Hurry! You have just enough time to put in your order for a commission for Christmas! Don't miss out on giving your loved one a special gift from your heart. Art Made Just For You!
Portraits are a wonderful way to capture a memory, whether for yourself or as a gift. You can commission me to create a special piece of artwork just for you. I create portraits using reference photos, which I prefer to take myself at your home or a location of your choice. However, if the distance is to great for me to travel to you, then I will assist you in taking the type of reference photos I need to complete your commission.
In addition, if you simply want a general painting of an animal, scene, flower, or still life rather than a portrait, I would be happy to create such a painting just for you.
Photo Taking Guidelines:
If for some reason I cannot do a photo shoot with the subject myself, you will need to send me several photos of the subject yourself. Please remember that the quality of the portrait is determined by the quality of the reference photos I have to work from. Here are some guidelines for taking the photos:
1. Several photos should be taken, not just one or two. At least one needs to be a close up view (in clear focus) of the subject's face, and at least one needs to be taken further back to give a full body shot (both of these should be taken from the same angle). A few additional photos of the subject should be taken from different angles as well.
2. Make sure ALL of the photos are clear and well focused. This is absolutely necessary in order for me to produce a likeness of the subject in the portrait.
3. Watch out what you have in the background. Try to make sure the area behind the subject is clear of objects and preferably, does not have a "busy", patterned, or colorful background. Also, make sure the background is NOT the same color as the subject or the subject's clothes (such as a white dog in front of a white wall, or a person in a green shirt in front of a tree.
4. When taking photos of animals or children, be sure to get down to their level, so you are eye to eye with them. You should never take a photo of a pet or child while looking down at them. The camera will distort the subject and it will not be able to be used for a portrait.
5. Take care to see that the child or animal is well groomed, neat, and with children - has appropriate clothing on without busy patterns or overly bright colors.
6. Please, please, please, DO NOT USE a flash. In order to avoid the need for a flash, you need to have excellent lighting on the subject. Flash photography tends to change colors in the photo as well as eliminate all sense of depth. It is very difficult to recreate a photo where a flash was used. Likewise, please do not take a photo in strong sunlight! Like using a flash, it washes out all color and depth from the photo.
7. The best way to get great lighting is this: If you have a storm door, open your door and take a photo of your animal or child in the light that comes through the door, but have them set back just a little ways from the door so they don't get the full sun on them. In addition, windows are also wonderful to take a photo near. I have two other photos you should check out on my art blog - one of a cat sitting next to a window and one of a dog sitting just inside of the front door, both using the natural sunlight shining through the door/window. I also have the paintings I made of them from those photos so you can see what the portraits came out like.
8. If at all possible, digital photos are GREAT! Please make sure you use the highest resolution possible and that you get clear and well focused photos.
Suggestions include:
- Taking the photos of the subject outside with the sun at an angle to the subject (NOT directly in front of or behind the subject).
- Taking the photos inside with lots of lighting on the subject, but please don't have the light shining directly into the face of the subject.
Here are some examples of appropraite photos for portraits:
Commission Prices
Payments are made in 2 or 3 installments (client's choice), not including the deposit. Most commissions take 3-4 months, some take up to 6 months, and rarely, a commission may take only 6-8 weeks. It depends on the complexity of the portrait and my workload at that time.
All commissions come professionally matted. Framing is extra.
Commissions on Suede Board or Sanded Paper: Pet or Wildlife Portraits, Still Life, and Floral commissions in Colored pencil or Pastel on suede board or sanded paper.
Simple backgrounds are included in the prices below.
| # of Subjects | Type of Shot | Size (inches) | Price
|
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | 8x10 | $200.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | 9x12 | $260.00 |
| 1 or 2 | Head & Shoulders | 11x14 | $340.00 |
| 1 | Full Body | 11x14 | $415.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | 14x18 | $545.00 |
| 1 | Full Body | 14x18 | $665.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | 16x20 | $680.00 |
| 1 or 2 | Full Body | 16x20 | $820.00 |
~ prices for paintings on suede board are higher to due the higher cost of the suede.
~ for a complex background, add 25% onto the total price
~ for each additional subject, add 25% onto the total price. All 8"x10" & 9"x12" sizes include
one subject only.
~ 10% discount on multiple commissions
Pet & People Portraits - Colored pencil on archival, acid free Paper
| # of Subjects | Type of Shot | Type of Background | Size | Price |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | Simple | 8"x10" | $180.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | Simple | 9"x12" | $220.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | Simple | 11"x14" | $310.00 |
| 1 | Full Body | Simple | 11"x14' | $320.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | Simple | 14"x18' | $524.00 |
| 1 | 3/4, or Full Body | Simple | 14"x18" | $645.00 |
| 1 | Head & Shoulders | Simple | 16"x20" | $660.00 |
| 1 | 3/4 or Full Body | Simple | 16"x20" | $800.00 |
| 1 | 3/4 or Full Body | Simple | 18"x24" | $880.00 |
~ for a complex background, add 25% onto the total price
~ for each additional subject, add 25% onto the total price
~ 10% discount on multiple commissions
Still Life, Floral, and Wildlife Commissions - Colored pencil on archival, acid free paper
| Background Type | Size | Price |
| Simple | 5"x7" | $70.00 |
| Complex | 5"x7" | $110.00 |
| Simple | 8"x10" | $130.00 |
| Complex | 8"x10" | $160.00 |
| Simple | 9"x12" | $175.00 |
| Complex | 9"x12" | $215.00 |
| Simple | 11"x14" | $255.00 |
| Complex | 11"x14" | $308.00 |
| Simple | 14"x18" | $400.00 |
| Complex | 14"x18" | $475.00 |
~ 10% discount on multiple commissions
