Prices
$50 - photo shoot
$500 - Head and shoulders painting - 9x12, 10x10, 11x14, 12x12
$800 - Head and torso painting - 12x16, 14x18, 16x16, 16x20
$1000 - Entire body painting - 18x24, 24x36
Negotiable - Multiple figures
(prices/sizes may vary depending on the references)
Painting fee: Half up front (nonrefundable) - Half upon delivery
(to see more examples of my work go to my portrait gallery)
Photos
I highly prefer to take my own photo references. If you can’t make it to me for a photo shoot (or pay for me to travel to you), you can send me your own. BUT, please understand that I’m picky. And that’s because I don’t want to make any compromises on your painting. A cute photo can be VERY different from a good painting reference! That is why I have compiled this list of ideas for you to have a productive photo shoot, from what I have learned for myself:
Photo Shoot Ideas
- IMPORTANT - take a lot of photos!!! You are much more likely to get a good shot if you take 200 photos rather than five. If you are photographing kids, it may take more than one session.
- Go outside. If inside, be near a window. If inside and you have a camera, increase your ISO to 800 or higher.
- Back up and zoom in to reduce wide-angle distortion.
- If you have one, use a real camera rather than your phone.
- Try every angle, pose, direction of light, etc. that you can think of! Side-light, back-light, front light, in shade, direct sunlight, etc. Anything that looks interesting to you. Shoot them laying down, jumping, standing up on something, sitting, etc. Everything you can think of!! Be creative.
- If you are photographing kids, maybe just let them play. Then when you see something cool (interesting light or pose) snap a photo. Or if they’re into it, let them pose and snap away - sometimes my best shots are what they do IN-BETWEEN poses.
- Get down on their level for straight on shots.
- If you have a multi-shot setting on your camera, and you’re photographing kids, use it! Kids move a lot and fast, so it can be really helpful to be able to hold down the shutter and capture every pose.
- Sometimes I can change the background after the fact, but the better the background is in the actual photo the better. I can’t make up anything complicated!
- Include all the important info (and more) in the photo - if you want a head shot for example - don’t cut off parts of the head.
- Try different outfits on your subject, but anything solid or with large patterns are more paint friendly than tiny patterns. No plaid!
- Smiling at the camera with teeth is what kids are trained to do, but consider other looks as well - smiling without teeth, looking serious, looking away, etc. I find explaining this ahead of time helps.
- Most of all try to capture THEM in the photos. Their authentic selves.
- If hands will be in the scene, pay attention to what they are doing. Awkward hands are awkward hands and I can only adjust them so much. That goes for feet too. A great reason to take multiple shots of each pose.
- Use bribes - offer a treat for AFTER the shoot if they cooperate. This goes for all ages. : )
My Process
- Photos:
- We schedule a photoshoot ($50 due on the day of) …or…
- I collect photos from you. If I see possibilities, I collect $50 from you for the next steps.
- I cull through and crop those I see as the best possibilities.
- I send you options - as many as I have.
- Once you’ve chosen, I make any needed adjustments digitally (a mock-up) to show you about how it will look in the painting. For example, I often have to simplify the background so it doesn’t take attention away from the subject (see below for an example).
- After you sign off on the mocked-up image and a size for the painting, I collect the first half of the agreed upon fee.
- Then I start painting!
- Once I get to a point I’m happy with, you look at it.
- We talk about any changes you want me to make.
- After those adjustments, and your sign off, the painting has to dry for a week to a month depending on thickness of paint.
- Then I varnish, which takes one day to dry.
- Once it’s ready to deliver or ship, I collect the final payment.
- Then it’s yours!
Example: From Photo to Portrait
Below are Rachel and Katie. We had a lovely visit while I took hundreds of photos. It took about an hour.
I ended up liking Katie in the first photo, and Rachel in the second, so I combined them. Below is my mock-up showing that and a simpler background. It's a rough mock-up, but you get the idea.
Once the client signed off on the mock-up I began painting. Here is the finished piece (26x24inches):
