Choosing a style for your keepsake: what each option actually gives up

It's tempting to assume 'true to life' is always the right choice, since it sounds like the most faithful option. It is the most realistic in proportion and posture, but it also simplifies fine detail the most — thin jewellery, loose hair, small patterns — so it can survive being physically made.

A stylised mini softens features slightly and reads more clearly as a keepsake object than as a literal replica. It tends to suit gifts where the emotional read — 'that's unmistakably them' — matters more than strict measurement-for-measurement accuracy.

Soft caricature leans further into warmth and humour, exaggerating the features people already know someone by. It's best for someone with a good sense of humour about themselves, and less suited to a formal or solemn occasion.

Keepsake classic drops most colour information in favour of a single, sculptural finish. It reads as an object first and a portrait second — a good fit if you want something that sits quietly on a shelf rather than commands attention.

None of these is more 'correct' than another. The right one depends on whether you want the piece to read as realistic, characterful, warm, or quiet — and you'll see your actual photo rendered in your chosen style before you approve anything, so you're never choosing blind.