Sometimes, okay, maybe a lot of the time, grandparents are HARD to shop for. Over their long lives, they’ve often accumulated everything they really want, and the lure of material things has already passed them by. Maybe they just have way too much stuff already and you’d hate to contribute to the collection of things they don’t necessarily use or want but feel obligated to keep.
There are several occasions every year where we all likely buy our grandparents gifts and we struggle with deciding what to get them. They’ve got all the kitchen gear and tools they could possibly want or need, consumable gifts like flowers or wine are literally not made to last, and gift cards seem so impersonal as a gift for someone who means so much.
So, what should you get them?
There’s one perfect solution to the great grandparent gift buying dilemma: a family portrait painting from a photo.
Precious painting for mom from PaintYourLife.com on Vimeo.
Why is this the Perfect Grandparent Gift?
It’s meaningful. Your grandparents love your family. Your parents, siblings, children, nieces, nephews, they likely love each and every one of you, even when you’re not on the best of terms. Giving such a special piece of art that commemorates the bond they share with you and the other members of your family is so meaningful.
It’s creative. Even when you have someone else paint the family portrait you’re giving your grandparent(s), there are a lot of creative decisions you have to make. You choose the medium, the photo or photos used to create the portrait, the artist, and make countless other creative decisions. The final product is a direct result of the creative choices you make.
They almost certainly don’t have and won’t get another like it. A portrait from a photo is a truly custom, one of a kind piece of art. No one else has or will have one like it. Even if you choose to have two of them painted (maybe one for each set of grandparents), no two portraits are exactly alike. Custom portraits are more special for their uniqueness and rarity.
It has a small footprint. When grandparents have a lot of stuff already, a gift that doesn’t take up much space is ideal. A portrait can hang on the wall, not requiring storage space or a designated ‘spot’ in the house. They even fit in just fine in room in an assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Plus, art is always in use, brightening up a room and the homeowner’s mood simultaneously and unceasingly.
You can create a family portrait that didn’t happen in real life. Sometimes, the pictures we wish we had never happen. We can’t seem to get everyone in the same place at the same time, or maybe a loved one has passed away and is therefore no longer present in the family portraits, even when they’re still present in our hearts. In a custom painting, you can add in whoever you like so long as you have a photo of them.
How to Order a Custom Portrait
The idea of commissioning a portrait, even one painted from a photograph, can be a daunting one. It’s actually so easy, though! You can get your family picture painted at Paint Your Life in just a few steps.
First, make sure that you plan ahead. While the fantastic artists at Paint Your Life are probably faster than you could imagine, custom art simply doesn’t happen overnight. If possible, you may want to allow a few months to get your portrait completed.
Next choose your medium. What kind of paintings appeal to Grandma or Grandpa, or maybe they prefer drawings? Ask about their favorite art and you’ll not only come up with some great ideas, but also enjoy a meaningful conversation.
Then, choose your photo or photos. You can have a portrait created directly from a single photo or you can use several photos to make sure the whole family is in the portrait. The higher the photo resolution, the better.
You’ll also need to choose an artist. When you scroll through the galleries on Paint Your Life, you can hover over a portrait and see who created it, and there’s even a button to have that artist paint your photo.
Once you’ve chosen an artist, you can chat with them about what you’re wanting from the portrait. Discuss any changes that you’d like made from the photos you’ve given them (i.e., coordinating outfit colors better or simplifying the background). Check out a review of Paint Your Life over at The Bragging Mommy to see if it sounds like something you’d be interested in purchasing.
[simple-author-box]
