Seeking a Gift They'll Treasure Forever? Have a Portrait Painted

If a picture speaks a thousand words, how much more does a hand-painted portrait say? For thousands of years, people have immortalized those they love and honor in paintings -- from royalty and presidents to beloved family members and pets.

Photos may fade and digital images get lost in the ether of technology, but a hand-painted portrait endures. Its very nature -- the obvious hours of care and work invested by the artist -- ensures the portrait will always claim a place of honor and importance wherever it resides.

You might think it costs thousands of dollars to have a custom portrait hand-painted. In fact, anyone can have a one-of-a-kind, custom portrait professionally painted for less than $100. You can tap a global pool of talented artists, ready to immortalize your loved one on canvas, at www.paintyourlife.com.

Whether you desire a portrait to commemorate a happy occasion such as a wedding, high school graduation, bar mitzvah, family reunion or anniversary, or as a memorial for a departed loved one or pet, having a custom portrait created is surprisingly simple. You start by submitting a favorite photograph of the subject to the Web site via the Internet. The Web site turns your photo into a painting, or can print photos to canvas.

For custom paintings, you can specify the type of medium you want -- such as oil, pastels, charcoal, watercolor, acrylic or pencil -- and select a size, ranging from 12 inches by 16 inches up to wall size of 4 1/2 feet by 6 feet. Prices vary based on the medium and size, but start from $69 for the smallest size portrait.

You can also specify how many subjects will be in your portrait. Perhaps you want an oil painting of your son's newborn baby picture, or a charcoal portrait of yourself with your beloved dog or cat. Prices vary based on number of subjects, but you can request to include up to five subjects in a single portrait.

They can even use multiple photographs to create a single portrait. For example, perhaps you would like to combine your favorite picture of your child with a treasured image of her late grandmother. PaintYourLife.com can take two photographs, possibly shot years apart, and combine them into a single, one-of-a-kind portrait that you will cherish forever.

"I wanted to get a unique gift for my business partner who started the company almost 20 years ago," says Sheila Oakes of Columbus, Ga. "I submitted two photos and very detailed instructions as to how I wanted the painting to look. The detail and quality of the painting is exceptional and I will definitely use this company again. It was an emotional surprise and everyone was very pleased with how it turned out!"

"The painting was a Christmas gift for my wife of our son, taken when he was 4 months old on July 4th," says Gary Kern of Cincinnati, Ohio. "It is without a doubt our most valued treasure and will be a keepsake in the family for years."


Give a gift that your loved ones will cherish for a lifetime. Go to Paint Your Life to submit your photos and have your memories immortalized on canvas. Copyright ©, ARAnet, Inc.