Thank you so much for choosing an Everkeep Heirloom Portrait. I’m truly grateful for the privilege of creating something so personal and meaningful for you and your family.

Below you’ll find some gentle guidance to help you choose your reference photos. Every portrait begins with a photograph, and a little care in this step helps me capture your child’s likeness in the most natural and beautiful way. 

Reference Photos

To create your portrait, I’ll need one or two clear photographs of your child.

You’re welcome to upload a photo at checkout, and if you’d like to send additional images, you can simply reply to your order confirmation email with any extra photos you’d like me to consider.

What makes a beautiful reference photo

The most beautiful portraits often begin with natural, candid moments, when your child is relaxed and simply being themselves, without being posed or asked to perform for the camera.

A gentle, natural expression brings the portrait to life more than anything else. Soft, unforced moments translate most beautifully into illustrated form and help capture the true essence of this season of childhood.

Capturing the right image

For the best result, a thoughtful reference photo makes all the difference. Please consider the following when choosing your images:

• A natural side profile with clearly visible facial features is ideal, allowing me to capture their likeness accurately and beautifully
• Keep their head and hair clearly visible in frame so their features can be fully captured
• Natural daylight is best where possible, as it helps preserve true colour and gentle detail
• Choose a clear, well lit photograph where your child is easy to see

A few things to avoid

• Blurry or low resolution images
• Heavy shadows across the face
• Filters or heavily edited photos
• Very distant or heavily zoomed images
• Anything that obscures facial features

If you’re unsure

Please don’t worry if you’re unsure whether a photo will work. You’re always welcome to send through a few options, and I’ll happily guide you in selecting the one that will create the most beautiful portrait. If needed, I may request an additional image before beginning your artwork.

A gentle reminder

Each Everkeep Heirloom Portrait is lovingly hand drawn from your chosen photograph. While every detail is considered with care, these pieces are not exact replicas, they are artistic interpretations, created in a soft, timeless style that captures the essence, emotion, and character of your child in this fleeting season of childhood.

A simple, natural photograph is all that’s needed, and together, it becomes something truly special.