Portrait Styles

McNeil Designer Portraits specializes in family wall portraits on canvas…

We offer the following 3 choices for completing your family wall portrait:

The Classic

Using a 21-step process, your portrait is preserved on hand-crafted canvas specially designed for photographic purposes.

First the image is color analyzed from which a work print is made. Further corrections are made to the work print such as retouching, enhancing, cropping, density control, color saturation, dodging and burning. The finished print is then made from these specifications.

From this final print, the emulsion is carefully stripped from the paper backing and, using heat and pressure, is bonded into the fibers of the artist’s canvas. From here the portrait is stretched over an artist’s stretcher frame. The image is then sent to our master craftsmen for print enhancement and final retouching. The finished image is then sprayed with multiple protective coatings of matte & finish lacquers. The image is then ready for framing and display.

The Painterly

The Painterly Portrait is created with the same care and handcrafting as ‘The Classic’.

In the digital realm our artist’s add thousands of individually placed brush-strokes by using a stylus (pen) and pressure sensitive monitor. The work is done directly on the image in the computer, just like on a canvas. I can tell the software that my brush is this big and this long and maybe I'll add water and soften things, or use a dry-brush to add texture, like for hair. So, by adding thousands of these strokes I paint the image, just like on a canvas, except it is a digital image. The final print is then bonded to canvas (the same process as The Classic) and completed with a brush acrylic finish.

A before and after example of The Painterly style:

Close-up of The Painterly style:

The McNeil

This is our very finest finish and combines the elements of The Classic and The Painterly to create this beautiful work of art.

By applying hand-painted oils over the photographic image on stretched canvas, your oil portrait will be a realistic interpretation created by Mr. McNeil of the photographic image selected by you. Our artists invest several weeks of additional effort, studying the original image, and hand-painting and modifying their creation to provide you with a personal art piece of exceptional beauty. The finished image is then sealed with multiple protective coatings of matte & finish lacquers. Upon its completion and framing, it will be worthy of display in a prominent location within your home or office.

The McNeil oil on canvas has become the Hallmark for us here at McNeil Designer Portraits and our most popular portrait to date.

Are you ready to have Craig McNeil create a memorable, one-of-a-kind portrait for your family?

Then give us a call today at 720-981-9705 to book your design consultation.

“We have never seen our boys photographed so beautifully.”

Every time we walk by our family portrait, we have to stare. It evokes an emotion. It is a moment in time that we wanted to preserve and cannot be replicated.    You chose the perfect location and time of day.  Despite our family’s uncontrolled laughter, we have never seen our boys photographed so beautifully. This portrait is an heirloom that our family will forever cherish. Thank you for making this experience a memorable one.

Sincerely,
The Najjar Family