Illustration Guide

STEP ONE:

COLLECT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS

For couples and families, please include (as a minimum):

1. A picture with all family members standing together (as a height reference)

2. A picture of each family member in their chosen outfit (could be included in the above picture OR could be additional photographs)

3. Additional pictures which include any extra details like pets, familiar items, hairstyles etc (bonus points if these are included in the above pictures!)

4. At least one picture of each family member looking directly at the camera (eyes open, looking down the lens, no sunglasses, mug-shot style!)

STEP TWO:

COLLATE YOUR INFORMATION

Please delete these subheadings and copy and paste the following information into the body of an email for each person in your portrait (example over page):

Name & Age (age mostly needed for children)
Eye / Hair colour
Preferred outfit description
Identifying features to include or leave out, if any
Familiar objects to hold, if any

Also include your preference for a background, for example; grass, garden, beach, picnic blanket, rug, potted plants, banner or foliage wreath. Highly detailed backgrounds, such as your home or a selection of personal family details, may incur additional costs.

STEP THREE:

SEND ME YOUR PACKAGE OF PORTRAIT-MAKING HAPPINESS

Please gather all photographs and information and send to me in one single email. Important details are easily overlooked when photographs and information are spread between a series of documents and emails. I often recall tiny pieces of information as I am painting, and looking back through a series of separate anecdotes and attachments is far too time consuming. I need everything in one neat, tidy package to ensure maximum productivity. (Thanks in advance for this!)

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STEP TWO | EXAMPLE |:

Person 1:
Suzie, 36
Dark Brown hair, ‘long bob’ style, Green eyes
Navy gingham shirt dress (knee length – ¾ sleeve), yellow saltwater sandals, pink button earrings, two thin silver bangles.
Dimple in left cheek, Glasses (as seen in photo 2)
Holding hands with Winnie please, and a vintage teacup in the other hand.

Person 2:
Winnie, 3
Mid Brown hair, blunt fringe past shoulder length, Green/blue eyes
Pink tutu, striped pink leotard, yellow saltwater sandals
Dimples, a few freckles across her nose and cheeks
Holding hands with Suzie please, and her beloved koala ‘Fluff’ in her other arm.

Background:
We both love gardening and being outdoors. Perhaps a grassy setting with a few assorted pot plants around us please?

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What if we don’t have a picture altogether?

What a great opportunity to set up the self-timer or grab a friend to take a quick family snap! You don’t have to be all looking ‘perfect’ – that’s my job! Don’t even worry if there are closed eyes or children looking away from camera. I will piece together everything you send to make it a complete picture.

Can I send a selfie?

Preferably not. As selfies are often taken from an angle, they don’t accurately represent your face shape.

How many is too many?

For an average family, 5 photographs is usually plenty for me to work with. Sometimes more than this can be confusing and just adds time when I am trying to sketch / paint your illustration.

Can you just use photographs from my Instagram?

Sure! If you have a public Instagram profile with lots of pictures that fit the guide, you can include your handle (e.g @ohbabybird) for me to have a look and get a feel for your family in more detail.

Will this look exactly like us?

I am an artist, and I use my own unique style of portraiture to capture the distinct character of each family member included. In no way is this portrait aimed at being an exact photographic re-creation. I look forward to creating something for you that is completely unique and most importantly – made with love!

How do I order?

Book a waiting list spot today! Browse the current full prices HERE.