Create a Timeless Oil Painting From a Family Photo
Family photos capture moments you want to keep forever, but printing them as standard photos does not always give them the presence they deserve on your walls. An oil painting style adds depth, texture, and a classic, gallery-like feel that instantly elevates a family portrait. BeFunky’s collection of oil painting effects are designed to recreate the look this traditional medium, with visible brush strokes and vivid colors that still preserves the expressions and details that make your photo personal.
To make the process fast and approachable, we built Smart Templates in the Graphic Designer specifically for portrait art. These templates combine carefully designed layouts with built-in oil painting effects. As soon as you add your photo, the oil painting style is applied automatically and the design adjusts to your image. You get an artistic family portrait in seconds, then you can personalize it with names, dates, and simple finishing touches that make it feel ready to print and display.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create an oil painting style family portrait using a Smart Template, followed by ideas for what to do with your finished oil painting design.
How to Create an Oil Painting Family Portrait
Before you begin, choose a clear, high quality family photo. Group portraits work best when faces are evenly lit and in focus, whether the photo was taken professionally or captured during a casual moment at home.
Step 1: Choose a Template
Open the Graphic Designer and browse the Family Portrait category. These layouts are designed specifically for showcasing multiple people, with balanced compositions that work beautifully as wall art.
Our Smart Templates apply styling and AI-powered photo-to-art effects automatically. They are ideal if you want a finished, painterly look with minimal effort. Once you find a design that features an oil painting effect, click Use This Template to open it on the canvas.
Step 2: Add Your Family Photo
Replace the placeholder image by dragging your family photo onto the canvas or adding it from the Image Manager. When using Smart Templates, the built-in oil painting effect is applied instantly, transforming your portrait into a realistic oil painting style without any extra steps or art supplies.
Click on your image to make adjustments from the Image Properties menu. You can refine cropping and positioning so every face is framed naturally within the composition.
Step 3: Customize It
Once your photo is in place, make light adjustments to personalize the design. Update any text included in the template, change the background color from the Customize tab, or add graphics to compliment the oil painting style.
Because the oil painting effect is already handled by the template, small changes usually go a long way. This keeps the focus on the portrait itself while still allowing room for creative expression.
Step 4: Save and Share
When your design feels complete, click Save at the top of the canvas.
Choose a JPG or PNG file if you want a digital copy of your artwork, or select PDF for at-home printing.
To turn your portrait into custom wall art, choose Print Products and follow the prompts to order a professional canvas print through Zazzle. Your oil painting family portrait will be printed on high quality materials and shipped directly to your door, ready to hang.
An Oil Painting Family Portrait in Seconds
BeFunky’s photo to painting effects make it easy to transform meaningful family photos into classic painted artwork. Combined with the AI-powered styling of Smart Templates, family portraits feel cohesive, expressive, and ready for display in seconds. Whether you keep the design nearly identical to the template or add a few personal touches, the final result always feels intentional and print ready. Create a timeless work of art by transforming your own family photo into an oil painting today!
More Creative Oil Painting Projects to Try
Once you have created an oil painting style family portrait, you can easily reuse that painted look across other projects in the Graphic Designer. Oil painting effects add depth and richness that feel intentional, which makes them a great fit for designs meant to be shared, gifted, or displayed. Here are a few creative ways to extend your oil painting portrait beyond wall art.
Oil Painting Holiday Cards
An oil painting portrait gives holiday cards a classic, elevated feel that stands out from standard photo cards. Start with a festive Smart Template then drop in your oil painting portrait and keep the design simple so the artwork stays front and center. This style works especially well for winter holidays, where the textured brush strokes and rich color feel warm and timeless.
Oil Painting Pet Portrait Prints
Pets are part of the family, and they deserve the same spotlight. Use our templates to turn your pet’s photo into an oil painting that highlights their personality and charm. The painted style adds character while keeping fur texture and expressions easy to recognize.
Oil Painting Family Photo Calendar
Turn multiple family photos into a custom calendar by applying the same oil painting style to each image. Choose a calendar template and feature a different oil painting portrait (or collage of photos!) for each month. Keeping the same effect and layout across all pages creates a cohesive look, while changing the photo each month highlights different family moments throughout the year.
