How do I start a custom oil painting from my photo?

Send your photo on WhatsApp or by email. If you send several, our artists recommend the best one and explain why — before any payment. You then get an exact quote based on size, subject and background, and a 50% deposit starts the painting.

How long does a custom oil painting take?

Painting usually takes 7–20 days depending on size and complexity, plus 4–7 days express delivery worldwide with tracking. Rush painting is available for an additional fee — tell us your date and we'll confirm honestly whether it's doable.

Can you paint people, families or weddings from photos?

Yes. Portraits of people — family, wedding, children, couples, pets with owners — are all hand-painted in oils from your photos, including from two separate photos combined into one composition.

Custom Guide · From Photo

Custom Oil Painting From Photo: The Complete Step-by-Step Process

By Dafen Art Hub · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read

Artist painting an oil canvas from above in a Dafen studio — A custom commission mid-way: the canvas blocked in and the layered oil work beginning.

A custom oil painting starts as a photo on your phone and ends as a hand-painted canvas on your wall. Between those two points there's a real craft process — and knowing the steps is the difference between a portrait that moves you and one that just looks "painted." Here is exactly how we take a photo to a finished oil painting in Dafen, and how to get the best result from your own image.

Why Commission a Hand-Painted Oil Painting (Not a Print)

Oil paint moves between thin, transparent layers and thicker, visible brushwork. In a real portrait that range describes the turn of a face, the softness of fur, the catch of light in an eye. A printed "portrait" or phone filter is flat, identical every time, and ages within a year. A hand-painted oil has physical brushwork, real texture, and genuine longevity — oils hung properly last generations. Because a person paints it, the artist captures character: the head tilt, the crooked smile — not just shapes.

If you want a one-of-a-kind object that outlasts you, commissioning from a photo is the most direct route. And you don't need to be an artist: you supply the image; the studio handles the painting.

The Step-by-Step Process

Send your photo. WhatsApp or email. If you send several, our artists recommend the best one and tell you why — before any payment.
Get an exact quote. Based on size, subject and background (plain tone, classic studio backdrop, or a scene from a second photo). A 50% deposit starts the painting; the balance is due before shipment.
Sketch & block-in. The artist maps the composition and confirms proportions. This is where likeness is won or lost, so it's done carefully before layers go down.
Painting in layers. Oils build from thin to thick over several days: base tones, mid-layers of form, then final highlights on eyes, edges and texture.
Preview & adjust. When the piece is finished we photograph it and send you a preview before shipping. If something needs adjusting, tell us and we adjust it.
Varnish & ship. A protective varnish is applied, then the canvas is rolled or stretched/framed and shipped worldwide with tracking.

Typical timeline: 7–20 days of painting (depending on size and complexity) + 4–7 days express delivery with tracking. Rush painting is available — tell us your date and we'll confirm honestly whether it's doable.

What Makes a Good Source Photo

The photo is roughly 80% of the result. Artists can improve composition and background, but they can't invent detail the camera missed. A strong reference has:

Sharp focus — especially on the eyes.
Natural daylight — true colors, no heavy flash or strong filters.
Eye-level angle — looking up or down distorts the face.
The details you love — a marking, a freckle, a particular expression.
A personality moment — that's the portrait, not a neutral pose.

If each of your best photos has something good (great face in one, great body in another), send both — artists combine references, matched for lighting and angle. Blurry or old photos are still workable for memorial pieces; we'll tell you honestly what's achievable.

Choosing the Right Size

Canvas size	Best for	Suggested placement
30×40 cm / 12×16 in	Head study, single subject	Shelf, small wall, gift
40×50 cm / 16×20 in	Head & chest	Entryway, bedroom
50×70 cm / 20×28 in	Full body or two subjects	Living room, staircase
60×90 cm / 24×36 in+	Multiple subjects, portrait with owner	Statement wall above sofa

Not sure? Send the wall photo and we'll suggest a size that fits the room. For above-sofa sizing specifically, see our complete sofa-size guide.

Styles You Can Request

A photo is a starting point, not a limit. Common directions we paint:

Realistic — faithful to the photo, refined.
Impasto — visible, raised brushwork with depth.
Starry-Night-inspired — swirling, expressive skies behind the subject.
Classic / old-master — warm studio backdrop, timeless feel.
Cartoon or homage — e.g. a Vermeer-style treatment of a pet or person.

Custom Vermeer-style cartoon portrait sketch with pencil — A custom Vermeer-homage cartoon portrait — proof a photo can become almost any style you like.

Before & After — Real Commissions

Each pair below is a real order: the photo sent on the left, the finished hand-painted oil on the right.

Long-haired orange tabby cat with red scarf, original photo — Orange tabby in his red scarf, painted into a swirling Starry-Night-style sky, 40×50 cm, white frame.

Custom Starry Night style oil painting of the same cat, framed — Orange tabby in his red scarf, painted into a swirling Starry-Night-style sky, 40×50 cm, white frame.

Husky original photo sent by customer — Husky painted in open-field impasto style, 50×70 cm — a casual phone shot became a textured oil.

Custom oil painting of the same husky in impasto style with grass — Husky painted in open-field impasto style, 50×70 cm — a casual phone shot became a textured oil.

People, Families & Pets With Owners

The same process paints people. Family portraits, weddings, children, couples, and you-with-your-pet are all hand-painted from photos — even from two separate photos combined into one composition.

Artist painting an elderly man's portrait on the street in Dafen — An artist painting a portrait from life — the same eye for likeness goes into every photo commission.

Timeline, Shipping & Care

Most commissions paint in 7–20 days, then ship express worldwide in 4–7 days with tracking. Canvases ship rolled for the lightest, safest parcel, or stretched/framed for ready-to-hang delivery. At home, hang away from direct sunlight and humidity and dust with a soft dry brush; the varnish protects the paint for decades. If a painting is damaged in transit, send photos of the damage and we'll repaint and reship a replacement.

Have a photo ready? Send it on WhatsApp — we'll recommend the best crop, size and background, and reply with an exact quote within 24 hours. Single painting, no minimum order.

Send My Photo

FAQ

Do I need to be good at art to commission one?

No. You provide a photo and a few preferences; the studio handles composition, color and brushwork. You review a preview before shipping.

Can you work from an old or low-quality photo?

Often yes, especially for memorial pieces. Send what you have and we'll tell you honestly what's achievable, combining references if needed.

How is payment handled?

A 50% deposit starts the painting; the balance is due before shipment. We send a photo preview of the finished piece so you can request adjustments first.