Commissions
Media
I paint with several different materials: Oil paint, soft pastels, and ink and watercolor. I can suggest which to use with your painting. Oil paintings are on canvas or a wood panel, and I keep the sides of the canvas/panel tidy so that you may choose to keep the finished piece unframed. Pastels are on either a primed rigid surface or sanded card stock. Ink and watercolor paintings are on watercolor paper or board. Pastels and most watercolors need to be framed, and this is something to keep in mind when calculating the cost of a commissioned painting.
Pricing
I price my artwork by size. My largest size is limited simply by my studio space. Other sizes not listed below are available at your request.
Up to 8x 10 = $150 (this is my largest size for watercolor)
11x14 = $250 (this is my largest size for pastel)
12 x 24 = $350
18 x 24, 20 x 20 = $500
24 x 30 = $700
30 x 30, 24 x 36 = $800
Process
If you have a photographic reference you’d like me to work from, we’ll start there. If you have more than one photo of your subject, that’s even better. We’ll talk about size and medium, as well as any feelings or point of view you wish me to convey about the subject. Your photo doesn’t have to be professional quality—in fact, I work from pretty sub-par photos, myself, as a jumping off point. I will probably suggest cropping your image or modifying some elements to create the most harmonious composition.
If you do not have a photo reference, you may ask me to do some local scouting for a landscape painting, or maybe you have a still-life subject you’d like me to arrange.
You can say to me, “I just need some artwork. I want something this big, I like sunflowers, and also I like red.” Okay!
In any of these situations, we will work together to agree on the picture. This part of the process takes the most amount of time. You know that saying about house painters? “It’s 90% preparation, 10% execution.” It’s the same for me.
Approvals: I will complete sketches of our agreed upon image for you to approve. I will complete a color study for your to approve.
Timeline
Because of my other job as a mom, I take most of the summer off from painting, but I may be able to accommodate a request at that time. During the school year, I can usually complete any work in about three weeks. Oil paintings will need time to be dry to the touch—about two weeks—so keep that in mind as you determine your deadline to receive the finished work.
Payment
I ask for half of the cost as a deposit to get started after you decide on the size, and the last half, plus any shipping cost, due at delivery.
Refunds
I will refund 100% of your cost within 30 days of delivery. I want you to be very happy with your painting, AND I want to be very happy with it, too. I won’t give you something I don’t like, which is why I’ll take it back it you don’t.
I paint with several different materials: Oil paint, soft pastels, and ink and watercolor. I can suggest which to use with your painting. Oil paintings are on canvas or a wood panel, and I keep the sides of the canvas/panel tidy so that you may choose to keep the finished piece unframed. Pastels are on either a primed rigid surface or sanded card stock. Ink and watercolor paintings are on watercolor paper or board. Pastels and most watercolors need to be framed, and this is something to keep in mind when calculating the cost of a commissioned painting.
Pricing
I price my artwork by size. My largest size is limited simply by my studio space. Other sizes not listed below are available at your request.
Up to 8x 10 = $150 (this is my largest size for watercolor)
11x14 = $250 (this is my largest size for pastel)
12 x 24 = $350
18 x 24, 20 x 20 = $500
24 x 30 = $700
30 x 30, 24 x 36 = $800
Process
If you have a photographic reference you’d like me to work from, we’ll start there. If you have more than one photo of your subject, that’s even better. We’ll talk about size and medium, as well as any feelings or point of view you wish me to convey about the subject. Your photo doesn’t have to be professional quality—in fact, I work from pretty sub-par photos, myself, as a jumping off point. I will probably suggest cropping your image or modifying some elements to create the most harmonious composition.
If you do not have a photo reference, you may ask me to do some local scouting for a landscape painting, or maybe you have a still-life subject you’d like me to arrange.
You can say to me, “I just need some artwork. I want something this big, I like sunflowers, and also I like red.” Okay!
In any of these situations, we will work together to agree on the picture. This part of the process takes the most amount of time. You know that saying about house painters? “It’s 90% preparation, 10% execution.” It’s the same for me.
Approvals: I will complete sketches of our agreed upon image for you to approve. I will complete a color study for your to approve.
Timeline
Because of my other job as a mom, I take most of the summer off from painting, but I may be able to accommodate a request at that time. During the school year, I can usually complete any work in about three weeks. Oil paintings will need time to be dry to the touch—about two weeks—so keep that in mind as you determine your deadline to receive the finished work.
Payment
I ask for half of the cost as a deposit to get started after you decide on the size, and the last half, plus any shipping cost, due at delivery.
Refunds
I will refund 100% of your cost within 30 days of delivery. I want you to be very happy with your painting, AND I want to be very happy with it, too. I won’t give you something I don’t like, which is why I’ll take it back it you don’t.
A Commission Story: Winston the Persian Cat
I asked the client to think about what she loves most about her cat and to take photos of him doing these things naturally. She gave me about ten photographs.
After the client decided the size, I painted a couple of color studies to show how I'd change the palette from the original photograph.
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I chose two photos to sketch at different sizes, but the client asked me to try a third picture because she realized it showed her favorite attributes: his squishy sleeping face and mark on his fluffy tail.
I showed the client progress shots along the way, but I work pretty quickly when I start putting paint on canvas.
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The finished work: Winston, 12 x 24 in., oil on canvas