Mystic Portraits Now Retired

Due to the changing direction of my business, I am no longer taking reservations for Mystic Portraits. I want to thank all of you for the many wonderful years of creating these one of a kind custom portraits of your family and friends.

Mystic Portrait - A Fully Painted Creation

A Mystic Portrait is a fantasy painting created from reference photos and the imagination of C. Gerhardt. Whether mysterious or magical, be anything you desire within your very own Mystic Portrait. All elements of a Mystic Portrait are carefully composed, resulting in a one-of-a-kind art piece that you will treasure and be proud to display for years to come.

Mystic Portrait - The Process

Step One: Each portrait starts with 5 or more high quality digital reference photographs that you provide.  

Providing large, clear photos with good lighting is important. Using my Wacom tablet and a drawing application,

I begin to sketch the subject and any requested elements (wings, mermaid tail, crown, etc.). 

Step Two: Next I apply color, incorporating your requested color scheme with the help of several different sized brushes.

I build your portrait with multiple layers until I have the main painting constructed.
Step Three: Lastly, I draw fine details on the image. This step is where the image really comes to life. 

I strive to make sure all details add to the overall aesthetic of the portrait and do not deter from the visual balance of the painting.

Additional Information:
• All Mystic Portraits are 100% hand painted, from start to finish.

This gives the art piece a fully cohesive look. A base photo is no longer part of my creation process.  

• An average single person portrait takes approximately 23 hours to complete.
  • Special Mythical Creature Element requests,  such as unicorns and dragons,  add additional hours to the drawing process.
 • Your Mystic Portrait is entirely hand drawn, no clip-art or “cut and paste” methods are used in the creation of your custom artwork.