Turn Your Photographs into Custom Memorabilia

Your photographs are a treasure trove of memories that can tell the stories of your life.  Photos can preserve the expression of joy on the face of a child or the presence of a departed friend or relative for decades, and digitized photos can keep those memories as crisp and clear as the day the pictures were taken.  You’ve already captured the moments with your camera.  Consider having a CustomMade artisan create custom memorabilia from your photographs.  Take a look at these examples that demonstrate the variety of techniques and styles that can be used to create custom commemorative pieces that incorporate or are inspired by your personal photos.

Woodcarvings

A woodcarving from a photograph can combine the personality of the subject portrayed with the character of the wood.  Artisan Steve Gomez of Gomez Carvings can create custom carved portrait plaques, such as this one of his nephew carved in oak in 1/16 relief, based on your photographs and with your choice of color finishing and optional custom engraving.  He can also create this type of relief carving on furniture, doors, and memory boxes.

Carved Portrait Plaque by Gomez Carvings at CustomMade.com

Mosaics

Mosaic artworks, composed of small fragments of glass, ceramics, and other materials, can even include photographs in their design.  With the pique assiette (“broken plate”) mosaic style, Sybil Sage can create a handcrafted mosaic cremation urn with photo montage that can celebrate the life of the departed by incorporating their unique photos into the urn.   You can also have photo montage cremation urns created for your pet.  For more examples of custom memorial mosaic urns that incorporate photographs, check out Sybil Sage’s “Breaking News Series.”

Mosaic Cremation Urn with Photo Montage by Sybil Sage at CustomMade.com

Lithophanes

A lithophane is a thin, translucent sheet of porcelain or other material with an intaglio design that, when backlit, reveals a three-dimensional picture.  Popular in Europe in the 19^th century, this medium is a beautiful way to turn a personal photograph into custom memorabilia.  Artisan Vincent Harris of TB Woodcuts created this lithophane based on a photograph of his wife from a ¼” acrylic sheet.  If you provide the photo and the light, you, too, can have a loved one illuminated for all time.

Lithophane by TB Woodcuts at CustomMade.com

Jigsaw Puzzles

A photograph turned into a jigsaw puzzle can make a wonderful custom commemorative piece as well as an interactive work of custom wall art.  Artisan Jim Ayer of J C Ayer and Company Hardwood Jigsaw Puzzles created this custom wedding wooden jigsaw puzzle for a customer who “wanted a large puzzle with not too many pieces for his wedding.  He gave each guest a piece. They had to be large enough so that each guest could write a comment on ‘his piece.’ The puzzle with comments is now hanging on a wall in a permanent frame.”

Custom Wedding Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle by J C Ayer and Company Hardwood Jigsaw Puzzles at CustomMade.com

Think of the ways you can add your favorite photos to custom memorabilia for weddings, memorials, or gifts.  Find a CustomMade artisan near you and get started on your own project.