Do you take commissions?
I can work either from life or from photographs. Prices depend on the medium, size and content of the work. A guide to prices are as follows:
| Pastel Animal Portrait Head (Unframed) |
£250.00
|
|
Oil Animal Portrait Head |
£600.00 |
| Charcoal/Pastel Portrait drawings |
from £500.00
|
| Group Portraits (per head) |
£750.00
|
| Oil Portrait (Head & Shoulders 40 x 50 cms) |
from £1,200.00
|
| Oil Portrait (Head & Shoulders 50 x 60 cms) |
from £1,500.00
|
| Oil Portrait (Half length 70 x 90 cms) |
from £2,000.00
|
| Oil Portrait (Three-quarter length 100 x 130 cms) |
from £3,500.00
|
| Oil Portrait (Full-length 120 x 180 cms) |
from £4,500.00
|
| Oil Portrait (full length life size 150 x 220cms) |
from £6,000.00
|
I like people to decide where they are most comfortable being painted. The planning stage for an oil painting usually takes 1 or 2 preliminary meetings - from the perspective of both artist and client, the more time given to the portrait, the better the result - and a minimum of four 2 to 3 hour sittings should be allowed for a small oil painting of a head and shoulders. More for larger paintings, but for charcoal drawings, two to three sittings should suffice.
A portrait is a serious commitment in time so I am as flexible as possible about arranging sittings into tight schedules. It's surprising how easy it is to make the time, and surprising how easily it becomes a welcome oasis in a busy life, as thinking, planning, listening or talking time.
Although photographs can be used as part of the process, I prefer to work from life if at all possible, because there is no doubt that results are always better. However, with young and fidgety children I can work from photographs (preferably taken by me, though I can use favourite family pictures if they meet the criteria) which sometimes helps the process to be less stressful for all concerned!
Do I charge mileage and travel?
Yes, I do, depending on the distance.
I sell prints of some of my some of my work, (mainly animals) but I have yet to set up the page.
I use Michael Harding paints becase they are made of pure pigment and linseed oil, nothing else. I use a limited palette most of the time for portraiture because if gives the painting a sense of unity; mainly titanium white, cadmium red or genuine chinese vermilliion, ivory black, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue., I sometimes add cadmium yellow lemon, alizarin crimson, naples yellow and cerulean blue.. I use a medium made up of sun-thickened linseed oil, Canada balsam and turpentine or odour-free turps substitute..
Is all of your work framed?
It depends if the work has been hung in a gallery or not.. However, I can arrange framing if required. I sell my prints unmounted and unframed.