Yes. A print photographed flat on a table in daylight, with no glare and the whole boat in the frame, is enough: the design reads the lines of the hull and draws them clean in acrylic. Fading matters little; a crease across the hull does, so send the best print you have and name the colours in the note.
How do I photograph a print?
Lay it flat on a table by a window, out of direct sun, and photograph it from straight above with the phone parallel to the print, so the hull is not skewed. Fill the frame with the print, and take two or three so you can pick the one without glare.
- Daylight from a window, not a lamp, which puts a hot spot on the print
- Phone straight above, parallel to the print
- The whole print in the frame; crop afterwards if you want
- No flash: it reflects off a glossy print and hides the hull
- A slide: photograph it held up to a bright white screen, or have it scanned
What if the print is faded or damaged?
Fading does not trouble the design much: it reads the shape of the hull and the rig, and the acrylic is cut in the boat's real colours, which you can give in the note to the studio. A crease or a tear across the hull is harder, because the line is lost. Send the best print you have and the studio will tell you honestly what it can read.
| Problem | Does it matter? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Faded colours | Little | Say what the colours were in the note |
| Soft focus | Little | Send it; the design draws lines, not grain |
| Glare on a glossy print | Yes | Re-photograph by a window, no flash |
| A crease across the hull | Yes | Send another print if there is one |
| A corner torn off | Only if the boat is in it | Send it anyway |
What if there is no photo at all?
Describe her on the create page: the type, the hull colour, the stripe, the rig, where she lay. The design draws from the words, and a photo of a sister ship from the broker's listing or the builder's brochure, cropped to the boat, works as well. The photo guide has what works for any photo.
Should the piece carry her name?
For a boat that is gone, most owners add the name alone, or the name and the years she was theirs, within the 20 characters. The name guide shows what fits. Leave the box empty and the piece carries no name at all.
Questions this leaves
Will it look like the photo?
It will look like the boat: the design draws her lines in acrylic rather than copying the photograph, so a muddy seventies print comes out as a clean hull on clear water. Check the design before you approve; it stays free until you do.
Can I send a scan instead?
Yes. A scan at ordinary resolution is as good as a photograph of the print, and usually flatter. Upload the file as it is.
