Commissioned Portraits and Fine Art Oil Paintings

Procedure

All portraits are painted on oil primed linen or panel.

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Generally, I like to have a preliminary meeting with the client and/or subject over the phone or in person to discuss the details of the portrait such as the setting, wardrobe, lighting and mood of the finished piece. Then a meeting will be set up for the subject to pose for a photo shoot which will serve as the reference for the portrait. A photo session usually lasts about an hour. During this visit, the artist may also request to paint a small color study of the subject from life, which is often very useful in completing the final large piece. If a live head study painting is done at the photo shoot, the entire meeting may last three to four hours. Later, the artist will select a group of photos for the client to review which will be the best candidates for the final commission. The client's preferences are always taken into account when selecting the final reference photo. Also, if the client wishes, the final full-size portrait may be painted from life. But this may require several sessions up to four hours in length each.

Photos and painted studies remain the property of the artist. If a photo shoot is not feasible, the portrait may be painted from existing photos provided by the client, but must be approved by the artist.

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When doing informal portrait studies, the protocol can be more relaxed. I can work from existing client photos or from a live sitting of just a few hours. Contact me for more information.

The client’s happiness with the artwork is a primary concern of the artist. Upon completion and delivery of the final painting, one set of minor revisions may be requested by the client. But if, after those revisions have been made, the client still requests additional revisions, a 10% fee will be added to the total due. A 50% non-refundable deposit is to be paid upon agreement of the terms of the portrait and return of the signed contract. From this point, the total time necessary to complete a formal portrait may range from one to three months. At which point the client may take possession of the portrait. If a final coat of protective varnish is to be applied, the total time necessary for proper drying is six to eight months. The painting can be returned to the artist for final varnish at no additional cost besides shipping. Turnaround times for the smaller informal portrait studies are usually shorter and may even be rushed, based on artist's availability.