Product structure
Three Detail Levels: Painterly, Refined, Hyperreal
The three levels differ in how far the painting is finished — not in size or who paints it. Same subject, same painter, three different amounts of time on the canvas. The levels apply to acrylic and oil; charcoal, watercolour and pencil works on paper are quoted at one level of finish.
What the three levels mean
Same subject, same painter, same materials. What changes is how far the painting is taken — and that is what you are choosing between.
Painterly
Loose, confident strokes. The likeness is unmistakable but the paint stays visible — this is the look most people picture when they say "oil painting".
- Brushwork
- Visible, expressive
- Face
- Likeness and character
- Best for
- Decor, gifts, volume orders
Refined
Features are fully resolved, fur and skin are modelled, brushwork softens in the face and stays lively in the background. Our most-ordered level.
- Brushwork
- Balanced
- Face
- Defined features
- Best for
- Most commissions
Hyperreal
Individual hairs, iris texture, wet-nose highlights. Built up in many thin layers; chosen for memorial pieces where every detail matters.
- Brushwork
- Nearly invisible
- Face
- Pore-level detail
- Best for
- Memorial, heirloom pieces
A Refined crop, actual size
This is the middle level, so it is the useful reference point. Painterly is looser than this: the same drawing and the same colour, with the fur read as masses rather than described hair by hair, and the brush left visible. Hyperreal is tighter: the strokes close up until the surface reads as continuous at arm's length, and the time on the canvas roughly doubles.
The level changes how long a painter spends, not who paints it or what it is painted with. If you are unsure, send the photo and say what the painting is for — we will tell you which level the photo will actually support.
Side by side
| Painterly | Refined | Hyperreal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brushwork | Visible, expressive | Balanced | Nearly invisible |
| Facial detail | Likeness and character | Defined features | Pore-level detail |
| Best for | Decor, gifts, volume orders | Most commissions | Memorial, heirloom pieces |
| Painting time | Shortest | Medium | Longest |
Price is set by size, number of subjects, medium, and which level you choose.
Not sure? Refined is the level most commissions are ordered at. Memorial and heirloom pieces are usually Hyperreal; decor and volume orders are usually Painterly. Trade buyers can offer all three from one supplier — see the trade program.
Ask which level suits your photo
Some photos support Hyperreal; some do not. Send it and we tell you before you decide.
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