Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

8 Great Movie Family Portraits

Features
By Andy Lowe published 20 August 2009

The Shining, The Lost Boys & Fargo - done with pencils

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The Torrances

The Torrances

Artist Kirk Demarais: "This is the first film family portrait I created and it remains my favorite. I meant for it to be funny, but it turned out equally creepy.

"The first step in making these is finding reference material. This amounts to scouring the films for moments when the actors are smiling in the general direction of the camera. It's no easy task.

"In the case of The Shining I had to settle for a vacant stare from Danny. I guess you wouldn't smile much either if your dad was Jack Torrance."

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of 8
The Lundegaards

The Lundegaards

"A lot of folks have wondered whether or not these portraits are intentionally 'bad' in a technical sense. Well, I've certainly never had to tone down the quality because one was turning out too good.

"The fact that each family member was lifted from an entirely different scene really adds to their wonkiness.

"I guess they're a mix of artistic choices and pure lack of skill."

Page 2 of 8
Page 2 of 8
The Freelings

The Freelings

"It was extremely difficult to find visual reference for this piece since the unfortunate family spends most of the film disheveled, terrified, and/or dripping with ectoplasm..."

Page 3 of 8
Page 3 of 8
The Griswolds

The Griswolds

"This movie was John Hughes' first writing job. Looking at it now, I'm reminded of all the enjoyment that he brought to the world...

"Actor Jonah Hill demonstrated his impeccable taste by buying my original for this one."

Page 4 of 8
Page 4 of 8
The Johnsons

The Johnsons

"Family plays a strong role in all of these films, but few domestic units were as close-knit as Navin R. Johnson's Mississippi clan.

"They wholeheartedly supported his personal quest to 'go out there and be somebody'...

"...and then they came to the rescue when he ended up in the gutter with nothing but his favorite thermos."

Page 5 of 8
Page 5 of 8
The Emersons

The Emersons

"I wanted to see what it might look like if mom had talked the boys into a photoshoot in an effort to redefine their post-divorce family unit.

"I could see Sam (Corey Haim) getting into it - he may have had some say in the cheesy curtain backdrop - while Michael (Jason Patric) would have struggled to tolerate such an outing.

"This is my least favourite portrait of the bunch. Such a great film deserves a better effort. I just have to remind myself that Lost Boys director Joel Schumacher also gave us Batman & Robin ."

Page 6 of 8
Page 6 of 8
The Mitchells

The Mitchells

"I can barely believe it, but this one now belongs to Seth Gordon, the director of King Of Kong (gifted by producer Andrew Haas).

"A guy in the middle of nowhere draws a silly picture based on one of his favourite movies and the filmmaker ends up with it hanging in his house.

"God bless the internet."

Page 7 of 8
Page 7 of 8
The Plainviews

The Plainviews

"Attempting to recreate a portrait that would have been nearly a century old was fun.

"I just wish I could have embedded speakers to the original, cranking the atmosphere by constantly playing Jonny Greenwood's score..."


For more of Kirk's words and work (we love his Spinal Tap 'Smell The Glove' album cover redesign) visit his blog here .

Page 8 of 8
Page 8 of 8
Andy Lowe
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Latest in Movies
Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Movies Darth Maul voice actor says seeing The Phantom Menace "was the biggest disappointment" of his life
 
 
Jim Carrey as the Grinch and Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who during How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Christmas Movies Despite calling the makeup process "excruciating," Jim Carrey is returning to The Grinch, 26 years later
 
 
Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Marvel Movies Who is Spider-Man: Brand New Day's mystery villain? Our 5 biggest theories, from Mister Negative to Jean Grey
 
 
Milly Alcock as Supergirl in a behind the scenes featurette
DC Movies What to watch before Supergirl: The DC movies and shows to catch up with in preparation
 
 
A screenshot from a Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer clip featuring Spider-Man web-swinging while holding a man
Marvel Movies Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already broken a record before it's even hit theaters
 
 
The Flash
DC Movies Supergirl is tracking to earn less than The Flash in its opening weekend
 
 
Latest in Features
Fallout 76 Screenshot
Fallout Fallout 76 interview: Bethesda talks Infestations and the impact of the Fallout TV show on its shared-world RPG
 
 
Claire Redfield is grabbed from behind in Resident Evil Veronica by a figure in a gas mask, with the orange GamesRadar+ Summer Preview 2026 frame
Resident Evil I'm glad Resident Evil Veronica will have a "reimagined story" – remakes need reinvention to survive
 
 
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2
Live Action Shows What time is Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 releasing on Netflix?
 
 
Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Marvel Movies Who is Spider-Man: Brand New Day's mystery villain? Our 5 biggest theories, from Mister Negative to Jean Grey
 
 
Image of a bunch of gaming accessories on a blue GamesRadar+ background.
Accessories You deserve to get in some gaming time this summer, and these travel-friendly gadgets will help with that
 
 
Milly Alcock as Supergirl in a behind the scenes featurette
DC Movies What to watch before Supergirl: The DC movies and shows to catch up with in preparation
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Fallout 76 Screenshot
    1
    Fallout 76 interview: Bethesda talks Infestations and the impact of the Fallout TV show on its shared-world RPG
  2. 2
    Using a mobile controller has completely ruined my ability to game without one, and it's the perfect time to test one
  3. 3
    Despite playing a key role in Final Fantasy 7, Tetsuya Nomura says "Kingdom Hearts has become my life's work"
  4. 4
    De-digitize your life with 12 retro gadgets that will send you straight back to the 90s this Prime Day
  5. 5
    Slay the Spire 2's lead birthed reviled boss Doormaker after "playing too much Deadlock"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...