Painting the Fat Lady portrait, the guardian of Gryffindor

The guardian comes to life, one brushstroke at a time

The famous guardian of the Gryffindor common room comes to life one brushstroke at a time. The video shows how her portrait is painted, from the bare frame to the finished piece.

It is a magical portrait, 3D printed and hand-painted with care for every little detail. And you, do you remember the password?

First, the frame

We start with the frame as it comes off the printer: a pale lilac piece with columns and an ornate arch. The airbrush gives it a first coat of colour.

That first coat sets the tone for the whole frame.

The details, by brush

Then a fine brush goes over the columns, the arch and the ornaments of the frame, bringing out every relief.

You can tell it is slow work: each area is treated separately.

The aged gold

Little by little the frame gains a golden tone, with warmer, more orange areas that give it an antique look.

That is what conveys the sense of nobility and age.

The lady steps into the frame

Finally the portrait of the lady is placed inside the frame, dressed in white with a crown of leaves, against a green background.

The finished piece is seen in the light, with the golden frame and the portrait in place.

The piece

Enchanted Portrait of the Lady of the Magical Castle is 14.5 cm tall and 9 cm wide. It is made from ultra-detailed premium resin and hand-painted with an aged effect.

It is ideal to go with scenes of magical corridors, galleries or corners of a wizarding-world collection.

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