Every photograph captures a moment in time – a joyful family gathering, a baby‘s first smile, a beloved pet‘s silly expression. But there‘s something uniquely special about a hand-painted portrait. It‘s not just a replica of a picture; it‘s an artistic interpretation that celebrates the beauty and spirit of the subjects. A portrait is a family heirloom you can pass down for generations.
Paint Your Life has built a name for itself over the past 16 years bringing this timeless art form into the modern age. The company transforms customers‘ favorite photographs into hand-painted works of art. Send in a picture, select your medium and size, and work with a talented artist to create a portrait that will last a lifetime.
In this comprehensive Paint Your Life review, we‘ll take a closer look at how the service works, the types of portraits offered and how much they cost, what real customers have to say about their paintings, and more. By the end, you‘ll have all the details you need to decide whether a Paint Your Life portrait is the perfect way to honor the special people and pets in your life.
About Paint Your Life
Paint Your Life was born from a touching personal story. In 2006, founder Assaf Kostiner and his wife received an incredible wedding gift from a dear friend: a hand-painted oil portrait of the two of them. Kostiner was wowed by how the portrait captivated his wedding guests. He knew he wanted to share the experience with others by making custom paintings more accessible.
Kostiner assembled a dream team of artists, designers, and developers united around a heartwarming mission: "To bring joy to people‘s lives by helping them honor, celebrate, and cherish their most special moments through the power of art." Since then, Paint Your Life has grown into a leading custom portrait service.
Today, the California-based company works with a global network of over 300 carefully vetted portrait artists. The 80-person in-house team handles everything from customer service to shipping and logistics. Through this partnership between passionate artists and a dedicated staff, Paint Your Life has created countless masterpieces for customers around the world.
Some key things to know about Paint Your Life:
- Every portrait is 100% hand-painted based on the customer‘s photo
- Offers a wide range of mediums, from classic oil paintings to charcoal sketches
- Ships the finished portraits internationally for free
- Provides a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee
- Has earned glowing reviews from tens of thousands of happy customers
How Paint Your Life Works
Ordering a custom portrait from Paint Your Life is a fun and intuitive process. Here‘s how it works:
Step 1: Choose Your Photo(s)
Begin by selecting the photo or photos you want to be turned into a portrait. You can upload images right from your phone or computer. The photo can include people, pets, or both. Some customers even combine several pictures into one painting, such as having grandparents and grandchildren painted together even if they‘re not all in the same original photo.
Step 2: Select Your Medium and Size
Next up, choose how you‘d like your image to be painted. Paint Your Life offers an impressive array of mediums to suit different styles and budgets:
- Oil painting
- Acrylic
- Charcoal
- Pencil (black and white or color)
- Watercolor
- Pastel
Portraits come in sizes ranging from a petite 8" x 10" all the way up to a grand 48" x 72". Consider where you plan to display the portrait and how many subjects it includes when deciding on sizing.
You can also opt to have your portrait framed (for an additional cost), and Pick Your Artist from Paint Your Life‘s portfolio if you find someone whose work you love.
Step 3: Artist Paints Your Portrait
Here‘s where the magic happens. The Paint Your Life team will match you with an artist based on your chosen medium and any stylistic preferences. Within about a week, you‘ll receive a digital proof of your portrait to review.
You can request changes at this stage until you‘re thrilled with how the portrait looks. Once you give final approval, your artist will paint the actual physical portrait and send you a photo of the finished piece.
Step 4: Portrait Ships to Your Door
When your portrait is complete, Paint Your Life will carefully package it and ship it right to your door. Shipping is free worldwide and typically takes 2-3 weeks depending on your location.
From start to finish, the entire process usually takes around a month. If you‘re in a rush, you can pay an additional 15% fee for Express Service, which puts your order at the top of the queue.
Paint Your Life Portrait Options and Pricing
Paint Your Life offers a diverse array of portrait types to suit any person or occasion. Here are some of the most popular categories:
Parents & Children Portraits
Celebrate the unbreakable bond between parents and their kids with a portrait showcasing your favorite family photos. Popular choices include fathers with their sons or daughters, mothers with their babies, and family portraits with multiple generations.
Pricing varies based on the number of subjects and size. For a 12" x 16" oil painting with two subjects, expect to pay around $400.
Grandparents & Grandchildren Portraits
Honor your family‘s legacy with a portrait bringing grandparents and grandchildren together. These make fantastic gifts for grandma and grandpa. If you don‘t have photos of the whole gang together, Paint Your Life‘s artists can combine separate pictures into one cohesive painting.
An 18" x 24" oil portrait with three subjects runs about $500.
Pet Portraits
Immortalize your four-legged friends with a pet portrait. Send in your cutest photo of Fido or Fluffy and select from charcoal, watercolor, pastel, and more. These paintings capture the personality of your pet and make a fun addition to your home decor.
For a 12" x 12" charcoal pet portrait, you‘ll pay roughly $250.
Wedding Portraits
A hand-painted portrait of your wedding day is the ultimate romantic gift and keepsake. Pick your favorite photo of you and your new spouse from the big day and turn it into a painting. It‘s a creative way to relive those magical moments every time you look at it.
Wedding portrait pricing starts at $300 for an 8" x 10" and goes up to $700+ for larger sizes.
No matter which type of portrait you choose, you can make it more affordable by taking advantage of Paint Your Life‘s interest-free payment plans. During checkout, select Splitit or Klarna to spread out the cost over several months. The company also offers rotating seasonal sales, so keep an eye out for special promotions.
Here‘s What Customers Have to Say About Paint Your Life
Paint Your Life has earned rave reviews from thousands of satisfied customers. The company showcases glowing testimonials on its website, and it boasts excellent ratings on trusted third-party review sites:
- 4.9 out of 5 stars from 10,700+ reviews on Trustpilot
- 4.8 out of 5 stars from 280+ reviews on Sitejabber
So what are customers saying about their Paint Your Life portraits? Reviewers consistently praise the stunning realism, attention to detail, and beauty of the paintings. Many call out how perfectly the artists capture the essence and spirit of their loved ones. Another common theme is how the portraits make incredible gifts that moved the recipients to tears.
Here are a few specific customer stories that caught our eye:
"I surprised my husband with a portrait of his late grandfather with our son, who sadly never got to meet him. It brought us both to tears – it was like we were looking at a priceless moment that never got to happen in real life. We will treasure this piece of art forever." – Michelle L.
"Paint Your Life did an amazing job on the charcoal drawing of my dog who recently passed away. They captured his sweet expression so perfectly that I feel like he‘s still here with me. It‘s a beautiful tribute to my best friend." – John S.
"For our 10th anniversary, I decided to get my wedding portrait done. The artist took our favorite photo and transformed it into a piece of art that takes me right back to that incredible day. It‘s classic and timeless and I know we‘ll cherish it for many anniversaries to come." – Emily R.
Of course, no company is without some complaints. A few reviewers mentioned frustrations with delayed shipping or portraits that didn‘t quite match their expectations. However, Paint Your Life‘s stellar customer service team is always quick to respond and find a solution, whether that‘s a free revision or a full refund. The company seems to truly stand behind its 100% satisfaction guarantee.
The Verdict: Is Paint Your Life Worth It?
After taking an in-depth look, our take is that Paint Your Life is absolutely worth the investment for a one-of-a-kind custom portrait. Yes, the paintings cost more than a simple photo print or canvas. But the quality and meaning you get is unmatched.
Paint Your Life goes above and beyond to ensure every customer ends up with a hand-painted masterpiece that celebrates the most important people, pets, and moments in their lives. The level of care and talent that goes into each piece is apparent. And the pure joy the portraits bring to those who receive them is priceless.
In terms of cost, Paint Your Life‘s prices are very reasonable for custom artwork of this caliber. You could easily pay thousands ordering a similar portrait from a local artist. Paint Your Life makes these paintings accessible to a wider audience, and even provides framing and payment plan options for added convenience and flexibility.
For anyone looking for a uniquely personal and heartfelt gift, a way to memorialize a lost loved one, or a creative method to capture life‘s milestones, we highly recommend checking out Paint Your Life‘s offerings. These are the kind of meaningful keepsakes you‘ll treasure forever and can even pass down to future generations.
The only real downside is the turnaround time. If you need a portrait in a hurry for an upcoming occasion, like a birthday or anniversary, you‘ll have to pay extra for rushed service. So it‘s best to plan ahead and order well in advance if you can.
Overall, while Paint Your Life might not be for everyone, we believe the stunning portraits and 5-star customer experience make the service a worthwhile splurge for many. Thousands of glowing customer testimonials confirm that a Paint Your Life portrait is a gift that truly keeps on giving in the form of treasured memories and family heirlooms.
How to Get Started With Paint Your Life
Ready to transform your own precious photo into a beautiful painting? Getting started with Paint Your Life is easy. Simply visit the company‘s website at paintlife.com. There, you can instantly upload your photo and start customizing your portrait.
Browse the gallery of past work for inspiration, and don‘t miss the helpful FAQ section if you still have questions. Paint Your Life‘s friendly support team is available 24/7 if you get stuck or need a hand during the ordering process.
Once your order is placed, the exciting creation process begins. Before you know it, you‘ll be the proud owner of a stunning custom portrait that you can enjoy and share for a lifetime.
Because these paintings make such perfect presents, we recommend ordering a portrait for the next important holiday, birthday, or anniversary on your list. It‘s a failsafe gift that your recipient definitely won‘t already have and is guaranteed to generate some happy tears.
Or go ahead and treat yourself! Celebrate your own greatest memories, dearest loved ones, and even your adorable pets with a hand-painted work of art. You deserve a masterpiece that brings you joy every time you see it.
Whichever route you choose, our verdict is that a Paint Your Life portrait is a decision you won‘t regret. These paintings have a way of capturing not just smiling faces, but the love and special bonds we share with the most important people (and animals) in our world. And that‘s a feeling worth investing in.
