The concept was introduced at the 1979 Phoenix Open golf tournament.  Every participant in the Silver ProAm received a print of the tournament montage that included their portrait blended seamlessly into the story.  

The ProAm got rained out that year, but as the disappointed players returned to the clubhouse, each of them found their unique, one-of-a-kind gift hanging in the pro shop. Some say it saved the day . . . all I know is that it led us to take the idea to Corporations and  Families all over the world. 

8 to 12 weeks is the normal period of time needed to develop the original composition and have it ready to personalize, print and frame. Some of this can vary depending on how quickly we can get to final approval on the composition. To allow you to receive the very best montage possible, we would like to have sufficient time to let the artist work through to his best design.

Upon receipt of a good quality photograph of each recipient, along with applicable copy, delivery of a personalized, framed print is available in as little as 3 to 5 weeks, anywhere in the world.

Great question! When we started

www.PaintMyStory.com (decades ago), high quality digital artwork was not available. Everything in the commercial art world was done by hand.

Similarities –

Because the artist is actually “hand painting” with both processes, (either with actual brushes or using a computer stylus), there are similarities in how color, highlights, shading and texture are created.

Differences –

The biggest difference is in how images are added to and blended into the montage design. Previously, the final layout of elements needed to be created before the hand painting began. The ability to erase or move elements was not easy. It required more time and planning and had less flexibility to the final outcome.

Digital techniques now allow our artists to load all of the design elements into their software, then move, size and position them in a variety of ways helping them to create a better more consistent final vision.

Advantages –

Because digital artwork is done on a computer, not on an actual art board, we have the advantage of being able to move, erase and change design elements very easily.

We have much more flexibility in how, where what size to blend the personalization into the story and can also vary the size and how it overlaps other images.

While this is not necessarily faster for the artist, it does offer advantages in montage design and personalization options.

We can also easily modify the original (over time as needed), so can make and save a different version of the corporate story for each division, location or product line, as needed. Lastly, we can update the montage as new logos, products, buildings, leadership or other elements of your story change. This was one of the biggest challenges of fully hand-painted originals, which is no longer an issue!

As with most things in our lives, computers and the internet are making creative work better and the customer benefits from them.

We can work from scans, photographs, well printed materials (like brochures, annual reports, etc.) and camera-ready art (preferred for logos). Older black and white photographs can be painted in shades of brown or gray, then transitioned into newer, color elements to give your montage historical impact.

For portrait individualization, a good quality head and shoulders, cropped photo is preferred. Good detail in the eyes is important. Depending on the lighting, it may be helpful to also include a verbal description of eye color, hair color, skin tone, etc. 

Remember, the artist does not know your recipients, so can only paint what he sees. We can add or remove a shirt and tie, and change clothing colors, but we can't remove a hat, change a smile or remove eyeglasses, so send a photo that is how you want the person to look as best as possible. 

Email us at orders@PaintMyStory.com if you have questions about an order or need to make a change.  

Once we have begun the design process, we are not able to cancel a project, but we can make design changes all the way to final approval.  

Even after an montage is completed and approved, we can modify elements for a cost of $200 per element as needed. 

We work with Paypal which is highly secure and allows you to pay easily with your own PayPal account or enter the credit card of your choice.

The success of the PaintMyStory program is due to the personal impact our awards have on your employees. Each individualized print appears to be designed with the recipient as an integral design element of the original composition. This creates the message that "without you our story is not complete." 

At the highest levels of corporate recognition, where something truly impressive is required, the PaintMyStory personalized montage program has no equal.

For Families and Weddings, it’s all about capturing a wide range of memories and emotions in one visual rendering, then being able to share it with everyone involved.  We take the best parts of your event and put it in a medium that’s permanent and easy to share.

Our Business, Family and Wedding Montages have two Original Artwork Costs - 

1. Setup - $200 to $600 depending on the number of design elements to be included in your montage design. This covers the creative work of the artist to develop the story and prepare your reference materials.

2. Production - $200 x the number of design elements. This is the cost to physically produce the artwork itself from your reference images once they are prepared and scanned into the system. 

3. Framing costs $200 to $300 based on size. This is for a Black or Brown wood 2" moulding in 12" x 16", 16" x 20" or 20" x 24" sizes. 

If you'd like to custom frame your montage, click on the link to our framing partner for special pricing and expedited delivery.