Portraits & project stories

Ballpoint Pen on Wood, Graphite & Poem, or Comic Markers & Textile: Which Portrait to Choose? When looking to order a hand-drawn custom portrait, the first question that comes to mind is often: “Which style and material truly fit my story?” In my studio, I don’t offer an infinite catalog of digital filters or automated

Why Our Choice of Materials Matters: Eco-Friendly Art That Breathes and Lasts We live in an era where we can print anything on just about everything. Faces hastily stamped onto plastic phone cases, synthetic canvases smelling of heavy chemicals the moment you open the package, or fragile posters shipped from across the globe that tear

“Wait… Is It a Photocopy?”: Why I Don’t Send My Original Drawing When ordering a custom portrait made entirely by hand, people naturally expect to receive the sheet of paper on which the artist laid down their pencil. So, when I explain to my clients that I digitize my drawing to deliver a high-quality fine

Celebrating Ordinary Lives: Who are the truly “Great” in my studio? It is an invisible question. A hesitation I can sense behind many of the emails I receive: “Are we ‘important’ enough to get or give a portrait?” It’s a quiet doubt, a sort of impostor syndrome applied to art. And honestly, I get where

“I’m Not Photogenic”: How Drawing Heals Your Relationship with Your Image “I ruin every single photo.” “You’ll have your hands full with my face…” “Can you please airbrush out my double chin?” I read these sentences regularly in my inbox. They are usually slipped in with a laugh, like a polite apology to mask a

Gifting a Custom Portrait: A Good or Bad Idea? Gifting a custom portrait might seem like a wonderful idea. It is original. Unique. Intimate. But let’s be honest: it isn’t always the right choice. Unlike other personalized gifts, a commissioned portrait involves something much deeper: an intention, a relationship, and sometimes an emotion that simply

Behind the Scenes: What People Truly Entrust Me With Before Ordering a Custom Portrait When someone contacts me for a custom handmade portrait, our conversation rarely begins with a clear, technical request. Instead, there are often hesitations. Incomplete sentences. Something they are trying to put into words without being quite sure how to get there.

Behind the Scenes: Why I Turn Down Certain Custom Portrait Orders In traditional business logic, we are taught to say “yes” to everyone. Accept every order blindly, automate processes, and produce faster to sell more. But when it comes to bringing a custom handmade portrait to life, I choose a different path. I turn down

3 hand-drawn portrait commissions in Bic pen or fineliner (and what they really say) When people talk about personalised portraits, they usually show the final result.A beautiful image. A neat drawing. Something that looks “good” on a wall. But what really matters is not just what you see.It’s what sits behind the lines and the

Ordering a Portrait from a Distance: What Really Happens with a Custom Portrait (No AI) A few lines, sometimes awkward:“I’m not sure how to explain this…”“I don’t even know if this is a good idea…” And that’s completely fine.You’re not supposed to have the perfect words for “I want to keep something of this person,