FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)
I've really been asked all of these!
FAQs
(Frequently Asked Questions)
I've really been asked all of these!
What sizes of portraits do you do? Do you charge extra for doing a full body portrait of a pet? How many hours does it take for you to do a portrait? How do you ship portraits?
Most of the single portraits that I do will fit in a 16 x 20 frame, after they're matted. Portraits that have more than one subject may be larger; I rarely work smaller. The exception is if I'm doing a single head/shoulders picture of a small dog or cat--in that case an 11 x 14 size might be more appropriate. Usually I try to make the portrait image no larger than the actual subject.
If I send a picture that has a distracting background, can you leave it out?
I prefer NOT to do backgrounds on portraits unless there's some very good reason to include them. So don't worry if your photograph has an unappealing background. As long as the face is clear and sharp, I can probably use it!
Can you change the color of the shirt my son is wearing in the picture?
Probably.
Can you put two pets/people in the same portrait from separate photographs?
Most of the time I can use the subjects in two or more separate photographs and combine them into one portrait. It's not always easy, but it's usually do-able. Years ago a woman commissioned me to do an oil portrait of her 5 adult children--all from separate photographs with different lighting directions, clashing clothing colors, etc. etc. It was a challenge, but it turned out well and the client was pleased! (See below)
It would depend on the picture and what you're really going for. I feel that most portraits are best if they focus on a pet's (or person's) face and eyes. But let me look at the picture and we'll talk about it.
What if I don't have a really good photograph?
That could be a problem....Sometimes I CAN work from photos that aren't of the best quality, but unless I feel that I can achieve excellent results, I won't agree to do the portrait.
Can you add color to an old black & white photograph?
Sometimes....as long as I have information about the person's complexion, hair color and eye color. After a loved one dies, family members sometimes realize that they don't have any good color pictures of their mother, father or grandparents. I've worked from several black and white photographs of clients' deceased loved ones. These portraits (like the one below) are truly,truly treasured ones....
It varies. Most single (pastel) portraits take me at least 10 actual hours of work. Usually pencil portraits go a little faster, but not always. Bridal portraits probably take me the longest, due to the detailed gowns and veils.
Do you have an art studio?
I work out of my home and at the moment I don't have any specified "studio space"--how nice that would be! Most of the time I work on a drawing table that's set up in my spare bedroom.
How long have you been doing portraits?
I did my first commissioned portraits (i.e. portraits that someone asked me to do and paid me for doing!) the summer after I graduated from high school. I graduated in 1975, so I've been doing portraits for (gulp!) over 30 years!!
I don't see any portraits of cats. Do you do cat portraits?
Yes, I do cat portraits, but unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of them.... In the days before digital photography, I'd try to take slides or prints of artwork with my 35mm camera before it went away to the client, but I didn't always have film, or I'd forget to take a picture, or the photograph wouldn't turn out well, etc. etc. The pictures that I have on my website are really just a few of the portraits that I've done since 1975.
Where do you exhibit your work?
In the 1980s I exhibited fairly often--in banks and libraries and in various art shows and art fairs. After I had children, it was difficult to go away to shows, and then after I started teaching, it was even harder to find the time to devote to exhibits. In the last five years I've only exhibited in a couple of shows, but since a lot of my work is "out there" on my website more people see it now than ever before!
Do you belong to any professional art organizations?
At the moment the only professional art organizations that I belong to are the National Art Education Association and the Virginia Art Education Association. In the 1980s (and early 1990s) when I was exhibiting more, I was a member of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Art Association and the Shenandoah Valley Art Center.
Have you ever done a self-portrait?
Actually, yes, a few of them. The first one was when I was in college. I don't remember the details, but some collector was putting together an exhibit of artists' self-portraits and was planning to display them in New Zealand! Don't know what happened to that one. I've also done one that my parents have in their house, but I don't have a picture of it.
Can you do a portrait for me really quickly--like by next week?
Unfortunately, probably not. During the school year it's especially difficult to guarantee a quick turnaround time. Let's talk about it, though, and I'll see if there's anything I can do.
Are you a full-time portrait artist?
No. I'm a art teacher at a small private co-ed boarding and day school. Because I don't have to rely on income from portrait commissions, I can be more selective about the portraits that I commit to do. When I accept a commission, you can be assured that I'm doing it because I know it will turn out beautifully!
Do you have any artwork to sell?
Most of what I do is commissioned work, so I don't have a lot of artwork for sale. I do have original counted cross stitch patterns of lighthouses for sale.
Why do you charge a 20% non-refundable deposit?
I don't have storage space at my home for the paper that I use for portraits. (Ideally, paper is stored flat and protected from humidity, dust, etc.) The deposit allows me to purchase paper and other supplies that I need to get started on your portrait.
Do you do oil portraits?
I used to do portraits in oil and several of them are featured on my website. Unfortunately, due to limited time and lack of studio space, it's just not feasible for me to work in oil now.
Will you do an 8x10 portrait of my cat?
I rarely work that small--I find that 11x14 is a better size for most portraits. If there's some reason that you really, really want a portrait that size, we can talk about it.
Will you do a nude portrait of me?
Surprisingly, I've gotten several calls over the years about doing nude portraits--there's probably quite a market out there for artists who are good at this! But no, I really prefer to do head/shoulders portraits of fully clothed people!
Do you always use white backgrounds?
I almost always use a white background for pastel and pencil portraits. Since I'm really focusing on capturing the essence of the person or pet that I'm doing, I think the white is less distracting than a colored background.
Can you change my hair from long, straight & brown to short, curly & blond?
Hmmmm....dunno. If you have a picture of yourself with the short, curly blond hair--in a position similar to the picture in which you have long, straight brown hair, it might be possible. I'd have to see your pictures to know for sure.
Can you "age" my son? He was 3 in the picture and now he's 5....
Probably not. I prefer to make as few changes as possible from the photograph and kids change so quickly. I could do the picture as he appeared at age 3, or you could wait until you have another favorite picture of him as he appears now.
Can you change Dad's expression and give him a bigger smile?
I'd have to see the picture, but probably not. We smile with so much more than just our mouths--our eyes change, the lines of the face change.... It's very difficult for me to radically change an expression or change the angle of the face and head.
Do you do portraits of babies?
Sometimes I'll do portraits of infants, but I really prefer to wait until a child is about two years old. By that time their facial structure is more defined and their personality is more easily captured.
Can you make me look thinner?
I guess that depends.... I can't do a lot to change basic facial structure, but sometimes through shading and highlighting I can make cheekbones more prominent, for example. After seeing the photograph, I'd be in a better position to tell you what changes I could make. Most people do say that I've flattered them in their portraits!
Have you ever done portraits of any famous people?
I've never been commissioned to do a portrait by anyone famous, but years ago I did a portrait of Princess Diana that I used when I was exhibiting at art shows. People would come over, commenting that it was a nice portrait of Diana, and since they recognized her, they knew that I would be able to accurately do their portrait!
Usually I mail them. Since I no longer do framing, they're not very heavy or expensive to mail. I have the portrait lightly attached to a piece of rigid cardboard with a coversheet over it and then with a rigid piece of cardboard on top. I always insure these, and they've always arrived safely.
Will pastels fade with time or will the paper yellow?
Pastels are remarkably durable materials. Unlike oil paints--which contain pigment in a binder of oil--pastels are essentially pure pigment. As long as they're applied to acid-free paper (which I use) and kept out of direct sunlight, they'll be beautiful for literally hundreds of years!
Are your pastel portraits chalky? Will they smear? How should they be cared for?
You're probably thinking of artists that you've seen at theme parks who quickly draw caricatures or pastel portraits while you sit for them for a few minutes. I'm often impressed with some of these folks because they work so quickly and usually achieve a good likeness! By the nature of how they're working though, their portraits are usually quite chalky.
My technique for pastels is very different, and my portraits are pastel paintings, in that I rarely use the pastels to draw directly on the paper. Instead, I create a palette of pastel pigment on a piece of paper and then apply the pastel to the portrait using cotton balls, Q-tips, etc. The first couple of layers are literally pushed into the fibers of the paper, and then I slowly build up color as I work on the portrait. That's one reason that it takes me so long to do a portrait! (Be sure to check out the "Portrait Steps" pages.)
I use a good quality fixative to lightly spray the portrait when I'm done, and as long as it's matted and framed shortly after you receive it, you shouldn't have any problem with it smearing. Which leads me to:
~THE STORY~
I learned JUST how durable pastels are many, many years ago... I'd just completed a commission and was going to call the client that afternoon to get him to come look at it. I'd sprayed the portrait with fixative and had it hanging on the wall in my family room--a supposedly "safe place."
While I was out of the room, my (then) two year old pushed his little ride-on school bus over to the wall, climbed up, snagged the bottom of the paper and pulled it down. By the time I walked back into the room, he had it crumpled up on his lap!!
I thought it was ruined--there was a little smudging, but not nearly as much as I thought there would be--but I was mainly concerned about all the WRINKLES! What to do?!
I gently erased the smudges and was surprised to find that the actual portrait hadn't been hurt at all. Rationalizing that I was using 100% cotton rag paper, I laid it face down on a coversheet on my kitchen counter, thoroughly sprayed the back of it with water and weighted it down. The next morning I sprayed it again, lightly, and IRONED it! To my utter amazement, the wrinkles came out, the colors were still rich and vibrant, and the client never knew! ;-)
Obviously I do NOT recommend washing and ironing pastel portraits, but as long as they're matted, framed, and kept out of direct sunlight, they'll last for years and years.