How to Choose the Best Photo for a Painted Portrait

The photo makes the portrait

An AI-painted portrait can only be as good as the photo you start with. The good news: you don't need a professional photographer. With a few simple checks, almost any phone photo can become a beautiful painting.

1. Sharpness comes first

Zoom in on the faces. Are the eyes sharp? Then you have a good starting point. Motion blur and out-of-focus faces are the most common reason for a disappointing result. When in doubt, choose the sharper photo over the nicer pose.

2. Faces should not be too small

In a photo taken from far away, faces are only a few pixels wide. Choose a photo where the faces fill a reasonable part of the frame, or crop the photo so the people are larger.

3. Soft, even light

Daylight from the side or front works best. Harsh midday sun creates dark shadows under the eyes, and flash can flatten faces. Overcast days and shade give soft, flattering light.

4. Eyes visible, no sunglasses

The eyes bring a portrait to life. Avoid sunglasses, caps that shade the face, and photos where people look away completely.

5. Skip heavy filters

Beauty filters and strong color filters change skin and colors in ways the painting will copy. Use the original photo if you have it.

Group photos

For families and groups, make sure every face is visible and not hidden behind someone else. No single photo with everyone? Upload up to four photos of different people and they are painted together in one portrait.

Pets

Photograph pets at their eye level, in daylight, with the head clearly in view. For cats and dogs, a sharp photo with visible eyes matters more than a perfect background.

Old photos

Old prints often work surprisingly well. Scan them at a high resolution, or take a photo of the print straight on, in daylight, without glare.

Try it for free

Not sure which photo to use? Because the preview is free, you can simply try a few. Start with a family portrait or a pet portrait.