Behind the Veil I Fine Art Ghost Painting for the Discerning Photographer
Behind the Veil is a private, commission-only ghost painting service by Heather Michelle Chinn — a master painter known for her soulful brushwork, museum-worthy finishes, and nearly 30 years of industry-defining collaboration with elite portrait photographers.
Rooted in traditional fine art and elevated through digital precision, each piece is hand-painted, never automated, and carries the emotional weight of legacy. This is not mass-market work. This is quiet excellence rendered stroke by stroke — for those who believe some portraits deserve more than pixels.
For photographers who value craftsmanship, confidentiality, and heirloom-level artistry, Behind the Veil offers a sacred return to what’s real.
Reserved for Artists Who Refuse the Ordinary
Behind the Veil is a premium ghost painting service for professional photographers who demand painterly, print-ready portrait artwork. Created by Heather Michelle Chinn — a master artist with nearly 30 years of experience — each piece is crafted to evoke the depth, texture, and timelessness of traditional fine art. Every portrait is fully transformed with complete paint coverage, free of photographic remnants, and optimized for composition, light, and heirloom-quality presentation. Files are delivered discreetly, flattened, and ready for immediate use in client or competition workflows.
How It Works
- Upon application Heather will reach out and request files.
- After reviewing the high resolution files, she'll write a quote and time frame.
- If a file and quote are approved the process will begin. The photographer can expect a high resolution emailed proof.
- If any corrections are requested they will be handled expeditiously with a follow up proof emailed.
- Once the proof is approved, the final TIF file will be sent through Dropbox unsigned.
- The photographer can submit the file to their lab of choice and even sign the canvas.
Who Behind the Veil Is For
This is for the photographer who sees beyond the shortcut.
For the artist at heart — even if your medium is a camera — who longs to deliver something timeless, painterly, and emotionally rich to your clients.
It’s for those who have outgrown the filters, the AI brushes, the one-click paint actions… and are ready to elevate.
This is for you if:
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You value painterly detail, subtlety, and craftsmanship.
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You want your images to feel hand-painted — because they are.
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You don’t have time to master digital painting, but you want the real thing.
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You’ve tried painting and got stuck — and need someone to finish with excellence.
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You’ve worked with ghost painters before, but found their work flat, formulaic, or over-processed.
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You want a quiet, sacred partnership — not a churn-and-burn transaction.
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You want someone who understands refined photography and painting — and can bridge both worlds with grace.
This is not for the budget shopper or those seeking fast volume.
It’s for the visionary photographer who wants their work to whisper, linger, and live on a wall — not just scroll past on a screen.
Request Commission Availability
Each commission is bespoke and begins with intentional collaboration. Availability is limited to protect the quality, artistry, and experience. Request availability to see if we’re the right creative fit.
Confidentiality is honored.
If discretion is essential to your studio or brand, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are welcomed and will be fully respected. Your clients will never know my hand was involved — unless you choose to tell them.
About Heather Michelle Chinn
For nearly 30 years, Heather Michelle Chinn has been the quiet hand behind some of the most celebrated painted portraits in the photographic industry. As a master-level ghost painter, her work has helped photographers across the globe earn top honors — from International Print Competition awards to Loan Collections and gallery showings. Though her name wasn’t on the ribbon, her artistry has long spoken for itself.
Known for her signature blend of classical training, digital fluency, and soulful execution, Heather brings a painter’s intuition to every project. With a foundation in traditional media and a passion for studying the masters, her freehand approach allows her to problem-solve far beyond what Photoshop or AI tools can offer. She’s not here to push pixels — she’s here to craft legacies.
After a sacred pause to raise her daughter, Heather quietly returns to this work with deeper clarity, intention, and reverence. Behind the Veil is more than a service — it’s a continuation of the artistry she’s offered for decades, now curated for those who value integrity, mastery, and timeless, painterly storytelling.
For discerning photographers seeking museum-worthy digital and oil on canvas painting.
What Sets Behind the Veil Apart
Not all ghost painting is created equal. Here’s why my work quietly leads the field.
True Freehand Skill
When Photoshop tools or AI shortcuts fall short, I draw and paint through the problem with trained precision. Most ghost painters simply can’t — or won’t — do this.A Foundation in Organic Painting
Long before digital, my roots were in traditional media — canvas, pigment, brush. That tactile sensitivity still informs every digital mark I make.Influenced by the Masters
I study the great painters obsessively. Their understanding of form, light, and composition echoes through my work in ways that elevate each piece far beyond technique.Heart Before Hustle
I don’t paint for the algorithm or the trend. I paint because it’s my calling. Every project is a quiet act of devotion, not just a service.Intentionally Limited Volume
I take on fewer clients so each one receives undiluted excellence. This is not a production line — it’s a legacy practice.Digital Work That Breathes
My digital brushwork feels alive. No filters. No automation. Just authentic texture, rhythm, and human imperfection — which is what makes it beautiful.Optional Oil-Painted Canvases
For clients seeking heirloom finishes, I offer custom hand-painted canvases in both light and heavy oil finishes, built to last generations.Emergency Project Rescue
When photographers hit a wall and a print deadline looms, I quietly step in and complete the painting — seamlessly and confidentially.Built-In Image Optimization
As a retired International Print Competition juror, I begin every project by fixing what’s not working in the source image — lighting, composition, posture — and I do it without tacking on extra fees.Versatile Style Matching
Thanks to decades of hands-on training and stylistic breadth, I can authentically mimic a wide variety of painterly styles — or help you establish your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Behind the Veil by Heather Michelle Chinn
Q: What exactly is ghost painting?
Ghost painting is when an artist paints on behalf of another professional — typically a photographer — who retains client credit. My work enhances or transforms photographic images into painterly artworks, often for competition, heirloom print products, or high-end client delivery.
Q: Do you use AI or Photoshop actions to paint?
No. My work is 100% hand-painted, brushstroke by brushstroke. I use a combination of traditional digital tools (like Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop) alongside textures and custom brushes I’ve created from real pigment and canvas. My skill lies in freehand problem-solving — not presets, not automation.
Q: I’ve never used a ghost painter before. Will my client know?
Only if you tell them. This service is entirely white-labeled. I am comfortable working under NDAs and have spent decades honoring confidentiality with the highest discretion. Your brand integrity is safe with me.
Q: What makes your ghost painting different from others?
I’ve been ghost painting professionally for nearly 30 years — long before digital painting became trendy. I’ve painted numerous internationally award-winning competition prints and countless Loan Collection pieces. I don’t rely on cloning or filters. My background in traditional painting, my obsession with the masters, and my freehand approach set my work apart.
Q: Do you offer physical paintings too?
Yes. Select digital paintings can be upgraded to hand-finished oil on canvas — with either a light painterly touch or a heavier, John Singer Sargent-inspired finish. These are perfect for discerning wall art collections or heirloom presentation pieces.
Q: Can you finish a painting I started but couldn’t complete?
Yes. If you’ve begun a digital painting and hit a wall — creatively or deadline-wise — I can discreetly step in and complete the piece, polishing it to competition or client-ready quality.
Q: Are image corrections included in your fee?
Yes. As a retired International Print Competition juror, I begin each painting with a trained eye — correcting posture, lighting, expression, even elongating fingers, and strengthening composition where needed. These adjustments are included as part of the painting process. I don’t nickel-and-dime for foundational fixes.
Q: How do you charge?
Every image is by quote per finish and size.
Q: Do you work with RAW files?
Yes! In fact, I prefer them. If the skin has been softened, or shadows compressed, it's more difficult to start with this a reference file.
Q: Do you work with cell phone images?
Yes, but please note there will be a limitation on realistic print size.
Q: How does copyright work?
The final painted image is the property of the commissioning photographer. Artistic methods and techniques remain the intellectual property of Heather Michelle Chinn. NDAs are honored. Reproduction, resale, or teaching of this work is not permitted without written consent.
When the Image Isn’t Perfect—but the Story Still Calls
You don’t need perfect lighting, flawless fabric, or a finished setup to create a gallery-worthy piece of art. Sometimes, there’s one photo you can’t let go of—something in the expression, the energy, the untamed possibility. That’s the one you paint. This is where ghost painting begins: transforming overlooked or “almost” frames into fine art. Through painterly storytelling, I reimagine the scene, guide the light, and release the subject into their fullest visual potential. Whether it’s an in-between moment or an image others would discard, together we can resurrect it into a masterful portrait—worthy of competition, canvas, and legacy.
© 2025 Heather Michelle Chinn. All rights reserved. The photographer retains full copyright and usage rights to the final painted image delivered through Behind the Veil. However, the painting techniques, processes, and proprietary artistic methods used to create that work remain the intellectual property of Heather Michelle Chinn and may not be reproduced, taught, repurposed, or sold separately in any form without explicit written permission. Non-disclosure agreements are welcomed and honored. This is a protected creative space — discretion is offered, integrity is expected.
You Don’t Need the Perfect Photo—Just the Perfect Expression.
The lighting can be wrong. The pose off. The file flawed.
But if the face is true—the spark, the stillness, the child as they really are—then it’s enough.
That’s the image I paint.
And from that sliver of realness, we build an heirloom.