Technologi

If you want to commission a portrait painting, there are many artists today who are doing this kind of work. Going online and searching for such an artist brings up numerous results. It is therefore vitally important to know what to look for in an artist and what to expect when commissioning such a work.

When choosing an artist, it is most helpful to look at a portfolio of work already done to determine the level of skill of the artist. Work may be done in many different mediums like oils, pastels, watercolors, charcoal and even a combination of mediums. Artists all have their own styles and you will naturally be drawn to one with a style and working in a medium that best suits your tastes.

In past centuries, the individual having his or her likeness painted was required to sit for hours. Now the process can be simplified with the use of photographs. All artists have different methods and some prefer to work from a single, detailed photographic sitting. Others like to work from real life, producing quick sketches and studies and several sessions of this nature might be required. Yet others use a combination of photographs and real life sketches.

Some people may be under the impression that when commissioning such an artwork, it has to be a full length one. This is not true and many artists are happy to work on much smaller ones, such as those consisting only of a head or a head and shoulders. In fact, not nearly as many full length portraits are requested today as they were more suited to large banquet halls and enormous rooms.

The choice of background can influence the price. It is possible to select a simple, abstract one which is not as difficult to paint as a complex one and so reduce the price. Of course, you may want a scene that relates to the sitter in some way and this will obviously cost more. The clothing selected for the sitter can also influence the price. For example, someone wearing an elaborate gown would take longer to paint than someone in a simple dress.

Once all the details have been agreed upon, a contract has to be drawn up. The contract should clearly lay out all the details, including what has to be paid and when. This should be signed by both parties. Many artists request part payment to confirm the deal and this amount can vary from artist to artist.

Preparation of a painted sketch is usually done before the actual work commences. This allows the client to gain some idea of what the final work will look like and certain changes can be made at this stage. Artists do charge for this sketch which the client can keep.

People are often unaware of the price of portraits, thinking that they are very expensive. This is true of some but not of all of them. Price depends upon factors like size, background, medium used, clothing worn and many other details. A small painting of the head of the individual against a simple background is not that expensive and it makes a wonderful gift for someone you care for that can be passed down through generations.