Some photos spend years in a drawer. My parents had a small pile of prints of Fryza, the Drentsche Patrijshond my sister and I grew up with. Fryza died more than ten years ago, and those few printed photos were all that was left. No files on a phone, no folder on a computer. Still, my mother very much wanted a portrait as a keepsake, for the magnet board. One of those old prints made it possible. Below you can read how it went and how to do it yourself.
Fryza, the family dog everyone fell for
My parents were completely in love with the Drentsche Patrijshond, and with Fryza in particular. She was a real family dog: always close by, part of everything, and present in just about every memory of our childhood. My sister and I never knew the house without a brown and white dog in it.
That is exactly why it was such a pity that so few pictures existed. The ones there are come from the days when you had your photos printed. They are precious, but also small and a little dark, and not something you would hang up.
The original print: Fryza in bright sunlight, with hard shadows and a few specks of dust on the paper.
Can you still make a portrait from an old printed photo?
Yes. You do not need a digital original. A photo of the print, taken with your phone, is enough, as long as your pet is sharp and recognisable in it. That is exactly what I did: I put the print on the table, took a picture of it with my phone and uploaded it to Get Your Print Together.
I chose the Ink & watercolour style, with the name underneath. The portrait is rebuilt with AI from your photo, in fine ink lines and soft watercolour washes. With old photos that has a welcome side effect. Dust, scratches and the shine of the photo paper do not come along, because the image is drawn again and not enlarged.
The free preview of Fryza in Ink & watercolour. The watermark is only on the preview, not on the print.
What the photo did and did not need
The original photo is far from perfect. The sun is harsh, the dark head almost disappears into the shadow and part of the dog is outside the frame. Even so, the result is recognisably Fryza: the white on her nose, the brown ears with their long hair, the white chest and her look to the side.
Three things helped:
- The head is sharp. Eyes, nose and markings are clear, even though the photo is dark.
- The dog fills the frame. The larger your pet is in the photo, the more detail there is to work with.
- The print lay flat in daylight. No flash and no reflection from a lamp.
Do keep in mind that the portrait is a new interpretation of your photo, not a restoration. So look closely at the preview. Are the markings right? Is the expression right? For us they were. If they are not, you can request up to two extra versions and say what should change, before you order anything.
How to make a portrait from an old photo yourself
- Pick the print in which your pet is easiest to see. Sharp and close beats beautiful but far away.
- Remove dust from the print with a dry, soft cloth.
- Lay the photo flat near a window and photograph it from straight above. Switch off the flash and watch for reflections.
- Upload the photo under the pets theme and choose a style. You can add a name as well.
- Look at the free preview. You get an email as soon as it is ready.
- Choose the size. We chose a 13 × 18 cm poster, because it fits the magnet board exactly. Larger posters and a digital download are listed under products.
More tips on the photo itself are in Which photo works best for a pet portrait?
Which style suits a keepsake?
Ink & watercolour is soft and timeless, and does not feel heavy. That suits a portrait you see every day. If you want a portrait that is clearly a memorial, there is the Heaven style, with soft light and clouds. If you prefer the feel of a painting, look at Classic, in the manner of the Renaissance or Van Gogh.
More ways to remember a pet are in Pet memorial ideas: 9 keepsakes that bring comfort.
About the Drentsche Patrijshond
The Drentsche Patrijshond, also known as the Dutch Partridge Dog and often simply called a Drent, is one of the Dutch dog breeds.
- Origin: the province of Drenthe in the Netherlands. The Dutch Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1943.
- Appearance: white with brown patches, brown ears and a medium-length coat.
- Height at the withers: about 55 to 63 cm.
- Original work: a versatile gundog that points and retrieves game.
- Temperament: loyal, gentle and strongly attached to the whole family.
Anyone who grew up with a Drent will recognise that last point straight away. Fryza was not one person's dog. She belonged to all of us.
A small portrait, a big memory
A place on the magnet board was all my mother asked for. The portrait is only 13 by 18 centimetres, but it brings back a dog our whole family adored. Do you still have an old photo in a drawer or an album? That is enough to start with. Upload your photo and see for free how the portrait turns out.
