Guides, songs and portraits · Family portrait

A family portrait from a photo: getting everyone in, faces and all

A family portrait makes a good gift for grandparents, for parents on a big birthday, or for a family spread across several cities. Group photos bring their own problems, though: small faces, closed eyes, someone half out of the frame. Here is how to pick the right one.

How many people fit

Every face in a painting needs room for the small brushes to work. In a photo of three or four people, each face is still large enough to come out clearly. In a photo of ten, each face becomes a few strokes, and the portrait reads more like a scene than a set of likenesses. That can be lovely too, like a painting of a family picnic, but set your expectations. If the gift is mainly about faces, choose a closer photo, or pick the core family rather than every cousin.

Checking a group photo

Everyone's eyes open. Zoom in on each face. Take the second-best photo if the best one has a blink.
Nobody cut off. A missing shoulder is fine; half a head at the edge looks odd once painted.
Even light across the group. Outdoor shots in the shade of a tree, or indoor ones by a big window, work well. A flash at night leaves the back row in the dark.
The biggest file you have. Ask whoever took it for the original, not the copy sent around the family chat, which is often shrunk.
Faces turned to the camera. Children looking at the dog are charming, but faces in profile carry less detail.

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Ask the family first

A family portrait shows several people, and grown-up members of the family should agree to be painted, even if it is a private gift. Ask in a casual way: “I'd like to have this photo painted for Grandma, is that okay?” For children, a parent's yes is enough. If someone does not want to be included, choose another photo rather than painting around them. If a family member has passed away and appears in the photo, a portrait can be a gentle way to keep them in the picture; talk about it with those closest to them first.

Other ways to give a family portrait

Book a family photo session and give a print of the best frame.
Commission a painter or illustrator to make a physical portrait from your photo.
Make a framed collage: one photo from each household, in matching frames.
Make a photo book with a page for each family member, with a note from each.
Or an artmoovik: the family photo painted stroke by stroke, to its own song, with a letter from all of you.

The artmoovik version

Send us the photo and tell the story of the family in a few lines: who is who, where the photo was taken, what you want the grandparents or parents to feel. The painting is drawn by code, one stroke at a time, big brushes first and the faces last. A new song plays while it appears; its words and music are made with AI, in the mood and voice you choose. A duet or a warm acoustic sound often suits a family piece. The letter at the end can have a line from every person in the photo.

Showing it at a family gathering

On the TV after dinner. The link opens in any browser, so a smart TV or laptop works, with no app or sign-up.
For family far away. Send the same link to everyone so they can watch it at the same moment on a video call.
As a print as well. Save the final frame as an image and have it printed. Nothing is shipped by us.

Price and what happens after you order

It is $25 for the painting from your photo and the new song together. The first sketch of the final frame comes within 24 hours, so you can check that everyone looks right. After you approve it, the finished piece usually comes in 1–2 days. A piece that is not made is refunded in full, and a first sketch that misses gets one redo. Payment is currently in USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20) only.

Ready letters you can use

Paste one under the film as it is, or change every word — the letter appears at the end of the artmoovik, after the last stroke.

“Grandma and Grandpa, this is all of us at your garden last August, the day the rain held off just long enough. Everyone in the picture wrote a line of this letter. We wanted you to have the whole family on one canvas, even when we are far away. We love you.”

“Mom, this photo is the first one with all of us in it since the twins were born. You have said a hundred times that you wish you had more like it. Now you have one that paints itself. Happy birthday from your very loud family.”

“To Dad, from all of us. The photo is from the lake, the year the boat almost sank. You look happier there than anywhere. Watch the faces come in one by one, and see if you can guess who gets painted last.”

Questions

How many people can be in a family portrait from a photo? There is no fixed limit, but the more people there are, the smaller each face becomes. A small group keeps the faces clear; a big one reads more like a scene.

Can you combine people from different photos? Please ask in the order form before you order. The best results come from one photo with everyone already in it.

Do I need permission from everyone in the photo? It is good manners to ask the adults. For children, a parent's agreement is enough.

Can the whole family sign the letter? Yes. The letter is your text, so you can include lines from as many people as you like.

Can grandparents open it easily? Yes. It is a link that opens in a browser on a phone, a tablet or a TV.

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