Custom Guide · No. 4
Family Portrait Oil Paintings: Turn a Photo into a Hand-Painted Heirloom
Family photographs get lost in phone galleries. A hand-painted family portrait oil painting doesn't. Hung above a sofa, over a fireplace, or in the entrance hall, it pulls the family together in a single frame — and stays on the wall for the next generation. This guide explains exactly how we paint them in our Dafen studio: how to send the right photos, how the artists compose multiple subjects, sizes, framing, timeline and what it costs.
Why Commission a Family Portrait in Oil
A printed photo is a flat record of a moment. A hand-painted portrait is an interpretation — the artist's choices about light, brushwork and palette turn a snapshot into a piece that feels like your family rather than just looking like them. Oil is also the most forgiving medium for skin tones, fabric textures and the small asymmetries that make faces look alive.
If you have ever sat for a portrait painter in a city square, you have seen this skill up close. The same artists — most of them trained through years of live sittings — paint custom oil portraits from customer photos every day.
What to Send: The Photo Brief
The clearer the source material, the closer the painted result will be to the people you love. For a single-person portrait, one sharp, well-lit photo is usually enough. For a group or family portrait, follow this brief:
- One photo per person is the easiest — we will compose them into one portrait. Separate photos work; just send the best single photo of each subject.
- Eye-level, natural light, neutral background. Avoid heavy flash, sunglasses, hats, or filters.
- High resolution. Anything over 1500 pixels on the long side gives the artist enough detail to work with.
- Tell us the priorities. "Make grandma's eyes the focal point" or "please keep the dog's fur colour exactly" — short notes help a lot.
Don't worry if the photos are old, taken in different years, or shot in different lighting. We compose them into one harmonious portrait with matched lighting, scale and background as a normal part of the job.
Sizes: What Fits Where
The right size depends on the wall, not the family. As a rough rule of thumb:
| Where it hangs | Recommended painting size |
|---|---|
| Above a 84" (213 cm) sofa | 56–72" wide × 36–48" tall (142–183 × 91–122 cm) |
| Above a fireplace mantel | Matches mantel width; usually 40–60" wide (102–152 cm) |
| Hallway / entrance focal wall | 36–48" wide (91–122 cm) |
| Bedroom above headboard | 30–44" wide (76–112 cm) |
| Small grouping on a side wall | 20–28" wide (51–71 cm) |
A complete sizing chart for sofas, beds, dining rooms and staircases is in our painting size guide.
Styles We Can Paint
Different families want different things from a portrait. These are the most common briefs we receive, all hand-painted in oil:
- Realistic / classical — closest to the photograph, soft transitions, traditional feel. Best for memorial portraits and formal gifts.
- Painterly / impressionist — visible brushwork, looser edges, more atmosphere. Popular for living-room portraits and warm family scenes.
- Dark Renaissance — deep background, dramatic light, classical clothing or neutral tones. A timeless heirloom look.
- Modern flat / illustrated — softer colour blocks, simplified features, contemporary interior style.
You can also send a reference image of a painting style you like, and we will match the feel. See our complete step-by-step custom oil painting guide for what to expect from the photo-to-canvas process in detail.
Including Pets in the Family Portrait
For most families, the dog or cat is part of the family portrait — sometimes literally on the same canvas. We paint pets into group portraits all the time. If you'd like the pet to look realistic and at the same scale as the people, send a clear pet photo at roughly the same camera angle as the human subjects. We also paint separate pet-only portraits; the brief is similar, just focused on one subject. See our custom pet portrait guide for pet-photo tips.
Timeline, Framing and Shipping
- Painting time: 10–25 working days depending on size and the number of subjects. Rush painting available.
- Preview: We send a finished-canvas photo for your approval before the balance is due. We don't ship until you've seen it.
- Framing: Classic gold, dark wood, champagne or black mouldings are standard. We can also match a frame from a photo of your interior, or ship unframed canvases rolled in heavy-duty tubes.
- Shipping: 4–7 days express worldwide. Framed pieces ship in protective wooden crates; unframed canvases in reinforced tubes.
Realistic painting takes time — and time is part of why the result looks like your family rather than a generic stock image. Our guide to hand-painted versus digital print explains why a printed canvas can never quite match the depth of a real oil painting.
Payment and the Order Process
The standard order flow is straightforward:
- Send your photos and brief on WhatsApp with approximate size and style.
- Receive a quote based on size, number of subjects, framing and timeline.
- 50% deposit to start the painting.
- Preview and balance. We send a finished-canvas photo for your approval. The remaining balance is due before shipment.
- Shipped in 4–7 days worldwide, with a tracking number.
What to Ask Before You Order
Five questions worth raising on WhatsApp before you confirm the order:
- What size in cm do you recommend for my wall? (send a photo with a ruler or a sofa in shot)
- Do you have a frame moulding book I can pick from?
- Can you show me two or three recent family portraits you've painted?
- How long is the current queue, and is rush painting available?
- What happens if the painting is damaged in shipping?
You don't need to have every detail figured out — most of these can be settled in a short WhatsApp conversation. We answer sizing questions, send frame samples, and walk you through the photo brief before any deposit is taken.
Order Your Family Portrait
Send your photos and a one-line brief on WhatsApp and we'll come back with a quote, a recommended size, and frame options within a working day. No minimum order — even a single hand-painted portrait ships at the same per-piece rate as a wholesale batch.