Questions, answered plainly

What is a story-portrait?

An illustrated portrait of one person, built from the stories the people around them tell. The face comes from a photo. Everything else in the picture comes from a guided conversation: the thing they say so often it became a joke, the object everyone associates with them, what they actually do all day, what comes next. Those details are what people recognise when they open it.

Is it made by AI?

Yes, and we say so plainly. Your piece is created with AI image generation, directed by us. You tell the story in a guided interview; we turn it into a written brief; the brief drives the image, and every version is generated fresh from it. Then a person looks at what came out and decides whether it is good enough to send you. Most first attempts are not.

The AI is the brush. The judgement is ours.

What do I actually get?

One print-quality digital file, delivered as a download. It prints sharply up to A2 poster size, and phones and messaging apps scale it down themselves for sharing. One file, yours to print wherever you like.

How long does it take?

You see your piece within 48 hours of finishing the interview, usually sooner. That is the promise to seeing it. After that you pick your version, and that part is up to you.

Working to a date? Say so in the interview and we will tell you honestly whether we can make it.

Can I change something?

One revision round is included. Tell us what is off and we make it again.

Why is the preview watermarked and lower resolution?

So you can judge it fully before anything is yours. You see the whole picture, every detail, at a size that shows you what you are getting. The clean, print-quality file unlocks the moment you choose your version.

What if I do not know what to say in the interview?

You do not need to know how to describe a person well enough to paint them. Almost nobody does. The interview asks the questions, one at a time, in your browser, for about ten minutes. What they do all day. The habit everyone teases them about. The object you would know anywhere was theirs. You answer in your own words and the answers become the brief.

Can colleagues or family contribute?

Yes, and it is the best material we get. Before you start, send a few questions to the people who know them and collect the replies as they are, without tidying them up. If three people name the same habit, that is exactly what we want to know. Paste the replies into the interview at the start and the conversation begins from what you brought.

The questions to send are on the farewell gifts page.

What photos do I need?

One clear photo of their face, and two or three of their world: their desk, their gear, the things everyone associates with them. Phone photos are fine. You add them right after the conversation.

How much is it?

€48, VAT included. One price, one portrait, one file.

Can I get my money back?

At two points, both a full refund. Before production: after you have read the brief back and before anything is made. That one is self-serve, no email needed. After production, before delivery: you have seen the finished piece and, after one revision, it still is not right.

Once you accept your piece and download the file, the sale is complete. The full terms are on the terms, refunds and privacy page.

What happens to my photos?

They are used only to make your portrait, and deleted about 30 days after delivery along with the conversation. We warn you before that happens so you can make sure you have saved your file. We keep only a minimal order record.

Where is my portrait, and how do I get back in?

Use the link in the email we sent you. It opens your order page and shows where things stand: the interview, the brief, the preview, the download. The same link works until your file is deleted.

Can I order through Etsy instead?

Yes. The same portrait is in our Etsy shop, with Etsy's buyer protection. Etsy orders follow Etsy's refund rules, which differ from ours: there, the sale is final once the conversation begins.