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Porcelain portraits have been used since the mid-1800's to adorn monuments, memorials, mausoleums and headstones. Through the years, manufacturers have found ways to make the pictures more lifelike. The process of transferring an image to a porcelain tablet has been refined through pioneering techniques, which have resulted in magnificent replications of almost any original photograph. People continue to choose porcelain portraits as beautiful additions to the places that mark the final resting place of their loved ones. This allows for personalization of the monument, memorial or headstone and provides future generations a permanent remembrance of the dearly departed.
We produce all porcelain portraits on tablets of porcelain of various sizes and shapes. Porcelain is a non-porous tile, impervious to freeze/thaw conditions and recommended for all outdoor applications. Through a sophisticated patented process, we are able to transfer any picture to the tablet using special ceramic pigments. Once the picture is transferred to the tablet, we place the porcelain portrait in a kiln where we fire it to a temperature of 1580ºF (860ºC). Our porcelain portraits are available in color, black & white or sepia. The resulting, beautiful picture has a lifetime guarantee against fading.
Porcelain portraits are most commonly added to headstones, but they have many other possible uses. They can be mounted to a granite bench, to flat granite or bronze monuments, mausoleum or crypt fronts. No matter where you display a porcelain portrait, it is easy to install and becomes an everlasting tribute to your loved one.
You can supply us with an original photo by mail or with a high-resolution digital photo uploaded via our web site, please see order form. When mailing in your photo, please be sure to send your clearest original up to a maximum 8 x 10 inch size. We will scan your photo and return it to you with your order. If you are sending your photo as an electronic file, you can e-mail a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) digital file. Please see Order Form for more information. Always choose the best photo possible and remember that using the original will always produce the best result.
Please be sure to avoid these common problems:
Writing on the back of a photo, staples, paperclips or tape will leave marks and will result in poor quality reproductions or extensive and costly retouching.
Do not cut or draw directly on the original to indicate the finished size or area you wish to reproduce. Please make a photocopy of the original and use the copy to let us know exactly how you want us to crop or resize the image.
Under-sized photographs - Please submit an original with the subject as large and as clearly in focus as possible. If the enlargement is too great from the original photograph to the finished sized, there will not be enough detail to reproduce a clear and respectful portrait. It is usually better to reduce an image than to enlarge one.
Over-sized photographs – do not send in originals larger than 8 x 10. Larger photos will require additional costly treatment and retouching.
Textured photographs or grainy photos will reproduce with the exact same imperfections.
Low resolution digital images will reproduce with a jagged look.
Every scanner sold in the market has a scanning window that appears when you want to scan a picture. Carefully clean the glass on your scanner to avoid unnecessary spots in the image. Place the photograph on your scanner to make a preview of the picture. Then select the area you want to be scanned in the preview. Then, with the format of the ceramic you want to order selected, you will know how much to enlarge the picture. Note that the scanner is probably already set at 300 dpi before you scan. If not, this is the time to set the resolution at 300 dpi. So if you want a bust of a picture and the bust measures 2 inches and the ceramic is 4 inches you will have to enlarge it at 200%. The settings on the scanner for this example will be the following: Document Size: 200%; Resolution: 300dpi. After the scan is completed, save the RGB picture as a jpg file. Now you are ready to send it to us via our web site.
A beautiful picture forever laser etched into black granite to immortalize a loved one. We are able to transform simple photos, drawings and text into timeless memorials. Choose old or new photos and arrange them with a special prayer or favorite saying. Add a border, flowers, or combine them with our library of specially created themes that best memorializes your loved one for future generations. Etch that special photo on a black granite oval and add it to a head stone or marker. We have a variety of sizes and shapes to personalize your memories.
Donnelly Commemorative Images creates high-resolution laser etching on several different mediums including granite and acrylic. To produce laser etchings, we utilize state of the art laser technology with the latest graphic design software. The laser light etches the surface of your memorial, so the more durable the starting material, the more durable your finished project. Black Granite is the third hardest natural material known to man behind diamonds and rubies, so your piece will endure. Selected for both beauty and strength, sculptors and architects have used granite for centuries. The polished surface of granite has an erosion factor of less than 0.125 of an inch per 1000 years outdoors. The estimated life of laser etchings is 500+ years outdoors and for interior surfaces virtually forever. It resists scratches, weathering, and day-to-day abuses much better than other products. Because of its tremendous density, granite shows phenomenal detail, yet still reflects the stone’s beauty within each stone etching.
All porcelain portraits can be ordered with a special adhesive made by the 3M Company. Customers sometimes wonder exactly how secure this adhesive is when applied to a headstone or grave marker.The 3M adhesive we apply is ideal for porcelain portraits because it seals the gap between rounded and flat surfaces. It also resists solvents, liquids, U.V. and thermal expansion/contraction, making certain that its seal will last for years. Additionally, the 3M adhesive assures a beautiful memorial with no need to leave visual interruptions for screws, rivets, welding or any type of fastener. The adhesive consistently outperforms traditional fasteners in this vital area. The 3M adhesive's all acrylic construction provides strength and durability in extreme applications. It bonds with high holding strength for static and dynamic loads. The adhesive resists stress, fatigue, vibration, heat, cold, temperature cycling, moisture, solvents and UV light. Unlike mechanical fasteners, which concentrate stress, the 3M VHB tape provides a continuous bond - distributing stress along the entire surface.
If installing your portrait yourself, we strongly recommend you read this guide before you make your attempt and keep it handy as you work. Your porcelain portrait should be installed on a smooth, polished surface for proper bonding to take place. It is important that the temperature where you are working be more than 32ºF (0ºC) and that the surface is clean and dry.
You should make sure you have the following available as you work: water, rubbing alcohol (isopropyl), a roll of paper towels, a pencil, white or clear sealant and, of course, the portrait.
Hold the picture in the place you intend to install it, examine it closely to make sure you like the location. Mark the location by outlining the portrait with a pencil. Moving the picture once it has been installed can be very difficult, maybe even impossible.
USE THESE STEPS TO INSTALL YOUR PORCELAIN PORTRAIT
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Wash the monument clean. Where heavy grease, oil or dirt is present, use a degreasing solvent, 3M Citrus Cleaner, Mineral Spirits, or Naphtha with a scrub pad are good options.
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All solvents will leave behind a slight film; therefore, the final cleaning must always be with a mixture of 50% water and 50% rubbing alcohol (isopropyl). Do not use anything else for final cleaning before applying the taped portrait. Change towels or clean rags frequently if need be.
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Make sure the surface is dry before applying tape.
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Place the picture in the spot you have marked to be sure your markings are exact.
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Peel off protective clear plastic from the factory-applied tape and apply to desired spot.
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Line the picture up with your markings, and firmly press it to the surface. Hold it very firmly for about 2 minutes, and your picture will be installed.
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Run a small bead of sealant (available at any local hardware store) around the picture to keep the moisture out and to give it a finished look.
Please Note: This is a permanent bond.
Donnelly Commemorative Images guarantees all portraits against defects in quality and craftsmanship for the lifetime of the memorial to which they are attached. Our memorial portraits are guaranteed not to fade or deteriorate. The memorial portrait will be replaced free of charge if you or your family ever has a problem with defects in quality and craftsmanship.
Please be aware that our memorial portraits are produced using actual porcelain pigments to ensure a lifetime of non-fading enjoyment and to allow for an accurate reproduction of your original photo. These pigments are subject to very high temperatures in the kilns we use to bake the porcelain. There are times when certain colors will have a slight variation in hue from the original photo, this is normal with this process and in no way detracts from the beauty or the quality of the reproduction.
If your portrait or memorial is damaged during shipping, please contact us within three (3) business days and we will ship a new one to replace it at our expense. You must keep the damaged portrait or memorial and its packaging for inspection by our shipping company. All images are archived by our internal numbering system and family name in the event a replacement is needed.
We ask that any portrait or memorial returned under our guarantee be submitted with your replacement request. We study all damaged returns to help improve the quality of our work and to help us engineer stronger materials and design better shipping processes.
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