A portrait painting or portrait drawing portrays the face of a certain person or group of people. The subject of such a painting is generally referred to as an "astigmatic subject", since historically most artists would often sit right in front of the painter to have his portrait painted from the beginning. Nowadays, however, many artists are able to work from a photo, so many people do not have to 'sit' for a painting. However, sometimes the photo that an artist gets from a client's family member or friend will look out of focus, and he/she needs to make the portrait from that photo in order to create a more accurate portrait. A photo canvas is also an excellent choice, as the photographer can simply print out the portrait on the canvas and take it with him/her when he/she goes to the studio.

In order to create a photo canvas, a photo by photographer must have a camera and a photo printer at home. One has to be careful with his/her choice of camera, as the color quality of these pictures may vary depending on the lighting conditions in the room. This is especially true if you have to work under a low ceiling. If possible, one should invest in a tripod, so that the photographer does not have to move his/her camera all over the room in order to get good quality photographs.

Another consideration is the type of paper that the photo canvas should be made on. In general, a matte paper would be ideal for portraits, while glossy paper works well for pictures of animals, especially for babies or infants. Also, some photographers prefer to work with a matte ink paper, since this type of paper creates a realistic look. As far as the size of the photo canvas is concerned, it is best to go with the size of the photograph in order to achieve the best results, as if you try to work with too much canvas, the picture will look overcrowded.