I am a portrait artist, and have been painting traditional portraits for many years, of both adults and children. I have recently decided change the focus of my work. I will be centering specifically on portraits of children and teenagers working from photos supplied by the client. I would be delighted to produce a beautiful portrait for you. For more details see Commission a Portrait below.
Oil on canvas 26"x20"
Pencil 15"x14"
Watercolor 32"x24"
Watercolor 21"x14"
Pastel 23"x19"
Watercolor 24"x18"
Oil on canvas 36"x28"
Hailey 17" x 19"
Pencil 24"x18"
Watercolor 21"x14"
Pastel 15"x11"
Colored Pencil 20"x16"
Colored Pencil 3"x22"
Pastel 20" x 16"
Oil on canvas 40"x32"
Oil on canvas 26"x20"
Pastel 34" x 23"
Oil on canvas 40"x30"
Pencil 18"x14"
Watercolor 33.5" x 22"
Commission a Portrait
Commissioning a portrait is a pleasant process in which I have the pleasure of getting acquainted with you and of learning about the portrait you have in mind. It usually begins with an e-mail or phone call to me to tell me you are interested in a portrait. We discuss your wishes, goals, and ideas about the portrait. Also the size, style, and medium for the finished work, and give you a rough estimate of when it can be finished.
Photos. You will need a digital camera (not a cell phone camera) to take some photos of the subject. Photos must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi), and taken with good lighting; close up and clear. When you think you have photos you like, email them to me so I can work with them. I will work carefully with the photos and submit options for the final composition. [There is more information about photographs here, or at the bottom of the page.]
Decisions. Expect several back and forth discussions as we settle on the best pose and other details. The painting or drawing will begin after these decisions are completed and all parties are satisfied with the source material, medium and size. The cost will then be adjusted and finalized.
Deposit and Payment. I will need a 1/3 deposit to begin the work. When the painting or drawing is finished, I will scan it or photograph it for you to have a look at it. You can let me know if you are happy with it, or if you need any changes made. I will make any adjustments necessary and send you more scans. When you and I are both happy with the portrait, you can send the payment, and I will ship the portrait to you. No cost to you for shipping.
Portrait Prices
PORTRAITS IN OIL
Head and Shoulders – $1800
3/4 Figure with Hands – $5000
Full-length Figure – $7000
PORTRAITS IN PASTEL OR WATERCOLOR
Head and Shoulders – $900
3/4 Figure with Hands – $2800
Full-length Figure – $5000
PORTRAITS IN PENCIL
Head and Shoulders – $450
3/4 Figure with Hands – $950
Full-length Figure – $1200
Addtional Charges
- For each additional subject – add %50
- Shipping is free.
Deposit
A 1/3 deposit is due before the work of drawing or painting begins. The balance is due after approval and before the finished portrait is shipped.
Working with Photos
For a drawing or painting, I need clear and accurate photos. The photos need to be large enough and sharp enough so I can easily see detail. I will enlarge the photo as I work with it, so I need a high resolution, at least 300 pixels per square inch. And it must not have the typical distortion that comes with the usual cell-phone photo. So please use a digital camera, set for high resolution. It doesn’t need to be an expensive camera and you don’t need any photography skills to get good source material for me.
Outdoor lighting is best, but make sure there is no glare that would make the subject squint. Light from the side often makes a lovely portrait. I also need several frames of each pose, to allow for corrections and for getting the best expression. A variety of poses will give me more options for making a beautiful portrait. So do take many photos. Send me your best, and we will go from there.