COMMISSIONS & PET PORTRAITS
I am currently open for commissions. Commissions may be anything within my style range and medium. See Paintings & Drawings for examples! I also specialize in pet portraits. Please send me a message to inquire on pricing, discuss ideas, receive suggestions on best sizing or medium, or any questions you may have. I'd love to hear about your project ideas!
COMMISSION PROCESS
What to expect in the commission process:
1. Inquiry: First we'll discuss your ideas, pricing, as well as chosen size, medium, and any add-ons if desired. The more reference photos and details you can give, the better!
2. Composition: Next we'll plan the composition of the piece. A draft will be provided and discussed before the work is began, unless it has been requested to draw the subject exactly as is from a photo reference (such as for pet portraits).
3. Art Process: Time frame for creation of the work itself is dependent on size and medium. For example, a small pencil drawing will be quickest while a large painting will take the longest. Knowing your choices on size, medium and date needed (if applicable) will help to determine timeframe within the current schedule.
4. Finalization: After the work is finished, you'll receive a photo of your custom piece along with payment due. Lastly, we'll discuss pick-up or shipping details and your new piece gets to go home!
PET PORTRAIT FAQ
What do you recommend for choosing a size and format?
Once inquiring about a portrait, I will send you my sizing and pricing PDF. For those who are unsure about size, I recommend thinking about your budget and your space. A good place to start is looking around your home (or office, if applicable) and thinking about where you would want to put a piece of artwork. Maybe you have a blank space on a desk, a wall, a shelf, etc., and then measure that area.
In terms of format (square or rectangular), I recommend square formats for single pet portraits in a headshot-style. For pet portraits including the chest/body, or including more than one pet, I recommend rectangular formats. Choosing your favorite photo(s) is often a good place to start in determining if a headshot-style or fuller body composition will look best. I am happy to give my opinions as well!
What do you recommend for choosing a photo?
I recommend choosing a photo with the best quality and best representation of the pet. Best quality is about good, bright lighting and clear detail in the photo. Best representation is choosing a photo that shows the pet and their personality well: their characteristic features, pose, facial expressions, etc. Whether it's a close-up, side view, front view, etc., it's really up to the commissioner's preference! I am happy to give my opinions on what photo option(s) I think would look best. Ideally, I find that well-lit photos where the pet is front-facing, ears perked, and smiling turn out great!
However, I can absolutely work with the best options that you have. For example, in the case that say, you have a dark/pixelated photo but the pet is showing a really good pose or expression in it, I can still use it as the composition if I'm provided another photo(s) that shows the pet in better lighting/better quality. This allows me to get a more accurate idea of their coloring and detail if the main photo is missing it.
What do you recommend for choosing a color scheme and medium?
Just like determining size, I recommend thinking about your budget and your space to determine color scheme and medium. A good place to start is looking around your home (or office, if applicable) and thinking about where you would want to put a piece of artwork. If it’s an area that could use some more color, you may like to go with colored pencil or a full color painting. Or, if there's already a lot of color in your space, you may prefer a simple black-and-white pen or pencil drawing. We can also do a combination of both color and black-and-white!
If inquiring upon a portrait that includes multiple pets that look similar (such as dogs or cats of the same breed, very similar colors, etc.), I typically recommend color vs. black-and-white so that they are well distinguished from each other.