Turn a Picture into a Painting
September 29, 2010 11:59 AM   Subscribe

I live in Los Angeles. I have a girlfriend. I have a favorite picture of her. She has a birthday coming up. I'd like somebody to take that picture and use it as inspiration for a painting that I can give to her. Does anybody do that?

Yes, I've found a few "send me your photo and I'll do a painting" web sites, but most seem rather cheesy and/or too literal.

I'm trying to find somebody (preferably in LA) who can take the essence of the photo and translate into something more...meaningful.
posted by tallthinone to Media & Arts (9 answers total)
 
Search on etsy or post a request. I had a pet portrait (not quite the same thing, I know) done this way.
posted by sugarfish at 12:04 PM on September 29, 2010 [1 favorite]


Seconding Etsy's Alchemy doothingy.
posted by adrianna aria at 12:12 PM on September 29, 2010


I think a killer thing is if you take a crack at doing it. It won't be "perfect", but it's gonna have tons more meaning.

And if it doesn't come out well at all, use it as a gag gift and take the special someone out for a night on the town.
posted by alex_skazat at 12:19 PM on September 29, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Search "custom portrait" on Etsy, pick a style you like, and go with it.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:41 PM on September 29, 2010 [1 favorite]


Find an artist whose style you like (locally or on Etsy) and ask. I did this for Christmas last year, with an artist I'd seen at a local craft show, and was really happy with the results.
posted by JoanArkham at 12:42 PM on September 29, 2010


Have I got the person for you... this is exactly what she does for folks, she's an amazing artist, and she's apparently in Los Angeles.
posted by dbiedny at 12:55 PM on September 29, 2010


Response by poster: Thanks everybody. Some nice suggestions.
posted by tallthinone at 1:22 PM on September 29, 2010


This isn't exactly an answer, and I'm not trying to be a negative nancy here, but speaking from experience, people generally don't like having pictures of themselves. It can feel kind of weird and vain to have a picture of yourself hanging up in your own house. This feeling can increase the larger the picture is. She may actually prefer a picture of you, or at least the two of you instead. Just some food for thought.
posted by smoke at 4:46 PM on September 29, 2010 [2 favorites]


people generally don't like having pictures of themselves. It can feel kind of weird and vain to have a picture of yourself hanging up in your own house.

I second smoke.

HOWEVER if the painting (art piece, whatever) of me was made by my significant other, I would be much happier to receive it since I know that the creation comes from what my SO feels about me.

If you want to inject meaning into it, why let anyone else do it? What do they know about her beyond a picture? You know her so write a poem, draw a picture, whatever!
posted by p1nkdaisy at 11:58 PM on September 29, 2010 [1 favorite]


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