Portraits are pictures that tell a story about you, your loved ones, or any item you love. They could be pictures of a group of friends or a pet, and the main defining element is the additional meaning or story behind the photograph.
Now, custom portraits are created from scratch by an artist. They aren’t created using a camera but are drawn by an artist according to your request. To further enhance the impact of your customized portraits, you might consider using a magnetic poster hanger for a sleek and more modern aesthetic.
Custom portrait paintings have the potential to give you more delight than regular portrait pictures. They get as unique as you want images to be. You can merge the subjects of multiple pictures into one or recreate a picture using abstract painting styles, among many other possibilities. So, where can you get yourself one of these personalized art pieces?
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Physical Art Studios
Also called an atelier, a physical art studio is the private workplace of a painter, sculptor, or photographer. For you, it is where your custom portrait artist works; this could be a rented shop or even their home.
When you commission an artist through websites, marketplaces, or other mediums, the magic of creating your custom portraits happens in the art studio. Moreover, a custom portrait can be created with you physically present, and you receive your art piece almost immediately.
There is a catch, however. You need an art studio close to you to access these direct custom portrait services easily. Unfortunately, not everyone has this luxury, which is where the other mediums come in.
Art Websites Offering Custom Portrait Services
Art websites are websites used by artists to display their works and services. For an art website to be relevant to you, part of these services should be the commissioning of custom portraits.
Patronizing art websites typically involves a similar process. First, you choose the custom portrait service you want and send pictures to paint alongside your request. Next, the artist creates a custom illustration and sends it to you digitally to see how much you like it. Once you approve the illustration, your work is recreated on a canvas or any other medium you choose and then delivered to you.
There are a lot of art websites on the internet today, and before exploring your liberty to choose, we have a couple of tips for you.
First, always check out the portfolio of works and testimonials on the website to confirm the service would be something you like. Second, choosing a website with the closest studio to you is always a great idea. This helps you reduce delivery time and any extra cost of fulfilling your order. Sometimes, you get to pick your portrait up at the studio yourself.
Artists on Freelance Platforms
Another great place to get your custom portraits is on freelance platforms. Commissioning through these platforms proves to be easier and sometimes more reliable than through websites. Why do we say this?
Well, not only do you have many freelance artists to choose from, but these artists typically have ratings and reviews from previous commissions they have completed. So you sift through freelancers that fit your budget and choose an artist with a successful track record in creating custom portraits.
However, the only downside to commissioning through these platforms is that, in most cases, you only get the digital copy of your custom portrait drawing. If you want a physical copy on a canvas, you may then need to find a service near you that converts digital art to custom portrait canvas prints.
Online Marketplaces
You can get your custom portraits from marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy. These electronic marketplaces connect buyers to sellers; through them, you can get artists who offer custom portrait services.
The upside of opting for online marketplaces is that you could get the most cost-friendly deals on your custom portraits. The downside, however, is the quality of the custom portrait design you get at these low prices.
Mobile and Desktop Applications
Now, if you would like to create your custom portraits by yourself, which equals saving you the most money, mobile and desktop applications are available to you. These photo-editing software applications allow you to apply filters to your existing images. Some of these applications even allow you to create illustrations from scratch.
Nonetheless, you acknowledge that this wouldn’t give you the same quality of design you get from professional artists. Furthermore, your design options are also limited to the application you use. This limitation means you may be unable to apply all the unique specifications you need for your desired custom portrait.
How Long Does a Custom Portrait Take?
It takes an hour to several weeks to create a custom portrait, depending on several factors. For example, the duration depends on the size of the image, the medium through which the image is created, the intricacies of your unique design, and, more importantly, the artist you commission for it.
For instance, painting custom portraits from photos through digital mediums takes between 30 minutes to 24 hours. Hand-drawn custom portraits, on the other hand, may take between 3 days to 20 days to complete. Some artists take weeks to finish a custom portrait. This is why it is great to discuss a delivery time to see if the wait is convenient for you.
How Much Does a Custom Portrait Cost?
Making custom portraits from photos ordinarily costs between $25 to $750. This cost, however, could be significantly higher or lower, and your commissioned artist mainly plays an important role here. For example, opting to commission through a marketplace could lower this cost to $10, and commissioning a high-rated artist could cost as much as $30,000 or even more.
Conclusion
Custom portraits are great pieces of art you can use to immortalize memories and beautify every room in your home. When looking for an artist to create one for you, it’s best to go directly into physical art studios or opt for art websites if you don’t have a studio near you. For a balance between cost and quality, you may then opt for artists on freelance platforms. Always choose the medium and artist that offers you the most convenience. This is what matters the most.
