In short
- A catalogue print uses an existing signed-off car drawing, then changes supported details such as paint and registration.
- A custom commission uses photographs as evidence for a car or visible detail that still needs drawing.
- A matching badge is not enough when the generation, facelift or body version changes the picture.
A photograph does not automatically mean custom work. It may simply confirm that an existing catalogue drawing is the right one. The question is whether the car’s visible shape is already drawn accurately.
Should you use a catalogue print or a custom drawing?
Use the catalogue when its exact year range and body drawing match the car. Request a custom drawing when the car is absent, the facelift is different or visible non-standard parts must appear. Photographs are the evidence for either decision.
| Route | What already exists | What you provide |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue builder | The signed-off car drawing | The correct model choice, paint and registration |
| Custom commission | No suitable finished drawing yet | Clear photographs and the details that must appear |
When is the catalogue drawing the right choice?
Choose it when the model slug, pictured year range and visible body version match the car. The live builder then changes supported details on that same artwork, including paint and registration, before the order is placed.
Check the face of the car, not only the badge on the boot. A mid-cycle facelift can keep the same model name while changing the lights, bumper or grille enough to need another drawing. The year range printed on each catalogue tile describes the artwork you can see.
When does the car need a custom commission?
It needs a commission when no catalogue drawing matches, or when visible wheels, bodywork, livery or other non-standard details have to be part of the portrait. Jonathan first checks the photographs to establish whether the request is drawable.
Custom does not mean inventing details that the photographs omit. If a badge, plate, colour or body part cannot be established, supply better evidence or leave it unresolved. The drawing process guide follows one portrait from reference material to finished artwork.
Which photographs make a car commission usable?
Start with a clear whole-car photograph from the view you want drawn. Add close-ups of the registration, wheels, badges and every visible change. Use daylight, leave space around the car and avoid filters that shift its colour.
A single dramatic angle may hide the shape needed for an accurate drawing. The car photography guide gives a working shot list and framing tool. For a sold car, combine old photographs with documents rather than filling gaps from memory.
Which route fits your car?
Compare the exact model and year range first, then decide whether visible changes matter to the portrait. The tool below sends a standard matching car to the catalogue, an absent or visibly changed car to custom, and an uncertain match back to the year ranges.
Open the catalogue to inspect an existing drawing, or start a custom request with the photographs you have.
Questions people actually ask
- Can you make a car print from a photograph?
- Yes, through a custom commission when the car or required visible details are not already covered by a catalogue drawing. Photographs provide the evidence for the illustration. They need to show the actual shape, colour, registration and requested changes clearly enough to draw.
- When should I use the catalogue car builder?
- Use it when the exact model, year range and visible body drawing match the car. The builder applies the supported paint and registration choices to an existing signed-off drawing, so you can inspect the complete preview before ordering.
- Do modifications require a custom car drawing?
- Visible modifications require a custom commission when they must appear in the finished portrait. An engine or suspension change that cannot be seen may not change the drawing, but it can affect any requested specification. Describe every change rather than assuming it is irrelevant.
- What photographs are needed for a custom car illustration?
- Send clear photographs of the whole car from the required view, plus close-ups of badges, wheels, registration and non-standard details. Daylight, level framing and space around the vehicle make shape and colour easier to establish. Do not hide missing evidence with a photograph of another car.
Written by Jonathan in Derby. Last updated .