Questions,
answered properly.

One clear, well-lit photograph with a good view of the face. Daylight near a window beats a flash every time, and a three-quarter angle reads better than a straight-on shot. Phone photos are completely fine — resolution matters far less than light and sharpness. The photo guide goes through this properly, including what to do with old prints and low-resolution files.

Usually, yes. Grain, faded colour and creases are workable; a face lost in shadow, a face too small in the frame, or a face blurred by movement is not, because the detail was never captured in the first place. The only reliable way to know is to upload it and look at the preview, which costs nothing.

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons people come here. An older or imperfect photograph is usually still enough. Take as long as you need over it — nothing is charged until you have a portrait you are happy with, and there is no expiry on deciding.

Yes. The requirement is that every face is clear in the source photograph — a shot where one subject is sharp and the other is turned away produces a portrait where one is right and the other is a guess. If you cannot get everyone looking at once, upload separate clear photos of each and say they belong together. Many people also order two portraits at the same size and hang them as a pair, which often looks better than crowding both into one frame.

Unlimited free previews. Try different photos and styles without a daily limit. You only pay when you choose a download or print. Unpurchased previews remain available for 72 hours.

There is no fixed edit limit. Describe what you would like changed, review the result, and refine it again if needed. Each edit starts from your current painting, and earlier versions remain available while the preview is saved.

Say what is off and it is reworked, free. Likeness is usually a source-photo problem rather than a style problem, so trying a second photograph is often faster than a fourth edit of the first. Nothing is charged until you are satisfied with what is on screen.

Try several — switching costs nothing and takes a minute. As a rough guide, the darker styles suit a subject with strong features and a room with warm lighting, while the lighter, more open styles suit pale coats, children and anything hanging in daylight. Look at the portrait next to the wall it will hang on, not on its own.

Digital portraits are available in your account after payment is confirmed; the email link may take a few minutes to arrive. Estimated delivery for physical orders is 15–30 calendar days from payment, including production and transit from China. Customs, holidays or carrier delays may extend this estimate. Follow production and tracking in your account. Delivery is free to the destinations available at checkout, with no minimum. If you need a piece by a particular date, contact us before ordering.

Three sizes: 12 × 16 inches (30 × 40 cm), 18 × 24 (45 × 60) and 24 × 32 (60 × 80). The middle size is the most common choice and suits a wall above a sideboard or a bed. The largest is for above a fireplace or at the end of a corridor. Cut a rectangle of newspaper to size and tape it up before deciding — going one size too small is the regret people report, never the other way round.

A portrait can be a personal way to celebrate someone. If the occasion is close, choose a digital download to save and share after payment. For local printing, ask your printer to check the file against your chosen size first. If you are ordering a physical piece for a particular date, contact us before ordering so we can discuss the timing. Gift notes are not currently available at checkout.

Custom pieces are made for one order, so there is no general change-of-mind return once production has started — which is why previews and edits are free beforehand. If the piece arrives damaged, does not match the preview you approved, or never arrives, we remake and reship free, or refund you if you would rather. Full detail is on the returns and remakes page.

Your photographs are not shown in public galleries. Preview access lasts 72 hours, and artwork attached to orders is kept separately for fulfilment and support. Our generation providers process your photos to make the portrait and have their own retention periods. The privacy page explains access, storage and providers.

Use it however you like for yourself: print it, frame it, set it as a wallpaper, send it to family, print it on a card. You hold the rights to the photograph you uploaded and you are free to use the portrait made from it personally. What we ask you not to do is resell it as stock or licence it on to someone else.

A payment receipt is emailed after your payment is confirmed. If you need an invoice with specific business or tax details, contact us before ordering so we can confirm what we can provide.

Email support@burnishedportraits.com with your order number if you have one. Replies come within two working days, and you are welcome to write in whichever language you are comfortable in. For anything about a damaged or missing parcel, attaching a photograph in the first message usually saves a round trip.