Custom Oil Portraits · Helmuts Sams · Latvia
Turn a photograph into something you can keep forever.
Custom oil portraits, hand-painted from your favorite photographs. Made to order and created to become a meaningful piece of art — or an unforgettable gift.
The portfolio
Selected Works
A small selection of commissioned portraits, each painted by hand for a specific person, moment or companion.
A gift that becomes part of someone's home
A photograph captures the moment. A painting gives it a place to live.
Choose a photograph that means something to you, and have it transformed into a physical oil painting — painted by hand, on canvas, made to last.
Whether it marks a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, a family milestone, or simply someone you love, a portrait is a gift that keeps a person close.
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Weddings
- Family milestones
- Pets
- Memorials & keepsakes
- Couples
- Just because
Your photograph, reimagined in oil
Your Photograph → Your Painting
The same moment, translated by hand into brushstroke and canvas. Each portrait is painted individually — never printed, never filtered, never mass-produced.
How it works
From photograph to finished painting, in four simple steps.
- 01
Choose your photograph
Upload the photograph you want turned into a painting. A clear, well-lit photo of a face, a couple, or a pet works best.
- 02
Choose your size
Select the canvas size and portrait option that fits the moment and your space.
- 03
I paint it
The portrait is individually hand-painted in oil, built up over several sessions until it's ready.
- 04
Your painting arrives
The finished original is carefully packaged and shipped to your door.
The difference
This isn't a filter. It's a real painting.
Every portrait is an original piece of art, painted by hand and made for one person.
- Painted by hand, in real oil paint
- An original, one-of-a-kind physical artwork
- Visible brushwork and painterly texture
- Created specifically for you and your photograph
- A keepsake that lives in your home, not on a screen
About the artist
Hi, I'm Helmuts.
HSAMS is my studio — the name comes from my full name, Helmuts Sams. I'm an independent artist from Latvia, and I work as a commissioned oil portrait painter.
The idea behind HSAMS is simple: a photograph is precious, and a painting is how we make something precious last. When you send me a photograph, I study it carefully and paint it by hand, stroke by stroke, until it becomes a painting that can live in your home for decades.
Every portrait is painted on real canvas with oil paint, signed, and shipped with care. I currently ship across Europe and internationally.
- Independent artist
- Oil painting
- Commissioned portraits
- Based in Latvia
- Ships internationally
For photographers
Are you a photographer? Give your clients another way to preserve their favorite photograph.
When a session ends, the story doesn't have to. Refer your clients to HSAMS and earn a commission on every completed portrait order.
- Your client receives a discount using your referral code
- You receive a commission on every completed order
- No upfront cost
- No additional work required
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might want to know before commissioning a portrait. If something isn't covered, just ask.
Choose a size, upload your photograph, and tell me a little about what you'd like. You'll see the full price including shipping before you pay. After payment I start painting — you'll receive updates at each step until the portrait ships.
A clear, well-lit photo works best — sharp, in focus, with faces easy to see. Photos with good natural light and higher resolution help me capture likeness. If you're unsure, order anyway and I can work with most photographs.
Most portraits take 2–4 weeks to paint, depending on size, subject count and complexity. You'll be told an estimated time before you order.
Currently Small (20 × 20 cm), Medium (30 × 40 cm) and Large (40 × 50 cm). Other sizes can usually be arranged on request.
Yes. Small includes one person, Medium and Large include up to two people, and larger compositions with more subjects can be arranged.
Absolutely — pet portraits are one of the most popular requests. Dogs, cats and other companions all work beautifully in oil.
Yes. Many portraits are ordered as gifts. The painting can be shipped directly to the recipient, and I can keep the details discreet if you'd like to surprise someone.
I currently ship across Europe, and can arrange international shipping on request. Shipping cost and estimated delivery time are shown at checkout.
Each painting is carefully wrapped for protection and shipped in secure packaging so it arrives in perfect condition. Framing can be arranged on request.
Your satisfaction matters. If something isn't right once the painting is finished, get in touch and we'll find a fair solution together.
Yes. I share progress as the portrait is being painted, so there's room to request adjustments before it's finished and shipped.
Give a photograph a second life.
Share the photograph. Keep the painting.