Commissioning a painting from a photo
Costs, timings, choosing the photo and the size, and looking after the painting once it arrives.
Care · · 8 min read
How to Clean an Oil Painting Without Ruining It
How to clean an oil painting safely at home: what a dry brush can do, what water and household cleaners wreck, and when a UK conservator is worth the money.
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Care · · 9 min read
How to Frame an Oil Painting in the UK (and What It Costs)
How to frame an oil painting on canvas in the UK: floater versus traditional frames, whether you need glass, what a framer charges, and how to hang it safely.
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Styles · · 8 min read
Oil Portrait Styles Explained: Classical to Impressionist
Oil portrait styles explained: classical, Renaissance, photorealist and impressionist, what each does to a face, and which suits your photo and your room.
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Commissioning · · 9 min read
Giving a Painting as a Gift When You Don't Have the Photo Yet
How a painting gift voucher works when you don't have the photograph yet: what to write on the card, what it costs, how long it takes and when to wait instead.
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Buying · · 8 min read
Photo to Painting Artists and Services in the UK, Compared
Choosing a photo to painting artist in the UK: filter apps, canvas prints, digital artists, hand-painted studios and local painters compared on cost and time.
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Subjects · · 8 min read
Family Portrait Ideas When Nobody Wants to Pose
Family portrait ideas for families who hate posing: what to do with toddlers and teenagers, the photo you already have, and how a hand-painted portrait works.
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Subjects · · 8 min read
Combining Two Photos Into One Portrait
How to combine two photos into one painting: which photographs sit together, what the painter can and can't change, what it costs in the UK, and when not to.
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Commissioning · · 8 min read
An Oil Painting of Your Dog: What It Costs, What to Send, What You Get
What an oil painting of a dog costs in the UK, which photo to send, how long it takes and what arrives, plus when a painting is the wrong choice.
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Subjects · · 8 min read
Commissioning a Horse Portrait: A Straight Guide
A horse portrait commission, without the gloss: which pose to choose, the photo that actually works, tack or no tack, sizes, UK costs and how long it takes.
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Subjects · · 8 min read
How to Photograph Your Dog for a Portrait (Phone Is Fine)
How to photograph your dog for a portrait with the phone you already own: light, height, focus, the settings to switch off, and how to get a dog to hold still.
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Subjects · · 8 min read
Dog Portrait Ideas: 14 Ways to Paint the Same Dog
Dog portrait ideas beyond the head-and-shoulders default: 14 ways to paint one dog, which photo each needs, what it costs in the UK and when to pick each.
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Subjects · · 8 min read
A Cat Portrait From a Photo: What Works and What Doesn't
Getting a cat portrait from photo to canvas: which pictures work, which don't, what each option costs in the UK, and how long a hand-painted one takes.
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Commissioning · · 8 min read
What Size Portrait Do You Actually Need?
A portrait size guide for real UK walls: which canvas fits above a sofa or fireplace, what each size costs, and how many faces will fit on it comfortably.
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Commissioning · · 9 min read
How to Turn a Photo Into a Painting (UK, 2026)
How to turn a photo into a painting in the UK: the four options compared, what a hand-painted oil commission costs, how long it takes and what to send.
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Commissioning · · 8 min read
Oil Painting vs Print vs Canvas: What You're Actually Buying
Oil painting vs print vs canvas: what you get for £220 rather than £40, how each one ages on a wall, and how to tell a painting from a print.
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Commissioning · · 8 min read
How Much Does a Commissioned Oil Painting Cost in the UK?
A commissioned oil painting cost in the UK runs £220 to £549 for a hand-painted portrait. What sets the price, size by size, and what should never be extra.
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Commissioning · · 8 min read
How Long Does a Commissioned Painting Take?
How long does a commissioned painting take? Three to four weeks in the studio plus delivery, with a photograph of the finished painting to approve first.
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Commissioning · · 9 min read
Can You Paint From a Blurry or Old Photo?
A painting from old photo references is routine, not a special request. What we can work with, what we genuinely can't, and how to send a faded print well.
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Commissioning · · 9 min read
What Makes a Good Photo for a Portrait Painting
The best photo for portrait painting has five things: eyes in focus, daylight, eye-level angle, real expression and the original file. Here's how to choose.
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