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PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL PORTRAIT Many people are unfamiliar with the portrait painting process, and therefore anxious about the procedure, costs and end results. Most are surprised at how enjoyable and easy it actually is to commission a portrait. Because a good portrait takes time to plan and create, you should expect it to take about a month for completion. Below is an outline of the commissioning process.
STEP ONE: PLANNING
The planning stage is one of the most important because it is here that we gather information, get to know each other and discuss your expectations. Together we will develop a direction for the painting, a time table and costs. There should be no surprises when you receive your finished portrait.
STEP TWO: A GOOD-QUALITY PHOTO IS VERY IMPORTANT. (See Photography Tips below.) I can't stress that enough. If the image is blurry or small, the portrait will not be successful. Ideally, I will take my own photographs of the subject in order to get to know them better and to have plenty of reference material to work with. The photography session is included in the cost of the portrait and generally takes place in the home of the individual, where they are most comfortable. Often I spend time sketching the subject to become more familiar with them.
STEP THREE: The final step is the sketching and painting process. I will send you a preliminary rough draft for approval before I begin the painting. The painting can take anywhere from a week to a month to complete depending on its size and complexity. Upon completion, you can decide on framing and matting options. For long-distant clients, I will send jpegs of the painting for final approval before shipping.
PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
A good photograph is very important to the success of your portrait. Occasionally, it may not be possible for me to take the photographs. If you have to take your own, these tips may help: Ditch the flash! A flash can flatten features and eliminate necessary shadows. You also want to avoid direct, bright sunlight which often makes shadows too dark and washes out the highlights. Instead, use natural light and take photos near a bright window, on a covered porch or under a tree. An overcast day also works well.
Take lots of photos. It’s better to have too many good photos than to have to reshoot from scratch. Take close-up and full-body photos of the same pose to make sure you have enough detail. Casual, candid photos make more interesting portraits than posed shots with big smiles. Big smiles make the eyes squint. For pets, try to get down to their eye level. By getting down to their level, you capture more details in the eyes and face. Don’t skimp! If using a digital camera, it’s best to use a 4 mega-pixel camera or higher for better resolution.
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