HOW TO COMMISSION A PORTRAIT

I keep my waiting list short and manageable: no more than 3 at a time. This works out to one in progress, two in line. As each is completed, that opens up a new spot on the wait list.

To be added to the Commission Alert List, Click Here.  You'll also be given the option to sign up for my occasional Newsletter.

Following each "Commission Alert", if your email hits my inbox first, a 33% deposit will secure your spot on the wait list, then another 33% when I start, and the balance plus shipping when I finish.

While I'm working on your commission, you can watch it take shape on my blog if you like.




Gouache is a kind of watercolor, but it's opaque, like the tempera you may have used as a kid.  It's good for smaller pieces, up to, say, 8x10.  Lots of detail is possible (see Cornbread), or it can also be used for a more graphic style, with larger non-detailed areas of flat color, as in Loca Loquat.

Acrylic is really versatile.  I tend to use it like the old masters (think Rembrandt, etc.) used oils; in thin layers, building up depth and detail in a way that lets light bounce through the color layers rather like what happens in real life.  Things are rarely just one simple opaque color.  Skin and hair are complex mixes, reflecting and transmitting light in sparkling arrays.  See Miki Too, for example.

Graphite is the pencil you're used to, though in various grades of hard and soft, dark and light.  Dave and Weenie is an example of a graphite drawing (with a touch of watercolor).

Pastels are like colored chalks, also in various grades of hard and soft, allowing for some complex color mixes as the color particles sit next to each other, but a bit less detail than other media.  I generally use Conte Crayons, which are a very hard pastel.  Drifter is a good example of this medium.

 Your pet's portrait is labor-intensive, and a labor of love.

I will be spending days getting to know your companion during the creation of the artwork.  I will use all my compassion, skills and creativity to bring the personality and life of your friend to this portrait. 

Traditional media include gouache, acrylic, graphite and pastel (see below on the left for a description of these media).

Additional subjects can be added, human or pet!  The first additional subject is discounted 50%, and each additional subject after that can be added at a 70% discount.

Collector's Discount

If you would like multiple portraits, you will be given a 10% discount after your first.  If you order more than one at a time, you will be given a 10% discount on the entire order.

A note about full-body or multiple subject portraits: I recommend choosing a larger size so that your pets' expressions aren't so small that you can't appreciate them.

If you have any questions about any of this, just ask!