Portrait painting is a tradition which has been widespread even before the advent of photography. In the past, aristocratic and royal families pose for long hours just to have their portraits oil painted or charcoal painted. The most common means of painting though, is through oil. Rich families during the olden times even have portrait paintings of ancestors and family members from the generation before them. Not only wealthy individuals have their portraits painted by artists. There are also some engaged couples who send each other painted portraits before their wedding. After these couples get married, they present their partners paintings as anniversary gifts.

But as years passed and technology has gotten more advanced, photography replaced the art of painting portraits. While there are some individuals who still have their family photos painted, there are only a few of them who actually choose this kind of photo preservation. Most people choose digital images of themselves and their families because of the fact that digital printing preserves the quality of the photos for a long time. But if you want the classic way of saving memories, you can always have your family portraits painted by artists. There are several methods of painting photos such as oil, pencil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, and charcoal. Among all these means, perhaps the most common is oil painting. If you want to give your loved one an anniversary gift, you can present him or her with an oil painted portrait. This will serve as a souvenir of your lasting relationship and companionship. Aside from being a souvenir, it will also serve as an artistic piece which you will cherish forever. It will be a masterpiece which you can hand down to your children and to your grandchildren.

Coming up with an oil painting of you and your loved one's photo is an art which entails great ability and skill. There are only a few painters who can actually redevelop the whole aura of the portrait into the painting. When you want to have you and your partner's photo oil painted, the whole process can take up to a week. However, it may last longer. The duration of work required depends on the complexity of the task and the size of the portrait. This may cost you, but the reaction of your loved one will be worth it once you give it to him or her as an anniversary gift.

Several years ago, way back when photography has not yet been discovered, people would pose for plenty of hours just to have their portraits painted. But during the recent times, all you have to do is give the painter your photo and they will take care of the rest. If you want a family portrait painted, a photo of the whole family is not necessary. You have the option of sending the painter separate photos of each member. You can just ask him to put all of you together within a single painting. You can even request a certain background. There are various other things which you can request your painter to do.