20 incredible custom illustrated family portraits

Last year, our post on amazing illustrators making modern custom family portraits was such a hit, we took another look this year. And wow, so many options! From sweet to stylized, these are the kinds of personalized holiday gifts that make a huge impact, and often for far less money than you’d expect. The one caveat: you want to get a jump on ordering now if you’re interested, which is why we’ve done our best to specify order deadlines for Christmas — but be sure to contact the artists directly just to be extra extra extra sure that they can make your deadline. Or you may end up with a gift wrapped IOU. (Which would be okay too considering how wonderful these all are.)

And that goes double if you’re ordering for Hanukkah which is coming up fast! Maybe this will be your eight night gift?

One more note: please be sure to double check whether you’re ordering a print, a canvas, or a print-it-yourself digital download so there’s no surprises there.

Now go! Check out these simply wonderful creators of custom illustrated family portraits of all kinds, and see if there isn’t one making it into your own must-have list. We know we’re having trouble picking a favorite for sure.

-Liz + Serena

Custom watercolor family portrait by Nia Tudor ($89.84+)
The artist’s original watercolor artwork makes this an absolutely lovely piece of artwork, and while it still feels modern, there’s a clean, classic feel that makes it timeless too.

Order deadline for Christmas: November 30th

Custom illustrated family portraits for holiday cards by Kathryn Selbert ($55+)
We love this modern way to showcase your family in all of their holiday cheer. While she can create regular family portraits too, we kind of like this printable digital file which can be turned into really special Christmas cards for a great price. Doesn’t her style just make you feel happy?

Order deadline for Christmas: November 30th

Extended Family Portrait by Ink Lane Design ($74.99+)
Got a big clan? Or grandparents who lives for their matriarch/patriarch status? This digitally illustrated family portrait makes our hearts burst, just seeing the entire family all together. And? No one is making a face or sticking out a tongue! That’s worth the price right there. Check out her standard family portraits too which start at $75.

Turnaround time: 1 week to make with rush option available.

Custom illustrated family portrait cards from My Little Buffalo ($65+)
We discovered Michigan artist Lisa Nelson’s amazing handmade portraits earlier this year when we first saw them on custom iPhone cases. Her illustrations can also be framed or turned into holiday cards and honestly, we might be inclined to just go ahead and do all of the above. She’s flexible to work with too; you don’t even need the perfect photo of everyone. She can take multiple photos and make it feel like everyone is right there together.

Order deadline for Christmas: November 23rd

Custom illustrated family portrait by Matt Blanks (Starts at $125 for 5 people)
We absolutely flipped for Matt’s unique, very European sensibility. This is not for someone wants a photo-real portrait, but who one who appreciates a more artful interpretation of your sweet family. Check out all the different styles (though this Eiffel Tower option is fantastique) and you can even get a second copy of the portrait for an extra charge. Hello, amazing grandparent gift!

Turnaround time: Please email the artist to confirm.

Custom mid-century style illustrated portraits by Jordan Grace Owens ($150)
We think her style makes for a simply stunning, hip way to showcase your family. We are bummed about her 3-4 month turnaround time, but that just shows you how many people also think her work is worth the wait. Great, right?

Turnaround time: 3-4 months

Custom illustrated family Star Wars portrait by Modern Brush ($110)
Unfortunately, we may have nearly killed illustrator Thomas Brush with your amazing response to our post about this last month! He’s back now after a break, ready to turn your family into Luke, Leia, and the cutest stormtroopers ever.

Custom illustrated family portrait featuring movie themes, by Henry James Paper Goods ($80+)
We featured Kadie Foppiano’s lovely work last year in our modern custom family portrait post, and now we love seeing that she’s upped the coolness factor by adding a few pop culture options herself. In her movie-themed collection, your family can become members of Star Wars or The Ghostbusters, and as we now know, that’s perfectly acceptable for females too. Also, check out her options for custom holiday cards and even portraits of your family complete with an illustration of your own home. Or VW van, as the case may be with one of her examples.

Turnaround time: Up to 3 weeks for a proof for your review.

Custom storybook style illustrated family portrait by Marina MareLloba ($135+)
We were instantly taken with Barcelona artist Marina MareLloba’s style which is reminiscent of children’s book illustrations. She’s so detailed, she even requires a minimum of two photos of each person to be sure she gets it right, which we really love. Take a look at her whole shop and you’ll see settings as varied as the beach, the woods and even a princess castle with a red carpet. It’s like tearing a page right out of a story book, starring your own family. Wow.

Turnaround time: 10-15 days for a digital download, or she can ship a printed version but hurry, it ships from Barcelona.

Custom illustrated family portraits by The Fluffiness Market ($33+)
This Swedish artist makes remarkably affordable and really delightful fun hand-drawn illustrations that are then colored in digitally. Not only is the price sweet, but the turnaround time is pretty great too. (Yay for custom illustrated family portrait options for procrastinators!) There also a few holiday-specific options to consider, should you want to incorporate a Christmas feel and tone to them — or even render your children like reindeer. It’s quirky, but actually I think her quirky options are the most fun.

Turnaround time: 1 week.

Custom illustrated articulated paper dolls by Jordan Grace Owens ($35.00+)
Ready to be blown away? We are totally smitten with this second awesome find from Jordan Grace Owens, which turns your family into articulated paper dolls. The imagery alone shows off her phenomenal craftsmanship.

We also like the framed custom paper dolls, which could be a fantastic option should your kids be tempted to play with them. Because…no.

Turnaround time: 3-4 months but so worth it!

Custom papercut family portrait by Brittani Rose Paper on Etsy ($290)
We are blown away by the artistry and impressive detail work from this San Diego artist who specializes in papercut portraits. This one is definitely on the expensive side, but every aspect is super customizable, and the result is a true keepsake art piece. We can’t stop browsing her shop and looking at every single incredible creation. That’s talent.

Turnaround time: 9-10 weeks

Custom embroidered family portrait series by Polykatoikia ($60/2 and up)
If you’re looking for a custom family portrait that’s truly off the beaten path, wow, what a way to have your likenesses preserved. Look closely at the details and you’ll see just how beautifully every portrait is crafted by this Athens artist on organic cotton using hand embroidery and framed in an oval hoop. We admit, we love the idea of going totally Brady Bunch with this one and have everyone looking at everyone else.

Turnaround time: 40-50 days

Custom illustrated family portraits by Near and Dear Designs on Etsy. ($80+)
We really like how Brooke Witt updates a classic portrait style with a modern modern take on those little oval cameos. She can even do big families as a family tree, and from what we can see in her shop, she does a wonderful job with pets — and mohawks. Nice touch: You can upgrade the size of your print, and she can even send it to you framed in various ways so it’s all ready for wrapping.

Turnaround time: 10-14 days

Modern, custom illustrated family portraits by Blanka Biernat (£60 + )
We definitely gravitate to illustrations that feel whimsical but not like a cartoon. Bianka totally nails it with her are some wonderful illustrations that manage to showcase your family in a cartoon-like way without being goofy. Reach out early since the artist is UK-based.

Turnaround time: Ships 5 days after final approval of proof; please contact the artist to confirm dates.

Custom illustrated family portrait by One City Own Designs ($70)
We love the clean, modern, simple lines of NYC artist Sabrina’s digital illustration style, right down to the family name font. She’s great with customization, letting you choose colors, wardrobe, and whatever else will make your family portrait perfect. Plus her turnaround time is super speedy! In three days or less, she’ll email you a digital download. We’d print ours on beautiful paper for framing, and then save another copy for a social media avatar!

Turnaround time: 24-72 hours

Custom family portrait embroidery hoop by Pacifier ($65 for 1 person; $10 each additional)
Embroidery as a medium may seem a little fussy at first if you’re looking at modern family portrait options, but we think for families that have a lot of style, this could be super cool. She can create up to 6 two-legged family members, and a couple of pets too. You can even have it sent to you matted and framed for an additional $20 should you want to protect it. Which we definitely would.

Turnaround time: 1-2 weeks after approval of the final proof

Custom painted peg doll ornaments by Goose Grease ($100+ for set of 4)
An awesome gift for someone who has everything; Your own set of peg doll ornaments sweetly customized by the talented artists at Goose Grease, who we’ve loved for ages. Yes they’re pricey but wow, look at the detail! Pretty intricate stuff and definitely nothing we could do ourselves. If you don’t want them as ornaments, just check out her personalized peg dolls.

Turnaround time: 2-4 week