How to Choose the Best Photo for Line Drawing Embroidery

There are some photos you keep coming back to. Not necessarily the perfectly posed ones, but the everyday photos that feel like your family — a cuddle with the kids, a favourite photo with Dad, siblings together, or a moment you’d hate to lose in your camera roll.

Those are the photos we love turning into line drawing embroidery.

But one of the questions we’re often asked is: what kind of photo works best?

If you’re thinking about ordering a personalised line drawing sweater, hoodie or tee, here’s what to look for before you upload your photo.

What is line drawing embroidery?

Line drawing embroidery takes a photo you already love and simplifies it into a clean, minimal outline. That artwork is then embroidered onto clothing, turning the photo into something subtle enough to wear every day while still being completely personal to you.

At Embroida, each design is created from the photo you provide rather than choosing from a standard template. That means the pose, little details and overall shape come from your own image.

You can have your photo embroidered on a Custom Line Drawing Sweatshirt or Hoodie, or choose a Custom Line Drawing T-Shirt if you prefer a lighter option.

1. Choose a photo where you can clearly see everyone

The clearer the subjects are in the original photo, the better the line drawing can capture the details that make the image recognisable.

Look for a photo where people aren’t hidden behind each other and where the main shapes of faces, hair, arms and clothing are easy to see. It doesn’t need to be a professional photo. A clear phone photo can work beautifully.

2. Natural, meaningful photos often work best

Don’t feel like you need to find the most polished family portrait in your camera roll.

A child sitting on Dad’s shoulders, a mum holding her baby, grandparents with their grandchildren or siblings cuddled together can make a beautiful line drawing because the pose itself tells the story.

Often, the photo that means the most makes the best keepsake — even if everyone isn’t looking at the camera.

3. Avoid photos that are too dark or blurry

We need to be able to see enough detail to create the artwork accurately. Very dark photos, screenshots of low-quality images or heavily blurred photos can make it difficult to work out where important details begin and end.

If you have the original version of the photo rather than a screenshot or a copy sent through social media, upload that one. It will usually have much better detail.

4. Think about the outline, not the background

You don’t need to worry if there’s a messy kitchen, a crowded park or toys all over the floor behind you. The background isn’t the important part.

What matters more is whether the people in the photo have a clear outline. A little separation between arms, bodies and faces helps us create a cleaner drawing.

5. Photos with connection make lovely keepsakes

Line drawings are especially beautiful when there’s some connection between the people in the photo — holding hands, hugging, carrying a child or leaning into each other.

That’s why they work so well for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts, grandparents, anniversaries, memorial keepsakes and everyday family memories.

They’re also a lovely way to keep a photo close without printing the photograph itself onto clothing.

Can I use a photo with more than one person?

Yes. Family photos, couples, parents with children and sibling photos can all be turned into line drawing embroidery.

When choosing a group photo, just make sure everyone you want included is reasonably clear. If one person is mostly hidden behind someone else, there may not be enough visible detail to recreate them properly.

Can I add names or words underneath?

Yes. You can add text underneath your line drawing if you’d like. This might be children’s names, a family name, a short phrase or a date that means something to you.

For our sweatshirts and hoodies, there’s also an option to add children’s names to the sleeve.

What happens after I upload my photo?

Once you place your order, we use your uploaded photo to create the custom line drawing artwork. The design is then prepared specifically for embroidery before being stitched onto your chosen garment.

Because the artwork is made for your individual photo, our line drawing pieces have a turnaround of approximately 10–14 business days.

It’s worth taking a moment to choose your photo before ordering. Once artwork has been completed, changing to a different photo requires new artwork to be created and a $25 artwork fee applies.

Not sure which photo to choose?

If you’re deciding between a few photos, look for the one that gives you an immediate feeling when you see it. Then check that the people are clear, the image isn’t too dark or blurry, and the pose has enough visible detail for us to work with.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours.

You can view our Personalised Line Drawing Sweatshirts and Hoodies or Line Drawing T-Shirts and upload your favourite photo when you order.