CUSTOM PORTRAITS

Edward Allen's custom portrait work was featured on G4 network's "Attack of the Show" on Monday, October 31st, 2005!
Click here to view his custom portraits of the show's hosts!

Since then, Edward has created many changing portraits of celebrities, including David Arquette, Rob Zombie, Sheri Moon Zombie, Bridget Marquardt (from Playboy's "Girls Next Door"), all five members of the band "My Chemical Romance," Frank Miller ("Sin City"), and many others. Examples of these will be coming, so check back soon!

At this time, custom work is not the main focus at "Haunted Memories." It is a special request for serious fans only. Please bear in mind that when Mr. Allen does a custom job, he can only sell it once (as opposed to a creating a new character that he can sell thousands of times over). It can take a long time to transform a person into a fearful creature of the night, and it largely depends upon artistic inspiration. Then, once the artwork is finished, the process of making the portrait change requires additional time and an entire second set of skills. This is not something you can get on every street corner. (And if it were, it wouldn't be special anymore, would it?)

Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Portraits.

1.) HOW MUCH WILL A CUSTOM PORTRAIT OF ME COST?

As of October 2011, a custom job will cost $500.00 for one person. You will need to pose for it and send in your own series of facial changes to work with. It requires several HIGH RESOLUTION digital photos (8" x 10" at 300 dpi) where you have posed with your face changing gradually from "normal" to "scary" in each shot. (You can achieve this by gradually widening your eyes, knitting your eyebrows, parting your lips, and snarling to reveal your teeth). Four to five stages is usually good, but YOU MUST KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE SAME POSITION FOR EACH SHOT or it won't look good!

Once I have your images, I will then work with them and make your final "scary face" image even scarier by adding whatever the character requires (fangs, blood, scary eyes, deteriorated skin, etc).

2). WHAT CAN YOU TURN ME INTO?

I specialize in vampires, skeletons, demons, and zombies, but I can try to do other types of creatures, as well.
Just let me know what you want to become and I'll do my best to bring your spooky fantasy to life (or death!)

3). WILL I LOOK MODERN OR "OLD-FASHIONED?"

This is really up to you. I can do it either way. I recently did a full-color photo of a person in modern clothes and it turned out quite well!
Of course it helps greatly that the background was creepy looking, so I recommend you pose in front of something that will add atmosphere.

If you prefer to look "old-fashioned" there are two alternatives:

a.) You can sit for your photos in one of those old-time photography studios that provide the costumes. The more moody the lighting, the creepier your finished portrait will be. Flashbulb bright photos are usually not as scary as the semi-shadowed images, so have the photographer try to recreate the lighting in one of my character portraits ("Uncle Percy" is a good example of spooky lighting).

or

b.) I can "Victorianize" you. By this, I mean I can digitally graft your head onto an old photograph and basically put you in that person's clothes. This will require that you are lit the same way as the person in old photo card we decide to use (i.e. shadows on the same side of the face) and may require that you wear your hair a certain way so it doesn't look too modern. Of course I will have to use a photo card that matches your body type and that may require me to go out and find one that suits your needs specifically.

We can work together on this step, but please note that "Victorianization" will add an additional $100.00 to the final cost.

4). HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN THERE BE IN THE PHOTO?

I've found that I can create a much more detailed and better-animated changing portrait if there is only one person in the portrait, but I will consider doing couples, as well. Please bear in mind, however, that it will cost extra for every face I have to work with and turn scary. We can negotiate a price for this, but it really depends on my current workload and other time-constraints. It also depends on if "Victorianization" is required, as there may not be a good photo card shot to graft two people's images on to (i.e. body types may not match).

5). HOW LONG WITH THIS TAKE TO ARRIVE?

Please allow three months from the time Mr. Allen receives your photos to work on your images and produce a final finished 16" x 20" portrait. If he can finish more quickly, he will. If you have a certain deadline you need this by, please specify that when you place your order. Mr. Allen will not be able to guarantee Halloween delivery if you order later than June 30th, so get those orders in early! He also only accepts a limited amount of custom jobs each year, so now is the time to get on the list! Send an e-mail request to hauntedmemories1969@gmail.com

If this sounds complicated, it is. But these are all necessary considerations for such a uniquely specialized creation. When it is finished and hanging on your wall, you will have an amazing conversation piece to share with your friends and relatives! You may also want to stock up on smelling salts, as the faintings in your home will probably increase in frequency! Remember, that changing portraits are not for the faint of heart, so use them wisely! (Eddie Allen assumes no responsibility for heart attacks induced by his creations!).

Please note that there is a non-refundable 50% deposit required for all custom work I undertake. It must be sent along with your images in order for me to begin the job. Once the final stages are approved, I will create the 16" x 20" for you and ship it out upon receipt of the balance.

(Eddie's Note: The following feedback e-mail was sent in reference
to a Custom Portrait I did for a lady in Florida. I turned her husband
into a zombie and I think it's safe to say that she was extremely pleased!)

"Hi! THIS PICTURE IS SO AWESOME THAT I ALMOST CRIED! I am so impressed. It is EVERYTHING that I hoped for plus +++++++. I just can't stand it. I absolutely LOVE it. It was worth EVERY penny and all the time I waited. You have a truely AMAZING talent and I am so glad that I found you! Thank you so much. I am so pleased! If you EVER need a reference-send them my way. I just can't find the words to let you know how happy I am and how great this picture is.

I will email after I surprise him with it and let you know what he thinks too.

Happy Halloween and All my thanks, a million times"

-Kelly S.

Interested in having a ONE-OF-A-KIND changing portrait made?
Call Eddie Allen at 562-810-5317 from 10:00am till 10:00pm Pacific Standard Time

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