FAQ

Turnaround / Shipping

• What is the turnaround time?

  The turnaround depends on three factors:
  1.) Whether you use normal service or express service
  2.) The medium of the painting
  3.) The size of the painting
  

  The following turnaround is from the day you place your order to the day you receive it at your door.
  Medium Size Portraits (Oil & Acrylic) (8"x10" - 20"x24")

  Big Size Portraits (Oil & Acrylic) (24"x36" - 48"x72")

  Charcoal, Pencil, Pastel & Watercolor

  Regular service

  24 days

  29 days

  22 days

  Express service*

  19 days

  21 days

  16 days

  Express Service* + Express Shipping**

  14 days

  16 days

  N/A
  Looking for something with a shorter turnaround? Order a Gift Card!
  
  * Express service means that we start working on your order immediately. You can choose it when you are at the shopping cart page. This service costs an additional 15%.
  ** Express shipping will make the shipping a few days shorter. You don't need to decide when you place your order. Right after approving your painting, you'll be able to choose it for an extra $9 - $49 (depending on choice of framing and size of painting)

• Do you offer an express service to expedite the order?

  Yes! For only 15% more, you can order an express service which will give your order a priority over other orders and will improve the turnaround time. For exact turnaround, please check here.

• I have confirmed the photo of my painting, but still haven't received the shipping notification. When should that happen?

  Please allow 2-4 days from the day you confirmed your order until we ship it and send you the shipping notification email. We need to make sure that the painting is dry and if applicable framed before we can ship it.

• To which countries do you ship and how much does it cost?

  To all countries, the shipping is FREE of charge. This includes the shipping and handling as well as the insurance of the shipped items (regardless of quantity or size).

Prices and Payments

• How much does it cost?

  Our paintings vary in cost depending on the chosen medium or editing style as well as size and framing method chosen.
  
  The most complicated part of the painting are the subjects (people/pets). Painting the faces or detailed features from the photo is the most delicate task, and this takes considerable time. For this reason, we need to know the number of subjects in the painting, so that we are able to determine the complexity of the painting, and price it accordingly.
  
  If your photo is of a house/vehicle/landscape please choose landscape as the type. When choosing to have people or pets painted, you will need to count the number of people or pets present. The number of subjects is tallied based on the number of people or pets present in the photo that you want painted and does not count background images such as houses, trees, cars or other buildings.
  
  Go to our price page for further information.

• Do you charge extra for modifications?

  No, we don't charge extra. All modifications are free of charge.

• What methods of payment do you accept?

  1.) Credit Card: Pay directly on our website using your credit card

  2.) PayPal: Pay with your PayPal account or if you do not have an account you may still use your credit card by clicking on `Don`t have a PayPal account?` link.

  We are unable to accept any other form of payment, including checks.

• Can I buy a gift certificate?

  Yes! This is a great gift idea ! You can use our gift certificate service. The recipient will receive a beautifully designed email with a unique gift code that will enable him / her to order any of our products including Photos on Canvas, Pop Art Canvas and Handmade Paintings.
  You may also choose to have a hard copy gift certificate mailed to yourself or your recipient.

  Order a gift certificate

Ordering

• Can I choose the artist that will paint my painting?

  Yes you can! Simply browse our online gallery. When you hover over any image, you will see the artist name, with a 'more paintings' link which will allow you to see all paintings of this artist. Once you've decided on the artist you like the best, choose a painting of his / her that inspires you, hover over it and click 'I want this artist to paint my photo' button. This way we will be able to pass your order to the artist you've chosen and also let him / her know which painting you liked the best so that they can try and paint yours in a similar style.

• What framing options do you offer?

  We offer 3 options:
  1.) Rolled - your painting will be shipped rolled in an art tube.
  2.) Gallery wrap - your painting will be stretched on a wooden frame. This option is only for oil and acrylic paintings.
  3.) Framed - your ordered painting will be delivered framed (ready to hang).

  All frames are made of solid wood
  Rolled

  

  1.5" Gallery-Wrap Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  3.25" Satin Black With Mat Board

  

  

  

  2.25" Red Country with Mat Board

  

  

  

  3" Country Dixie Grey with Mat board

  

  

  

  2" Mat black scoop

  

  

  

  2-1/8" Silver Legacy Rustic

  

  

  

  3/8" Silver Float Frame Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  5/8" Matte Black Soho Float Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  1-3/8" Silver Legacy Rustic (S)

  

  

  

  13/16" Silver Legacy

  

  

  

  2-1/4" Black & Gold Reverse

  

  

  

  1-3/4" Light Brown Pine

  

  

  

  2-1/8" Gold Legacy

  

  

  

  3/8" White Float Frame Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  1-5/8" Satin Black Scoop

  

  

  

  2-1/4" Sherwood Rustic

  

  

  

  11/16" Rustique Tan Float Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  11/16" Rustique Dark Grey Float Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  3/8" Sky Blue Floating Frame Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  3/8" White Country Color Float Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  1" Ivory Ferro

  

  

  

  3/4" Red Country

  

  

  

  1-1/2" Country Sky Blue Wide

  

  

  

  1-1/2" Country Dixie Grey

  

  

  

  5/8" Natural Soho Float Only Oil & Acrylic

  

  

  

  1-1/4" Silver Leaf

  

  

  

  2" Black w. Red Rub

  

  

  

  3" Antique Silver Parisienne

  

  

  

  3-1/2" Matte White Silhouette

  

  

  

  2-1/2" Black Goya

  

  

  

  3" Owl Brown Barnwood

  

  

  

  2-1/4" Curved Ornate

  

  

  

  2-11/16" Light Brown Pine Prairie

  

  

  

  1-3/4" Satin Black

  

  

  

  1-1/2" Country Marshmallow White

  

  

  

  1-1/2" Sherwood Espresso

  

  

  

  2" Walnut Scoop

  

  

  

  2-1/2" Country Whiskey Brown Wide

  

  

• On the website you show the size as 16x20 inches but I would like a 20x16 inches. What should I do?

  When we write 16"x20" we refer both to 16"x20" and 20"x16". If you send us a horizontal image, the item you'll receive will be horizontal. If you send a vertical photo, it will be vertical. If you prefer your vertical photo to be horizontally or the other way round please inform us about it in the comment section during the order process.

• Can I choose a background for my painting?

  Yes, you can! We do it at no extra cost. We offer two options. If you would like us to pick a suitable background, we are happy to do so or alternatively you can send in another photo as background. When you place your order you will see a comment text box which allows you to let us know of any changes you wish to have done to your photo including the background.

• Which is the best medium for my photo?

  The best medium to choose is, above all, a matter of personal taste. This is why we suggest that you browse our galleries of oil, charcoal, watercolor, pastel, pencil and acrylic portraits, and see which is the one you like the most. Please check out the differences between the various mediums that we offer. The most popular medium is Oil, so if you are unsure what to choose, it's a safe bet :)

  

  Popular

  Oil

  

  Charcoal

  

  Pencil

  

  Watercolor

  

  Pastel

  

  Acrylic
  Characteristics: Oil is the most popular medium and is the most vivid reflection of photos. All styles and techniques are available to the artist who paints in oil, where most other mediums are limited in their stylistic ranges. An oil painting is a natural heirloom you will be proud to have in the family for generations.
  
  Material & Framing: Oil is painted on canvas and can also be ordered as gallery-wrap (stretched over an internal wooden frame), which allows you to get a ready-to-hang painting without spending extra for an actual frame.
  
  Works best for: Whatever photo you choose, Oil will be a good fit. If you are unsure what medium to choose, Oil will be a safe choice.

  Characteristics: Artistic simpleness with black and white. While charcoals grant the lively drama of any black-and-white medium, they are usually far more high-contrast than pencil drawings. In fact, contrast is the very nature of charcoals. The darker blacks obtainable from charcoals give a certain drama that would be more subtle in other mediums. If you love black and white pictures, and seek to make a powerful statement, consider charcoals as your medium.
  
  Material & Framing: Painted on paper and requires a protective glass when framed.
  
  Works best for: If your photo is an outdoor / landscape picture, or if you'd like the background to be painted in detail, consider other mediums. As you can see here those beautiful portraits are focused on the subject of the painting, with hardly any background painted. Also, if you are short in time, Charcoal / Pencil are good choices since they don't require several layers and don't need to dry and therefore allow a faster turnaround (and a lower price)

  Characteristics: Pencils can go from very light to very deep in hue and depth. The fine lines of a sharpened pencil are nearly impossible to duplicate with a brush, and completely unavailable for pastels or charcoal. Shading with pencils is one of the nicest characteristics this medium provides.
  
  Material & Framing: Painted on paper and requires a protective glass when framed.
  
  Works best for: Pencil portraits are usually ordered in small sizes, and are a prefect fit for a fairly small room / wall.

  Characteristics: Watercolor is a very distinctive kind of painting medium. The transparent watercolor distinguishes your painting from all other mediums. The magic of color mixed with water gives the painting a soft, rustic, antique feeling.
  
  Material & Framing: Painted on paper and requires a protective glass when framed.
  
  Works best for: Watercolor works very well for houses and outdoor / landscape.

  Characteristics: Pastel is a very dry medium, and therefore may appear somewhat flatter than other mediums. Nevertheless, it possesses its own undeniable charm.
  
  Material & Framing: Painted on paper and requires a protective glass when framed.
  
  Works best for: Choose pastel for making portraits of both people and pets, because the results are high in texture and visual interest.

  Characteristics: Before you decide between oil and acrylic mediums, you should know that they often appear identical. The main advantages to choosing acrylics over oils are that they can sometimes appear somewhat more saturated in color. Acrylic is more vibrant than oil, therefore, some will prefer Acrylic as the medium for a landscape painting.
  
  Material & Framing: Like Oil, Acrylic is also painted on Canvas and can be ordered as Gallery-Wrap, in case you want to save the extra cost of a real frame.
  
  Works best for: Like oils, acrylics work well for just about any photo.

Sending Your Photos

• To which email address should I send my photographs?

  If you have chosen to send your photo(s) by email, please email them to: team@paintyourlife.com

• How can I send my photo by regular mail?

  In case you only have your photo as hard copy you may send it by regular mail to:
  
  PaintYourLife
  340 S LEMON AVE #2346,
  WALNUT, CA 91789
  UNITED STATES

Photo Selection

• What if my photo is damaged or not of the highest quality?

  Please use our free photo consultation service and email us the photo before you submit your order. We can then give you advise on the photo and let you know if it is suitable.

• Which photos can I use for my painting?

  It is enough if the quality of the photo allows us to clearly see the details of your photo - but here are a few tips on what you should look for:
  1. Send photos that flatter the photographed person. If you don't like the way you look in the photo, if you think that your smile doesn't look real, or your nose looks too big, try to pick another photo. Don't expect the artists to make the person look much better than he looks in the photo :)
  2. Try to send photos with the highest resolution. If your photo is less than 100 KB size, its resolution may be too low for our artists to create a good quality painting from it.
  3. Pay attention to the background. If you have a beautiful photo of your little boy for example, but the background is filled with details that will detract from the painted portrait. In such a case, you can simply choose a solid background from the options we offer, or ask that the artist will choose it for you.
  
  

Photo Editing

• Can I make special requests for the photo editing?

  During the order process you will find a comments box, where you will be able to explain what your special requests are. We can create "magic" with your original photos: we can combine figures from different photos into one image, change the background, eliminate or add figures and objects, create color images from black and white photos and even fix damaged or old photos. All, FREE of charge.

• Can you combine images from more than one photograph into a single image?

  Yes, we can! We do it at no extra cost. You can upload or send several photographs via email and have subjects from each photo placed together into a single image. Simply give us detailed instructions when placing your order, by using the comments text box.

• Can you restore old photos or colorize black & white photos? If so, what is the price?

  If a photo requires restoration, we will automatically do it before starting your order. If you have a Black & white photo and you want us to paint or print it in color, please mention it in the comments text box that appears during the order process underneath the area where you upload your photo(s).
  
  Please mention any details that can help our editors to colorize it correctly (like: "The hair should be blond and the eyes should be blue"). We will send you the colorized photo for approval before continuing.
  By the way this service is free to you and included in the price.

General Questions

• What's your return policy?

  For our return policy please click here.

• Can I order a custom size? What will the price be?

  You can order a custom size. To do this, simply choose the size which is closest to the one you wish to order in the list of sizes on this page and in the comments text box at the bottom of the page, let us know the exact size that you want. We will then contact you and advise of the updated price for your custom size.

• Can I preview my order before receiving it?

  Yes. Once the painting from your photo is ready, we will contact you to review it online. Most of our customers are happy with their first preview. However, if you feel that any modifications should be made, we receive your feedback, make the requested modifications and send it back to you for confirmation. Only after your approval is the painting shipped to you.

• What's the status of my order?

  To view the status of your order, please login to your account. You will see the status in the main view of your account or in the "Your Orders" section.

• I would like to confirm/ask for changes to my painting. How do I do this?

  Please don't send us confirmations or requests for modifications via email / contact form, as this will slow down the process. Please login to your account and use the links there for confirmation or for modification requests.

• Is my private information protected?

  Yes it is. All the information gathered through our secure server will be used solely to process your orders. We will never sell or share your private information with any 3rd party.

• Are your painting artists classically trained?

  Yes. All of our artist were traditionally trained at top art universities and are active artists.

• My question isn't answered on this page, what should I do?

  You may use our email form to send us any questions, or try our live chat.