Personal Portrait Oil Painting from Photos. It is what we do!

Custom Portrait Painting of People, Family & Friends.

Portraiture in oil is one of the earliest forms of oil painting because drawing and painting the human body was and is one of the primary studies at art academies and art schools worldwide. Even after the advent of photography over two hundred years ago, artists still learned how to paint anatomy and portraits. This was to develop their visual memory and create life-like compositions. Many artists, even those who specialized in landscapes or seascapes, painted portraits. Portraiture has always existed and is recognized by painters as the most challenging subject to paint. Because besides wanting to make the painting look like a person, they also tried to show the sitter's character.

An Oil Portrait, the ultimate selfie!

Having a portrait painted is usually a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Photographs do not last. They will fade in 15 to 30 years, but a portrait oil painting can last centuries, whereas a photo would have turned into dust. An art fact, depending on the thickness of the paint, an oil painting can feel dry on the surface but can take months or even years to completely dry. There are paintings in the Louvre Museum that are still drying, keeping them fresh and looking like new.

Why do we use photos to paint portraits in oil on canvas?

The simple answer is that people do not have time to sit in a chair for a week while we paint them. The camera is unforgiving. A portrait artist without proper training will use the photo and duplicate whatever they see in the photo. So, instead of painting a portrait in oil full of character, they paint an oil portrait with no soul. At The World's Artist, we add the missing component, the soul, the essence of fine art portraiture, to the photo you send us. Portraiture will capture the likeness and spirit of a person forever. That is what we do! This is where the difference between a good artist and a talented portrait artist comes into play.

By commissioning a uniquely personal portrait painting from a photo, we turn photos into art. We additionally do political, administrative, military, legal, physicians, executives, and even selfie photo portrait painting. Anyone with a camera or smartphone can now have photographs made into hand-painted portrait oil paintings on canvas. An oil portrait goes far beyond a photograph, there is a color, texture, and history that cannot be duplicated.

Need a one-of-a-kind present for a friend or loved one with a pet? Look at our Pet Portraits for ideas. If you have an auto, yacht, or home and, want a stand-out, one-of-a-kind work of art, look at our House Portraits .