I WILL MEET FIRST WITH THE SITTER AND DISCUSS IDEAS FOR THE PORTRAIT (I.E. DRESS, SETTING, AND ANY OTHER ASPECTS). I PREFER THE SITTER TO HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT OUTFITS FROM WHICH WE MAY CHOOSE.

ONCE ALL ASPECTS OF THE PORTRAIT ARE AGREED UPON, THE PAINTING WILL BEGIN*(SEE BELOW). I WILL CONSIDER PAINTING THE PORTRAIT FROM PHOTOGRAPHS. I WILL DO SO USING PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I HAVE TAKEN. OF COURSE IF THE PAINTING IS POSTHUMOUS, I WILL WORK WITH THE CLIENT TO DECIDE WHICH PHOTO WILL WORK BEST. REMEMBER, THE BETTER THE PHOTO THE BETTER THE PORTRAIT.  WHILE I DO NOT MIND PAINTING SOLELY FROM PHOTOS, I PREFER TO WORK FROM LIFE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS REQUIRES A COMMITMENT FROM THE SITTER, BUT IN THE END, THE RESULT WILL BE WORTH IT.

AT THE FIRST SITTING, I WILL BEGIN TO PAINT IN THE MASS OF THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS. THIS SITTING WILL USUALLY LAST ABOUT 2 TO 3 HOURS. (I INSIST GREATLY THAT MY SITTERS TAKE A BREAK EVERY TWENTY (20) MINUTES DURING ALL SITTINGS FOR THE PORTRAIT).

THE SECOND SITTING WILL STILL BE FOCUSED ON THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS OF THE PORTRAIT. SINCE EVERY PORTRAIT IS DIFFERENT, IT MAY REQUIRE NUMEROUS SITTINGS TO FINISH THE PORTRAIT HEAD. I USUALLY FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES WITH REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF SITTINGS FOR COMPLETING THE HEAD OF THE PORTRAIT:

WOMEN AND MEN

1 TO 4 SITTINGS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

CHILDREN

4 TO 6 SITTINGS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) 

THE REMAINING SITTINGS WILL BE USED TO ADD THE ESSENTIALS OF THE PORTRAIT SO THAT IT IS FINISHED TO BOTH THE SITTER AND THE ARTIST’S SATISFACTION.

I WILL CONSIDER FINISHING THE REMAINDER OF THE PORTRAIT (IF LARGER THAN HEAD AND SHOULDERS SIZE) FROM PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I HAVE TAKEN.

IT IS OFTEN ASKED HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO COMPLETE A PORTRAIT AND THE ANSWER VARIES GREATLY. MANY VARIABLES MUST BE CONSIDERED WHEN ANSWERING THIS QUESTION. SIZE, COMPLEXITY, NUMBER OF FIGURES AND SITTING SCHEDULE ARE THE MAIN FACTORS IN DECIDING HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE. IT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM A FEW WEEKS UP TO A YEAR OR MORE TO COMPLETE ANY ONE PORTRAIT.

*PLEASE READ BELOW FOR A PAYMENT SCHEDULE*

PROCEDURES FOR PAYMENT

A 50% DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED FOR ALL HEAD AND SHOULDERS AND HALF-LENGTH PORTRAITS BEFORE THE PAINTING IS BEGUN. THIS DEPOSIT IS NON-REFUNDABLE ONCE THE PORTRAIT IS BEGUN. IF THE COMMISSION IS CANCELED AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MATERIALS FOR THE PORTRAIT, THE ARTIST WILL RETAIN A PERCENTAGE OF THE DEPOSIT TOTALING THE COST OF MATERIALS. THE BALANCE OF PAYMENT IS TO BE PAID UPON ACCEPTANCE OF THE FINISHED PORTRAIT.

A 25%-50% DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED FOR THREE-QUARTER LENGTH AND FULL-LENGTH, AND IS NON-REFUNDABLE ONCE THE PORTRAIT IS BEGUN. IF THE COMMISSION IS CANCELED AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MATERIALS FOR THE PORTRAIT, THE ARTIST WILL RETAIN A PERCENTAGE TOTALING THE COST OF THE MATERIALS. THE BALANCE OF PAYMENT IS DUE UPON ACCEPTANCE OF THE FINISHED PORTRAIT.

PLEASE CONTACT THE ARTIST FOR A COPY OF THE CONTRACT