painting.

Three hand-painted figure oil paintings, a woman with a red umbrella, a Renoir-style seated portrait and a bather study, above a leather sofa
  • 100% hand-painted oil on canvas
  • Painted to order in your size, framed or stretched
  • Free delivery Australia-wide, 21 to 28 days
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Rated 4.81/5 from 549 reviews

All 208 figure and portrait oil paintings

Every print is made to order. Stretched ready to hang, or with a floating frame. 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Why figure paintings

A painted figure changes how a room is used, not just how it looks

People in art hold the eye longer than landscapes do, which makes placement more consequential than most buyers expect.

We are wired to look at faces and bodies, so a figure painting is never background. Hang one opposite where you sit and you will notice it every day, which is fine if the mood suits the room and tiring if it does not. Contemplative, downcast or inward-facing figures settle a bedroom or reading corner. Animated street and cafe scenes belong where there is movement anyway, in a hallway or over a dining table.

Scale first: a figure painted much smaller than life can look stranded on a big wall, so go larger than feels comfortable, ideally two-thirds the width of the sofa or bed below. Hang the face near eye level, around 145cm to centre, not high and looking down. Watch the direction of gaze and let it face into the room rather than into a corner. Pick up one skin or fabric tone from the painting in a cushion or rug and the whole wall reads as deliberate.

How your painting is made

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Stretched, framed, checkedGallery-wrapped or framed in our workshop, then photographed and checked before it leaves.
  4. 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.

Capture the depth of human expression and emotion with hand-painted people art — from portraits to figurative scenes. Explore the collection below, or read more about buying figurative wall art from Direct Art Australia.

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Figurative and portrait art tells a story and brings real warmth to a room. Our range spans classic portraits, modern figures and expressive, emotive scenes for living rooms and studios.

Why buy people paintings from Direct Art Australia?

  • Best-quality people paintings, 100% hand-painted by professional artists
  • Among the most affordable figurative oil paintings in Australia
  • Choose from various sizes, each painting made to order
  • Gallery-ready canvas, built to last for years
  • FREE delivery Australia-wide

Browse our full range of people paintings below and order today.