A painted family portrait is one of the most personal gifts and keepsakes you can have. But for it to have the greatest impact, three elements must come together: the right format, the right style, and the right number of people per painting. Here’s a practical guide to help you make the right choice.
🎨 Straight to the service: Have a family portrait painted → — upload your photo, hand-painted in oil, from CHF 306.
How many people can fit in a picture?
This is the question customers ask us most often. The short answer: theoretically, as many as you want. The honest answer: it depends on what you want to achieve.
1–2 people — the classic portrait
With just one or two people per photo, you get what makes for gallery-quality images: sharp focus, precise detail in the eyes and facial expressions, and a powerful emotional impact. We recommend this option for:
- Wedding Couple Portraits
- Parent-child photos (mother with baby, father with son)
- Memorial portraits of deceased individuals
Recommended size: 50×70 cm to 80×100 cm — this is close to life-size for a head-and-shoulders portrait and looks striking on a single wall.
3–5 people — the typical family
This is where it gets interesting. With 3–5 people, a real group composition emerges in which relationships become visible—who stands next to whom, who is holding whom, who is looking where. Important: with 3–5 people, the format needs to be enlarged; otherwise, the individual faces will be too small to capture the details well.
Recommended size: 80×100 cm to 100×140 cm.
6–10 people — the extended family
Grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren—these multi-generational portraits are especially popular for wedding anniversaries or milestone birthdays. For these, you’ll need a really large format, and the composition becomes more complex. Our artists often use a staggered arrangement (with some sitting in the front and others standing in the back) to ensure that everyone’s face is clearly visible.
Recommended size: 100×140 cm to 140×200 cm. Allow at least 4–5 m² of clear wall space for the best visual impact.
10+ people — Special designs
Extended families, entire workforces, school classes—that’s possible, too. But keep in mind that individual faces will likely appear more as portrait-like sketches than as detailed individual portraits. For groups of more than 12–15 people, we recommend a photo that shows the group in a well-composed shot—and then a deliberately impressionistic style that focuses on “perception rather than detail.”
Which format is best for which wall?
A common mistake: choosing a painting that’s too small. A 50×70 cm painting looks lost above a 2-meter sofa—and the striking impact of the artwork is lost.
Rule of thumb: 2/3 of the wall width
The image should be about two-thirds of the width of the furniture the space above which it hangs. Above a 200-cm sofa, that means a picture 130–140 cm wide. Above an 180-cm dining table: a picture 120 cm wide.
Portrait vs. landscape orientation
- Portrait format: Looks elegant, makes the wall appear longer, ideal for entryways, stairwells, and narrow walls
- Landscape format: has a calm, balanced look; works well over sofas, beds, and sideboards
- Square: modern look, very neutral, blends well with various furniture styles
Which style suits your family?
Realistic / Classic
Highly detailed rendering of all faces, clearly visible skin tones, and sharp contours. This is the “safe” choice—the image is always instantly recognizable, and all individuals are easily identifiable. Recommended for:
- Multigenerational photos where it is important for everyone to be recognizable
- Classically furnished living spaces
- Memorial images intended to have a historical character
Impressionistic
A slightly softer brushstroke; lighting effects are emphasized more than hard contours. Result: the image feels “more lively” and atmospheric. Recommended for:
- Outdoor family portraits (garden, beach, mountain scenes)
- Modern, slightly more playful interior design styles
- Families with young children — the children's natural movement really comes into its own
Modern / Abstract
A limited color palette, deliberate simplification of forms, often incorporating a graphic element. A bold choice, but very striking when it complements the home’s style.
Clothing and background — small choices, big impact
What should already be right in the photo
Even though the background and clothing details in the painting can be customized, the photo serves as the basis:
- Consistent color tones Clothing can work wonders. Brightly colored, mismatched family outfits—red next to turquoise next to neon green—are difficult to coordinate visually.
- Daylight is usually better than studio flash. Skin tones look more natural.
- Eye contact: When everyone looks at the camera, it creates a powerful visual impact. If you have kids who can’t sit still, don’t force them to look at the camera—natural poses often work better.
What we can adjust in the painting
- Replace backgrounds: We can use a soft, neutral background instead of a cluttered living room scene
- Subtly adjusting your clothing: Remove the logo, adjust the color slightly—as long as the result still looks authentic
- Combine people: Combine two photos into one image if not everyone was in the picture at the same time
- Including the deceased: carefully integrated so that the image doesn't look "staged" — see our separate Articles on Memoir Portraits
Common mistakes — that you should avoid
1. “We’ll just use the school/wedding photo.”
Studio setups with direct flash and plain backgrounds can often be challenging. They tend to look cold and somewhat lifeless in the final painting. A photo taken with natural light almost always results in a more vibrant final image.
2. “We’ll squeeze 12 people into a 60×80 cm space—it’ll work out.”
It won't work. With 12 people in a 60×80 cm space, each face will be about 5×7 cm—not enough room for real detail. It's better to increase the size or reduce the number of people.
3. “As long as it’s fast”
We understand deadline pressure. But 2-5 weeks of production time are no accident — they reflect what a good picture really needs. If your occasion is in 4 weeks and you want to give the picture as a gift, just tell us your target date — we'll schedule it in time.
4. “We don’t ask—the artist already knows”
Wrong. You can make requests: “I’d like my mother to be a bit more in the center,” “My daughter’s eyes are blue, not greenish-gray like in the photo,” “I’d like the background to remind me of our vacation home.” We take every comment seriously—and the final image will turn out better if we understand what’s important to you.
Ready for your own family portrait?
In the ArtMinded Configurator you can select the format, number of people and frame, upload a photo, and immediately see a price estimate. For free compositions — several photos combined or a subject entirely of your own design — you can alternatively have a custom painting made. If you're unsure about anything — format, style, composition — we're happy to advise you personally. Contact us via the Contact Form or via WhatsApp, and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people fit in a family portrait?
Technically up to 8 people per picture. For expressive portraits we recommend 2-5 people on a medium format (60 × 80 cm). With more than 6 people, a larger format from 80 × 100 cm or a diptych is worthwhile.
Which format is suitable for a family portrait?
50 × 70 cm for 2-3 people, 60 × 80 cm for 3-4 people, 80 × 100 cm or larger from 4 people. Rule of thumb: ~25 cm of picture width per person, so faces stay recognizable and expressive.
How much does a family portrait cost in Switzerland?
At ArtMinded, family portraits start at CHF 306. The final price depends on format and number of people — a small surcharge per additional person. You see the exact price immediately in the configurator.
Can deceased family members be included in the picture?
Yes — we can combine people from separate photos into one harmonious composition. Important: good photo quality for each individual person. Such works are often created as a memorial or multi-generation portrait. Also read our post on memorial paintings.
How much lead time do I need for a gift deadline?
At least 2-5 weeks of lead time. For weddings, golden wedding anniversaries or Christmas: 6 weeks with a buffer. If time is tight, get in touch — express dates are often possible.
Which style suits a family portrait?
Classic realistic is the most timeless style and the most popular for family portraits. Modern stylized feels fresher and suits younger families. Sepia and vintage styles emphasize the heirloom character — ideal for multi-generation pictures.
Ready for your own oil painting?
Upload a photo, choose format and frame — our specialised artists paint your personal artwork in 2-5 weeks from CHF 306, with Swiss quality control.
Want to create your own piece?
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