Shopping for 15 minutes of fame

January 5, 2009 8:00 AM

Has anyone used an excellent, online let-us-turn-your-photo-into-a-Warhol "novelty gift" service?

I know the "Warholizer" concept is slightly naff, but after a lot of fretting, it's my best idea for an unusual 70th birthday gift for my historically hard to please mother.

I have a flattering professional photo of her from about 25 years ago - it's full face, (she's very blond) and I know she adores the picture. I think it would suit the Warhol Marilyn treatment (in either a single or a four panel format) and I can afford not to be too thrifty about price.

I plan to get the photo scanned tomorrow so I can send it to one of the online pop art photo outfits to be made up, ready for framing, to send to her by early Feb. (I'm in NY, but she's resident in rural France, which is another plus for this idea being somewhat unfamiliar. My mother prefers "interesting" gifts that have obviously required some thought & she's a fairly broad minded art lover).

So far the Mydavinci site looks promising: (http://www5.mydavinci.com).

But I was wondering if anyone has recently been delighted using a particular pop art rendering website?

posted by Jody Tresidder to Shopping (6 answers total)

I've heard good things about Photofiddle, and I've seen Warholesque work that they have done that looks good (although I have only seen this work on TV and not right up close).
posted by amro at 8:18 AM on January 5, 2009

I've always loved fd's flickr toys which includes a Warholizer. Plus lots of other awesomeness. I made a magazine cover (warning: self link to terminal cuteness) with a funny picture of my son years ago and it still makes me laugh when I see it.
posted by fenriq at 8:30 AM on January 5, 2009

I HIGHLY recommend AllPopart.com. They take your photo and give it the Lichtenstein/Andy Warhol treatment and the results are stunning.

Not cheap, but definitely affordable. They're in the Wired Store in NYC, too.

We have a canvas hanging in our office depicting two of my co-workers and it's incredible what they did with just a photograph.
posted by plasticbugs at 10:16 AM on January 5, 2009

Here's a link to AllPopart's Warhol-style canvases.
posted by plasticbugs at 10:23 AM on January 5, 2009

Thanks so much!
I'm going to send the scan to the site recommended by plasticbugs and to Mydavinci & see which version looks niftiest. (The best sites allow you to view the artwork before you commit your $$$).
posted by Jody Tresidder at 7:04 AM on January 7, 2009

Fenriq,
Your magazine cover is infectiously cute!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 7:09 AM on January 7, 2009