Category: Custom Portrait

1. About This Collection

Welcome to the Custom Portrait collection. We have curated a selection of handcrafted portraits that preserve the faces and stories of those who matter most. You may wish to honor a beloved family member, commemorate a cherished pet, or celebrate a meaningful relationship. These portraits carry the same reverence and artistry that have defined Chinese portraiture for centuries.

In Chinese tradition, the custom portrait has long served as a sacred object. It is a visual record of memory, a vessel of remembrance, and a bridge between generations. Historically, people called these portraits “容像” (rongxiang) or “写真” (xiezhen). Families commissioned them to capture the likeness of elders or departed ancestors. They displayed these portraits in homes for remembrance and ritual. This collection carries forward that tradition. We offer portraits that are as meaningful as they are beautiful — whether for ancestor veneration, family heritage, or simply to keep a loved one’s presence close.

2. Custom Portrait on Chinese Scroll Painting

The Chinese scroll painting portrait is the most traditional form of custom portraiture in Chinese culture. This format has deep roots in centuries of painting tradition. We transform a photograph or description into a hand-painted scroll. You can display it, store it, and pass it down through generations.

Our scroll portraits use the unique ash-rubbing (扑灰) technique from Gaomi, Shandong. This 500-year-old craft survives nowhere else in China. In 2006, Gaomi ash-rubbing New Year painting joined the first National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China. The artist begins by sketching the portrait with a charcoal stick made from willow branches. Then the artist presses rice paper over the sketch to transfer the outline. This method, known as “puhui” (扑灰), gives the craft its name. Each copy then receives meticulous hand-painting through dozens of steps. These steps include line drawing, face painting, color application, gold outlining, and varnishing. The result is a portrait of remarkable warmth and presence.

Custom Family Portrait — Commission a portrait of your family members. You may choose parents, grandparents, or an entire lineage. These scrolls serve as Ancestor Portrait pieces for Ancestor Veneration during Lunar New Year, Qingming Festival, and other family occasions. They keep the memory of ancestors alive. They also connect the present generation with its roots. A Custom Family Portrait is a powerful way to honor your heritage.

Custom Pet Portrait — Our Custom Pet Portrait service brings your beloved companion to life on traditional rice paper and silk brocade. We render these portraits with the same care and artistry as human portraits. These scrolls celebrate the unique bond between you and your pet. They offer a timeless tribute to a cherished friend.

Each scroll portrait comes mounted on traditional xuan paper and silk brocade. It is ready to display or carefully store. We offer customizable sizes to suit your space, from intimate tabletop formats to generous wall scrolls. This is a Chinese scroll painting that carries personal meaning like no other.

3. Custom Portrait on Celadon Plate

The celadon plate portrait offers a uniquely elegant and enduring way to preserve a loved one’s image. Master artisans use the art of porcelain engraving (刻瓷) to carve portraits directly onto the surface of fine Chinese celadon porcelain. This technique fuses painting, calligraphy, and sculpture.

Celadon, known in China as “青瓷” (qingci), ranks among the world’s four great celadon traditions. Its origins date back to the Song Dynasty. Our celadon comes from high-quality materials and fires at temperatures exceeding 1300°C. This process results in a glaze with a distinctive jade-green luster. People often describe it as “emerald green against a white background.” The cool, timeless beauty of celadon provides a stunning backdrop for a hand-engraved portrait.

The engraving process demands great skill. The artist works with only a few engraving tools and a small hammer. The artist carves directly into the hard, brittle glaze. This requires both a solid foundation in drawing and masterful control of the knife. Each stroke is permanent — one misplaced cut cannot be erased. After carving, the artist enhances the portrait with color. The result is a piece that is both visually striking and exceptionally durable. A Chinese porcelain plate portrait will last for generations. Its image will remain as vivid as the day it was made.

Person Portrait on Celadon Plate — Commission a person portrait of a family member, ancestor, or loved one. We engrave it onto a celadon plate. This format works particularly well for display on a wall, mantel, or altar. The celadon plate portrait serves as a beautiful and lasting tribute. It is a Chinese lucky charm that keeps your loved one’s presence close.

Custom Pet Portrait on Celadon Plate — Our Custom Pet Portrait service extends to celadon plates as well. We capture your pet’s image in exquisite detail on the jade-green surface. The result is both a work of art and a heartfelt memorial.

Each celadon plate portrait is a one-of-a-kind creation. The combination of the cool celadon glaze and the warm, hand-engraved image creates a piece of remarkable beauty and emotional resonance.

4. Craftsmanship and Materials

Master artisans handcraft every portrait in this collection. They use techniques honed over decades of practice. We choose materials for their quality, beauty, and durability.

Ash-Rubbing Folk Painting (扑灰年画) — This 500-year-old craft from Gaomi, Shandong, is a national intangible cultural heritage. The process begins with a charcoal sketch made from willow branches. The artist transfers this sketch to rice paper through a rubbing technique. Each portrait receives individual hand-painting through numerous meticulous steps. The result is a portrait with a warmth and humanity that no machine can replicate. As the craft’s practitioners say, the essence of ash-rubbing is to “删繁就简三秋树，领异标新二月花” — to simplify the complex and bring forth something new. The focus is always on the figure. The goal is to capture the spirit and presence of the person.

Porcelain Engraving (刻瓷) — This art form originated in the Qing Dynasty (1776). It is now recognized as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in Shandong. The artist carves directly into the glazed surface of celadon porcelain. The artist uses only a few engraving tools and a small hammer. This work requires both artistic vision and extraordinary technical skill. The celadon itself is a premium material. It is a type of Chinese porcelain with a history spanning over a thousand years. People prize it for its jade-like glaze and enduring beauty.

5. Occasions for Custom Portraits

The objects in this collection accompany meaningful moments throughout life.

Ancestor Veneration and Remembrance — Custom portraits have long been central to Chinese ancestor worship. You can display an Ancestor Portrait scroll or celadon plate during Lunar New Year, Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day), and other family occasions. These portraits honor departed loved ones. They serve as a focal point for remembrance. They also keep the memory of ancestors alive for future generations.

Family Heritage and Legacy — A Custom Family Portrait is more than a picture. It is a visual record of your family’s story. Commission a portrait to mark a milestone. Celebrate a marriage. Or simply create a lasting record of your family as it is today. These portraits become heirlooms. Families pass them down through generations.

Pet Memorial and Celebration — Our Custom Pet Portrait service offers a beautiful way to honor a beloved companion. You might commission a memorial for a pet that has passed. Or you might celebrate a pet that is still with you. These portraits capture the unique spirit of your animal friend.

Personal Gifts — A custom portrait makes an extraordinarily meaningful gift. It could be for a birthday, an anniversary, or simply to show someone they are loved. A handcrafted portrait is a gift that people will treasure for a lifetime.

6. A Chinese Lucky Charm for Remembrance

In Chinese culture, a portrait of a loved one carries spiritual significance. It is more than a decoration. It is a Chinese lucky charm that keeps the presence of the person close. It also invites their blessings and protection into the home. In feng shui decorating, people place portraits in the living room or a quiet corner of the home. This practice anchors the space with positive energy and strengthens family bonds.

The Ancestor Portrait serves as a bridge between generations. It is a reminder of where we come from and the values that guide us. A person portrait of a living family member celebrates their life and contributions. A Custom Pet Portrait honors the unconditional love that animals bring into our lives. Each piece carries meaning far beyond its visual beauty.

7. Find Your Custom Portrait

Do you wish to honor an ancestor? Celebrate a family member? Memorialize a beloved pet? This collection offers handcrafted portraits to accompany your journey.

Each piece is 100% handmade. Each piece is rooted in centuries of Chinese craft tradition. And each piece receives the care and attention that a meaningful portrait deserves. You can choose between the warmth of a Chinese scroll painting on rice paper and silk, or the enduring beauty of a celadon plate on fine Chinese porcelain. Every portrait is a one-of-a-kind creation. It is a piece of art that carries the blessing of the artisan who made it and the love of the person who commissioned it.

Explore the collection. Commission a portrait that your family will cherish for generations.