How to design a portrait as a gift without "kitsch": modern formats for personal artworks

When someone hears “portrait as a gift,” an old-fashioned image often immediately comes to mind: heavy realism, stiff poses, frozen faces — as if the painting came from another century. Such works rarely evoke real emotions; they feel formal and hardly reflect the personality.

A modern portrait gift should be lively, stylish, and compatible with the interior. That is exactly why new artistic formats have emerged, allowing truly bespoke artworks and hand-painted pictures to be given individually instead of classic studio portraits.

Modern Formats of Personal Images

1. Abstract Portraits

A portrait where the face is only suggested: silhouettes, lines, textures, and areas of color convey emotion.

Why this works:

• It blends seamlessly into almost any modern interior;
• The gift looks sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing;
• There's no risk of the likeness not being accurate – the atmosphere is paramount.

This format is ideal, especially if you're looking for a commissioned abstract painting or a custom acrylic painting for a specific room.

For whom:

• Couples who love minimalism;
• Friends who appreciate modern art;
• People for whom atmosphere is more important than an exact replica.

2. Silhouette Pairs

Two silhouettes, often in a line, in an embrace, in profile, or in motion.

Why this is popular:

• Laconic, clear, emotional;
• perfectly suited to Scandinavian and minimalist interiors;
• still looks modern even after many years.

Silhouette pairs work particularly well as custom-made wall art above the bed or sofa.

For whom:

• Anniversaries;
  
• Weddings;
• Gifts for two.

3. Portrait through objects or places

Here, a person is portrayed through details: favorite city, sun, mountains, coffee, book, home.
The face may remain partially or completely hidden — the image is created through symbols, true custom-made art.

Why this approach is especially powerful:

• it is not just a portrait, but a story
• ideal for people who do not like being portrayed directly
• highly individual, as symbolism and details are precisely tailored

Anyone who wants to order a personal painting that truly suits only one person will find this format a strong solution.

Suitable for:

• parents (family places, childhood home)
• friends (hobbies, travels)
• partner (place of the first meeting)

4. Semi-Abstraction

The figure is recognizable, but elaborated in textures, brushstrokes, and free form.

Why this is stylish:

• It looks like an art object, not a "copy of the photograph";
• It can be color-matched to the interior: warm, cool, or neutral palettes;
• It is often created as a commissioned acrylic painting for living or working spaces.

For whom:

• Modern interiors;
• Gifts for colleagues, superiors, business partners;
• People who appreciate aesthetics without excessive concreteness.

5. Portrait as a scene (when it’s not the appearance, but the story that matters)

The focus is not on the face, but on a moment: a walk in the rain, dance, travel, an embrace, a gesture, a mood.
The face may remain completely invisible — and that is exactly what makes the artwork universal and profound.

Why this is the best format for emotions:

• it captures a moment you want to preserve
• it does not age (there is no exact, ever-changing depiction of the person)
• ideal for anyone who wants a painting with meaning

Especially as a custom-made painting for the living room or bedroom, a narrative motif is often more powerful than a classic head portrait.

Suitable for:

• anniversaries, relationships
• memories of an important event
• family moments
• a gift for the birth of a child or the first year

Examples of gift scenarios

Anniversary
Silhouette couple, abstract duo, a moment from a shared journey.

Marriage proposal
Semi-abstract scene or narrative artwork: silhouettes with a ring, hands, the moment of the confession.

Gift for parents
Portrait as a story: house, familiar place, symbols, details, children — not as a cliché realistic portrait, but as a warm memory image.

Memory of a moment
Abstract composition with an object or a color connected to a personal memory — created as a custom-made wall artwork for the right space.

Guide: How to prepare materials for a personal painting

1. Photos
Best taken in natural light. Side view, relaxed posture. Two to three variations help to choose mood and perspective.

2. Interior colors
Share the room’s color palette: warm/cool, bold/neutral tones.
This is important when a custom acrylic painting or other made-to-measure artworks should fit perfectly into the interior.

3. Format
Vertical, horizontal, or square – depending on the wall and furniture.

4. Style
From the above: abstraction, silhouette, narrative scene, objects, semi-abstraction.

All of these can be realized as custom art or a commissioned abstract painting.

5. Story
Describe what is important to you: moment, feeling, place, object, meaning.

This is how hand-painted pictures are created that are not simply "beautiful," but truly personal.