Start with the photo that feels most like her
It doesn't need to be formal. A candid picture from a birthday or a summer afternoon often carries more of her than a studio photograph. The portrait keeps her real face — her age, her smile lines, her eyes — rather than smoothing her into someone younger.
What made her, her
If you would like, tell us a little about her: warm, graceful, quick to laugh. The flowers she grew, a scarf or cardigan she loved, a piece of jewellery with a story, the garden or kitchen window where you picture her. Every detail is optional, and you can add a reference photo for a treasured object or place.
Her words, kept exactly
Many families want one short line on the portrait — something she used to say, or a few words of your own. We never invent a quotation or put words in her mouth. If you'd like help, the wording helper can suggest original tribute lines based on a memory you share, which you are free to edit or ignore.
A gift for yourself or for someone else
Some people make a portrait for their own home; others make one for a parent, sibling or friend who has lost their mother. If you are choosing for someone else, our guide to personalized sympathy gifts may help. Remembering a dad instead? See memorial gifts for the loss of a father.