Customised photo mosaic

What is a photo mosaic?

The photo mosaic is the descendant of the mosaic used in Antiquity! The principle is the same : assemble small colored pieces, made of glass or ceramic, to represent an image, a landscape, a scene of life. Mosaic was thus used to dress the walls and floors of Roman and Byzantine villas.

A few centuries later, we find artistic movements which can certainly make us think of the idea of ​​mosaic: pointillism or impressionism. As their name suggests, they are a multitude of colored dots or brush strokes which give rise to an image. A sort of optical illusion that is enjoyable to observe from a distance.

We thus find the same characteristics in the modern product that we offer here. Making a photo mosaic means reproducing a main image using hundreds of small personal photos. It is a mix between the tradition of mosaic and the now indispensable technology of cameras and smartphones. This personalised object requires a specific creation process that we have been carrying out with care since 2008. Our professional graphic designer crops, assembles and graphically retouches each small image. The result? Your photo with lots of little souvenir photos, a gift and a decorative object that will tell your story!

The steps for ordering your photo mosaic

The process of ordering your photo mosaic is done in a few steps. All you have to do is first select your main image and your personal photos that will make up your board. Then transfer them via wetransfer.com and finally place the order on Votreportrait.fr by clicking on one of the three mosaics above.

1) Advice on choosing your photos

The principle of the photo mosaic is very simple: a large photo made up of lots of small photos. Choosing a quality main photo is therefore essential.

If it is a portrait, the faces must be framed closely, for a more detailed final result. If, on the contrary, it is a landscape, we recommend varied colors. Whatever happens in both cases, it is necessary that the subject is uniformly lit, without backlighting or shadows, and that the photo is fairly sharp.

Concerning the thumbnails which will constitute the photo mosaic, we do not require any particular specificity in terms of their quality. These are around 2500 photos which will be quite small and which you will see up close. To give shape to a mosaic, we need 200 to 1000 personal photos.

On this subject, if you need advice or are unsure between several main photos, you can contact us and we will help you on the best choice to make.

2) Sending your photos

As indicated above, you can send us your photos from the site wetransfer.com. It is a free site for sending files up to 10GB, without prior registration. The recipient email to indicate will be contact@votreportrait.fr. On the other hand, we advise you to compress your photos folder beforehand.

3) Finalising your order

As soon as you have finished sending your photos, you can finalise your order by choosing the options for your mosaic: the rendering (sepia, black and white or color), the size and the support (on canvas stretched on a wooden frame or photo paper), and the number of photos you will send. You can then proceed to finalise your purchase by creating your account, choosing the delivery method and paying.

Your photo mosaic project is now in the hands of our graphic designer!

> order your personalised photo mosaic

How do we create your photo mosaic?

The principle of a photo mosaic is original: from a distance, your main image takes shape and the closer you get, the more you can distinguish the small photos that make it up. How do we achieve this stunning result ? Here are images of the 5 steps necessary to bring your photo mosaic to life:

1) First, we work on the base image. Our graphic designer improves the sharpness and brightness, brings out the colors and frames the image in the format you have chosen. The important thing is to bring out the main subject clearly. If necessary we can carry out a photo montage, to change the background or bring people together for example.

2) We then work on your hundreds of small photos. We frame them so that they are all in the same proportions and the same direction. If you have less than 200 photos, we do excerpts on group shots to increase variety. The objective is to obtain a homogeneous assembly without too many repetitions.

3) We then assemble your photo mosaic using specifically configured software.

4) The file obtained is raw, the color retouching work that we then carry out is therefore important. Thus, we blur the small pictures that are too flashy, enhance the colors of the different elements and improve the faces. This last work consists of retouching the skin and the whites of the eyes as well as the facial expressions. The rendering is thus clearer and more precise.

5) Our goal is to work on the little photos to bring out the big picture, while keeping in mind that they must remain visible. We then send you a preview by email for validation before printing.

In color or black and white, you will never stop contemplating this surprising painting!

> Order your mosaic picture

How big will the small photos be ?

First of all, your photo mosaic is made up of an average of 2500 photos. The higher the number of photos, the more precise the rendering of the main image. But the whole art of making a beautiful mosaic consists of finding the right balance between the size of the small images and the sharpness of the large one. Thumbnail photos that are too large will give a rough rendering, for example. In general, depending on the size you choose, each picture will measure at least 1.6cm in width. It is therefore clearly visible to the naked eye and the overall rendering is respected.

An original gift made by professionals

Whether in the form of a painting or poster, the photo mosaic is a unique and touching object. It brings together in a single image all the events of your life and the moments spent with your loved ones.

At Votreportrait.fr, we carefully create each of the mosaics that you entrust to us. It is not a simple juxtaposition between a large photo and several small ones, but a real work of a graphic designer.

The design is not automatic, we support you throughout your project: advice on choosing photos, possible modifications before printing, etc.

Thus, all the care taken with your personalized painting will make it an exceptional decorative object!

In addition, whether to celebrate a birth, a wedding or a birthday, the mosaic is a personalised gift with your photos. It allows you to relive the best moments spent with your family while decorating both the living room and the bedroom.

Finally, this product is aimed at both individuals and professionals. Indeed, what could be more unifying than your company logo recreated by the portraits of all the employees ?

Questions and answers

How are the small photos put together?

The vignettes are positioned according to two essential criteria: their color and their composition. Just as in ancient mosaics, the images are selected according to their dominant color to respect the nuances of the main photo. Then, each image is placed according to its visual composition in order to fit naturally into the whole, without inappropriately attracting the eye. The color retouching carried out by our graphic designer then aims to harmonize everything.

Are small images visible to the naked eye?

This is precisely the magic of photo mosaics. Seen from a distance, you can clearly see your main image, with all its details. But as you get closer, hundreds of little photos come to life. When these images represent one to three faces or a landscape, they remain readable; on the other hand, group photos will be less recognisable, the faces being very small.

Why choose Votreportrait.fr rather than other suppliers?

Our difference lies in the intervention of a true professional. Where many websites are content with an algorithm to automatically juxtapose your photos with the main image, our graphic designer intervenes at each stage: manual retouching, color adjustment, individual and homogeneous framing... This additional and personalised work gives a much more natural, balanced and aesthetic result.

You will have understood, at Votreportrait.fr, each photo mosaic is much more than a simple assembly of images. It’s an artistic creation where we bring together your favorite photos. Our goal: to transform memories into a portrait full of emotion, to offer to your loved ones or to keep for yourself :-)
So choose now the photos, format and support that will allow you to create your perfect mosaic !