Business Details
Custom Pencil Portraits in Birmingham
At MCB Pencil Portraits, we specialise in transforming cherished photographs into hand-drawn pencil portraits that capture the essence of people, pets, and meaningful moments. Our artist, Mike Bruce, brings over two decades of experience and technical skill to each piece, using professional-grade ivory black pencils on acid-free paper to ensure longevity. Every portrait is meticulously crafted to highlight individuality, with a focus on emotion, expression, and intricate detail. Clients appreciate our personalised service, which allows for custom compositions including multiple subjects or pets, and our commitment to quality is evident in the protective gloss varnish applied to finished artworks.With a reputation built on 5-star reviews and international delivery, we offer a framing service to complement your portrait, ensuring it arrives securely packaged and ready to display. Our lead time varies from one to eight weeks depending on workload, with Christmas being our busiest period, and we maintain transparency throughout the process by sharing proof images before final delivery.
Services
Pencil portraits
Pet portraits
Wedding drawings
Celebrity portraits
Building drawings
Framing service
Custom compositions
Multiple subject portraits
Gift portraits
Memorial portraits
Highlights and features
- We offer hand-drawn portraits using professional-grade ivory black pencils for superior detail.
- Our artist has over 20 years of experience in creating lifelike pencil portraits.
- We provide a personalised service with options for multiple people or pets in one drawing.
- All portraits receive a protective gloss varnish to ensure longevity.
- We deliver internationally with secure packaging and framing options available.
What people say
Amazing and so real
Perfect whisker detail
Beautiful pencil portrait
Over the moon
Comments on it
Services
Pencil Portraits of People
We create detailed pencil portraits from photographs, capturing facial expressions and personality with precision. Our portraits highlight individual features through layered shading techniques, ensuring a lifelike representation. Ideal for commemorating special occasions or preserving family legacies, these portraits are drawn on acid-free paper for lasting quality.
Pet Portraits
Our pet portraits specialise in capturing animals' unique characteristics and endearing qualities. Using high-quality pencils, we recreate fur textures and expressive eyes with remarkable accuracy. Popular for memorial purposes or celebrating beloved companions, these portraits require clear reference photos to ensure faithful representation of your pet's distinctive features.
Wedding Drawings
We transform wedding photographs into timeless pencil portraits that preserve your special day's atmosphere. Our process focuses on capturing emotional moments and intricate details like bridal attire and floral arrangements. These portraits make distinctive anniversary gifts or additions to family collections, created using professional-grade materials for archival quality.
Celebrity Portraits
Our celebrity portraits recreate iconic figures with meticulous attention to recognisable features and expressions. Suitable for fans or commercial use, these drawings maintain proportion accuracy while adding artistic depth. We work from high-resolution images to ensure clarity, delivering portraits that balance realism with artistic interpretation for public figures or fictional characters.
Framing Service
We offer custom framing solutions to complement your pencil portrait. Our service includes selecting appropriate frames from our collection, secure mounting, and protective packaging. Frames enhance presentation while preserving artwork integrity, with options available to suit different interior styles and budget requirements for both standard and bespoke portrait sizes.
People
Mike Bruce
Artist
Birmingham-born artist Mike Bruce specialises in hand-drawn pencil portraits, combining Art College training with self-taught techniques. With over two decades of experience, he creates lifelike portraits from photographs, focusing on emotional depth and technical precision. His work has received international acclaim through 5-star reviews.
Questions
How do I commission a custom pencil portrait?
Complete our online order form with your photo reference and specific requirements. We'll confirm details and begin creating your portrait using professional-grade pencils on archival paper.
What photo quality do you require?
We need clear, high-resolution photographs showing facial features and expressions. Multiple angles can help achieve greater accuracy in the final drawing.
Can you draw multiple people or pets together?
Yes, we create composite portraits featuring multiple subjects from different photographs, ensuring balanced composition and accurate representation of each individual.
How long does delivery take?
Portraits typically take 1-8 weeks depending on size and workload, with Christmas being our busiest period. We provide regular updates throughout the process.
Do you offer framing options?
Yes, we provide a framing service with various styles to choose from, ensuring your portrait arrives ready to display in a secure, protective mount.
What materials do you use?
We use professional-grade ivory black pencils and acid-free drawing paper to ensure longevity, with protective varnish applied to finished artworks for enhanced durability.
Videos
Reviews (7)
Sallie Griffiths
Feb 12, 2022
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I have had two pencil portraits done by Mike, and they are both stunning. I would highly recommend him.
Susan Martin
Feb 24, 2021
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I have had Mike do two portraits as special birthday gifts and both times the recipients were beyond thrilled with the results. He captures something of the soul and spirit from the photos you send him and is great to communicate with in getting just the right ones. He creates family heirlooms and I will use his services again.
Gary Knight
Jan 24, 2021
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Wanted a sketch of my partner's dog as something different for Xmas - the end product did not disappoint - both delighted - beautifully presented- true what they say a dog's picture is for life and not just for Christmas
Stacey McNeill
Oct 17, 2020
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I wanted something personal and different for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I wanted 9 people all from individual photos so had to contact Mike directly, he responded so quickly & was truly a great help, it was so easy to place my order. I couldn't have been happier, the drawing was amazing and so accurate to the photos. More importantly, my parents loved it.
Maggie McDavid
Jun 08, 2020
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I found Mike online and I am so glad I did. He did a fantastic portrait of my nieces dog. She was so pleased she was crying! Great communication and wonderful result (so much that I'm ordering another portrait!) Thank you Mike
Jolene Morris
Jan 02, 2020
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I wanted a unique gift for my boyfriend, something personal and after swaying with the idea of getting a pencil drawing i thought id give it a go, I came across Mikes drawings on facebook and I thought they looked incredible, really detailed... so I decided to go for it with a photo I love and Im so glad I did, the detail is so out of this world and it just looks fantastic. My boyfriend couldnt believe it was a pencil drawing, he thought Id put a filter on the photo!
I sent the photo over to Mike in October and asked for it to be ready for the start of December and Mike messaged me throughout and had the drawing ready to be approved and sent to me at the start of December.
I sent the photo over to Mike in October and asked for it to be ready for the start of December and Mike messaged me throughout and had the drawing ready to be approved and sent to me at the start of December.
Debra Smith
Sep 11, 2018
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I asked Mike to do a portrait for my parents 60th wedding anniversary. What he produced was absolutely stunning. Lots of people commenting and saying how beautiful the portrait is. Will definitely use his services again. Communication was brilliant.
