House Portraits

A Masterful Blend of Art and Technology

SUMMER SPECIAL Commission Your House Portrait before August 31/2006 and receive $50.00 off the creation fee and 6 FREE House Portrait Note Cards

Great Gift Idea for: Birthdays & Anniversaries Retirements "Good Neighbour" Farewell Gift "Downsizing" Couples leaving a cherished Family Home Cottage Owners Employees' Gift to Business Owner Anyone who takes pride in their home, cottage or business Click Pine Tree and Signature for detailed view

What is a "House Portrait"

As the name implies, it's a "portrait" of a home (or cottage or business location).

How is it made?

We photograph your property and then convert the image to a digital computer format. We then transform your home into a beautiful watercolour masterpiece, adding texture and brush strokes to give the look of a watercolour painting. But we don't stop there. We then add a custom mat using colours from the painting itself, in one of several textures including Leather, Sandstone, Brick or Rough Paper. Optional Captions can be added to personalize the House Portrait. Such things as "Home Sweet Home" or "The Johnson Family" or an address are popular captions. Finally, the portrait is printed on a special photographic printer in sizes up to 24"x30".

What if there is something I don't like about my house?

Many house are "works in progress", especially older homes. We can do "renovations" on the house image - add a bush or two, remove a TV antenna or ugly telephone poles and wires, change a front door colour or fix a patchy lawn. The watercolour process itself also hides minor paint imperfections while maintaining the overall colouring of the home.

Can I send you a picture, or do you have to take it?

While we prefer to take the original photograph, we can work from a photo supplied by you. This often means that we have to do more work on the computer so the cost is usually the same, if not a bit more, to work from your photo. We need a clear, sharp minimum 5 x7 print to work from. We'll give you guidelines for taking the photo for best results, once you have commissioned a House Portrait. We respect the copyright of other photographers, so we can't work from another professional photographer's photo unless we receive written permission.

Does it have to be a building?

Not at all! We can use the same techniques to create a fabulous image of a boat, car, airplane or any other treasured possession. Call us and we'll discuss the possibilities.

What about framing?

Because House Portraits include matting as part of the image, all that needs to be done is to place the portrait in a frame or to mount it on a plaque. We offer an extensive choice of wood and metal frames and we do plaque mounting and laminating here at the studio.

How much does it cost?

There is an initial photography and creation cost of $200 to prepare your House Portrait for printing. This covers the cost of photographing the building (within 30 km of Smiths Falls), minor "renovations" to fix up flaws you want to hide, creation of the watercolour painting look, creation of the custom mat and the addition of any titling you may desire. We require a $100 commission fee to start work on your House Portrait. The remaining creation fee is due when you approve the proof image. The final cost will be determined by the size of print you need, as follows: