wizard pics

[Eustace_Scrubb]

No: HPFGUIDX 101597

Jacqui:
> > In order for the portrait to be "charmed" with an animation
spell, 
> > does the person the picture is of need to be alive?  If not,
could 
> > Harry have a picture of his parents painted and still have the 
> > same effect?
> > I am leaning towards the first.
> > Jacqui

Then Jason:
> Maybe the paint they're painted with has to be mixed with a potion 
> containing bits of the person or animals to be anipainted. Sort of 
> like polyjuice. Rather than an oil base or water base, its a saliva 
> or blood based potion paint?
> 
> Jason

Now Eustace:
I don't think I have any canon to back this up, but my sense is that
the painting does have to be done in the presence of the living
subject.  I don't think it can be done in the same way as polyjuice
transformations, which just deal with physical appearance (at least in
COS, where Harry and Ron look and sound like Crabbe and Goyle but
certainly don't assume their knowledge/memories/minds (thank
goodness!).  But the painting subjects seem to have all of their
mental faculties transferred to the portrait, not just physical
appearance.  I don't think that could be gotten from a piece of hair
or blood, but probably must be done with a rather powerful spell.

I imagine at least two steps:  1) specially-prepared paints and/or
canvas; and 2) spells, possibly one to animate the image and another
to copy/transfer the mind.  But maybe one spell does both...or the
animation is accomplished strictly with the specially-prepared
materials.

Cheers,

Eustace_Scrubb