Live Wedding Painting - The Hot New Trend

Live wedding painting has been one of the hottest wedding day trends in the past several years and there has been no end to the questions that we have received about this process, cost and suggested vendors in the Chicagoland area. Today we are excited to share some info about this unique wedding day service with the help of our friend, Komal Wadhwa, a Fine Artist, instructor and a Live Wedding Painter in Chicago (and all over the United States), capturing the magical moments on canvas.

Komal, tell us about yourself!

I started Kraneil Fine Art over 8 years ago to make art accessible to all by offering live paintings and teaching virtually, in-person and in the community.

I paint in impressionistic style with vibrant paints that revive the soul. My paintings create a virtual world for the viewers despite the reality which can be harsh sometimes. I find beauty all around myself like in nature, love, kindness, light and shadows. When I am not working, I love to spend my time with my family riding bikes to the lake, Picnics, and Kayaking.

Explain the process of live (wedding/event) painting? (Are you done at the event? If not, how long does it take?)

What better gift is there for a new bride and groom than a timeless painting of their most precious day as a family heirloom for generations to cherish and make memories with.

I capture the magic of the moment in my live paintings as favors for weddings and events. I customize your live painting to show your preferred subject, color pallet, mood, and wedding aesthetic. I work on-site to paint any of the couple's romantic moments (like First Dance, First Kiss, Exit scene) or the ceremony itself. I get inspiration from the beautiful natural surroundings from the venue, from the wedding décor, twinkling of candle lights, the cake topper, couple’s mascot that speak their love language, the flowers and wedding theme colors, bridal bouquet, and foremost couple’s natural emotions to create a visually rich and timeless painting.

Before your magical day, I discuss your choice of subject, painting format, and canvas size. Through my impressionistic & vibrant painting style I make sure each brushstroke shows off your genuine expression or mood in an artistic manner. Depending on the canvas size, your final painting is done by the end of the night or delivered if studio touch ups are requested beforehand.

Do couples have a say in the artpiece at all? (choosing your location, content, color scheme, etc?)

I blend the couple’s desire into my personal painting style and creativity however there is always a wiggle room when it comes to expressing bride and groom’s wishes.

Through Kraneil Fine Art, I paint to give newlyweds their custom, unique and handmade keepsakes that reflect their genuine emotions and mood. I create heirloom artwork to cherish for life in vibrant and artist-quality paints. Inquire for more details and additional information HERE.

If a couple is interested in a live wedding painter, what should they do to prepare for that before their wedding day?

Wedding painting is a lovely gifts for married couples from each other or their friends or parents. It brings them back to plethora of little memories and those emotions from the day when they decided to hold each other forever.

I love being a witness for such a special occasion sometimes its a gift from their parents, best friends or a surprise gift from groom to the bride of seeing their favorite live painter freezing their best moment on canvas, to all the smiles and tears, excitement, laughter and joy.

Some couples book live painters even 2 or 3 years ahead of their wedding date so they don’t end up not having their favorite live painter for their wedding. So my suggestion is to book early.

What is the timeline for a customer (from booking to final art piece in their home)?

My work is all about feel and mood of the wedding captured in to the painting if feels right to me and the couples vision too at the same night then it is ready to go to its forever home. It also depends on the painting size and medium like acrylics or oils, usually I can finish 20X24 inch painting at the wedding itself if its what the couple wants however, its always great to go back to a painting with fresh eyes at my studio where the turn around time is from 6-8 weeks. Once they are ready to go to their forever homes, I varnish the painting that protects it from water or sunlight damage and easier to wipe clean with damp cloth.

I am sure there is a range but what is the ballpark for cost in Chicago?

The usual Live Wedding Painting starts at $2500 depending on the location, style, medium and experience of the artist and go up to $8,000.

Anything else that you feel we should add?

For me, I love having a piece of fine art at home that holds a special meaning to me to preserve that moment in time, to make you feel nostalgic. So, I also offer Studio Commissions of the events that I can’t personally make it to. I work from photos of vacationing couple, wedding photos, travel paintings, with their new home, beloved pets, children or family portraits and my favorite gardens and bridal bouquets or sometimes I sew them together in my pieces to create that is close to your heart.

Komal, thank you so much for sharing such great info and gorgeous artwork with our readers. To learn more about Komal’s work and Kraneil Fine Art, click HERE.