Children's drawing cufflinks are the kind of present dads and grandads actually wear, and then show everyone. A proper suit and a crayon self-portrait on the cuff is a combination that starts conversations at weddings, in meetings and at the pub.
Which drawing should it be?
Most homes have a stack of candidates. Some that work particularly well:
- A portrait of Dad – arms sticking straight out, head bigger than body, always smiling.
- The whole family – lined up in height order, with the pet included.
- Their first signed picture – with the name in wobbly capitals in the corner.
- A favourite thing – a dinosaur, a tractor, a rocket, a football.
- Something he loves – the child's version of his car, his bike or his fishing rod.
If you have time before the occasion, you can also ask for a drawing specially. Give the child a square of paper and a dark felt-tip and ask them to draw Daddy, or Grandad. A square sheet encourages them to fill the space, and dark, bold lines reproduce beautifully.
Crop to the best bit
A full A4 drawing rarely fits a cufflink well, because most of the page is empty space and the interesting detail is small. Look for the single element that makes you smile, then crop in on that. It might be one face, one figure or just a sun with a grin. Children's drawing cufflinks look their best when that one element fills most of the square.
If the drawing has two parts you love, such as Dad on one side of the page and the dog on the other, consider making two separate designs rather than squeezing both into one.
Don't worry about perfect proportions or neat colouring inside the lines. The odd scribble, the unexpected green sky and the name spelled back to front are exactly what makes children's drawing cufflinks so personal. Years from now, when that child is grown up, the wobbly lines will mean more than any polished design ever could.
Photographing crayon, pencil and paint
Different materials need slightly different handling:
- Felt-tip and marker – strong colour and clean edges, the easiest to capture. Photograph in daylight and you're nearly done.
- Crayon – beautiful waxy texture, but lighter strokes can look pale. Increase the contrast a little and keep the texture; it's part of the appeal.
- Pencil – often faint, so boost contrast and lower brightness slightly to darken the lines.
- Paint – rich colour, but watch for glare on glossy patches. Photograph from directly above, next to a window rather than under a lamp.
In every case, lay the paper flat, hold the phone parallel to it, and make sure no shadows fall across the artwork. A scanner will give the sharpest result of all if you have one.
One from each grandchild
Grandparents with several grandchildren are perfect candidates for a set. Each child draws their own picture, perhaps all on the same theme, and each drawing becomes its own pair. Several different designs can go in one basket, and with 5 or more pairs at £15 each plus £5 shipping per order, a set of five comes to £80. It makes a memorable 60th, 70th or 80th birthday present, and he can choose which grandchild to wear each day. Add a small name or age in the corner of each design if you'd like to remember who drew what. If you only need one pair, it's £40 including shipping.
Upload, preview, order
Upload the photo or scan of the drawing. The live preview shows it on both cufflinks, so you can drag the drawing into position and zoom until the key part fills the square. Once you're happy, add it to your basket and pay through the secure checkout.
We've been making personalised gifts in our Cornwall workshop for 17 years, and children's artwork is one of the loveliest things we get to work with. Each pair is gift boxed, ready for Father's Day, a birthday or any day he deserves something made just for him.