The Covid pandemic has been so very disruptive to my art practice, with commissions postponed, exhibitions cancelled, and my studio closed down for months. But this particular commission was the exception, as it came my way because of the pandemic. A group of friends struggled to think of an interesting birthday present for their housemate, when all the usual “experience” gifts are somewhat limited with covid restrictions. So what better gift can you give someone than a commissioned portrait 🙂
That moment when I sit down with the sitter can often be quite nerve-racking. On the surface I try to appear professional and reasonably competent, whilst I’m anxiously searching for the most suitable lighting and appropriate poses, and trying to decide how best to describe this person, who normally I have only just met.
This particular sitting went very well. It was a wonderfully bright day and the first location we chose turned out to be ideal. The sitter was very easy to talk to, and I very quickly had a good idea of how I wanted to paint him.
If you’re interested in commissioning a portrait, feel free to contact me via the email address on the Contact page. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.
I recently had a callout for volunteers to pose for portraits. These are some images from the sitting I arranged with the first volunteer. I think they give a good idea of how I set about making a portrait. I start with initial drawings, and once I’m happy with the pose and lighting, I commence with the painting. This painting is still in its early stages, but I’ll be able to finish it now using reference photos I took in the sitting.
First marks on canvasStill early days, but the structure is there now.
This is an ongoing project, and I’m often on the lookout for volunteers for portrait sittings. I particularly like working with people who have an interest in the creative process – who are curious about how a portrait is produced. If you can get to my studio and can spare a few hours to pose, please do get in touch.
Update
I am now based in Eastbourne, which isn’t so convenient for people to travel to. However, if you are based in or near London, I am happy to travel to you for a sitting.
Portrait Paintings 2009-2019
Here’s a short video I made for Instagram, which shows a selection of my portraits from the past ten years.
Me posing in front of two commissions and a self portrait. Leegate Open Studios 2018.
Following on from my recent post about commissioning a portrait, I thought I’d add a quick post about less conventional portraits. Over the years, I would say that the majority of enquiries I receive about commissioning a painting are for commissioning a nude portrait.
The two nude paintings in the photo above make an interesting case study. Both clients already had a good idea of how they wanted to be portrayed. Subject 1 (female sitter on left), was able to pose in their own home, and had few restrictions on their time. The first sitting was spent making sketches of various poses. In the second sitting I produced a more detailed pencil drawing, from which I was able to start the painting. There followed a few painting sessions, each lasting about three hours. In between I was able to work from a reference photo to bring the painting forward.
woman sat on bed
Subject 2 (male model in centre, behind me) chose to pose in the studio. Because there was already agreement on what the pose would be, we were able to compress the whole preparatory process into one sitting. We started with preliminary drawings, constantly adjusting the lights, and then spent the rest of the sitting taking photos. At that stage I was happy that I had all the material I needed, and was able to complete the painting without further sittings.
I hope that sheds some light onto the process involved in commissioning an artwork. Exactly the same applies to a conventional portrait painting. I should add that if it’s not possible to arrange an in person sitting, I am able to work from photos supplied by the customer. In that situation I can give direction on the pose, background and lighting. If I am asked to work from old photos, I like to see a number of photos of the subject, to give me a better idea of what they look like, which gives me the option of swapping elements from different photos.
Firstly, the most important thing is to find an artist whose work you like. I would suggest that factors such as the collectability and market value of an artist are less important when commissioning a portrait. You’re not looking for an investment, but instead want a sympathetic rendering of yourself or a loved one. You don’t need to go through a gallery or agent. If the artist has a website with a contact form or email address, or has a social media profile, then they will almost certainly welcome enquiries about commissions. Otherwise they will have something like “contact *** gallery for information”. Some artists may be happy to produce a painting from a photo you provide, but most serious portrait artists will want at least a short sitting, even if it’s just to work out the best pose for reference photos.
Art fairs and open studio events are a great way to discover new artists.
Once you start searching, you’ll probably be surprised by the wealth of artistic talent that’s hidden nearby. Open studio events, group shows, regional art competitions and art fairs are a great way to find local artists…., and of course, there’s always Instagram. Once you have a shortlist of artists that you might want to approach, you will have to give some thought to the type of portrait that you are looking for. Price will depend partly on size, but also complexity. For instance, two figures will take longer to paint than a single figure, and a plain background will be easier to paint than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Harsh lighting can add character to a portrait. Female portraits have traditionally employed softer lighting.
The lighting and setting will depend on the subject. Harsh, directional lighting might add character while softer, flatter lighting is generally considered more flattering.
Props and setting can say a lot about the sitter.
So you’ve decided that you want to commission a portrait. What do you want this painting to say about the sitter? Historically artists would include props to indicate the trade or position of the subject, but in present times people would probably not choose to be defined by their job, but would instead prefer to emphasize some other skills or attributes.
It’s quite popular to have a family group portrait, but bear in mind that for most artists it will add to the cost – two figures takes longer to paint than a single figure. And of course the chosen size of the painting will affect the price.
Artist are very often the targets for online scams. I receive far more phoney emails than I do legitimate enquiries. If you do choose to contact an artist about commissioning an artwork, it might help to include your contact details, or a link to your social media profile, just to help persuade the artist that you’re genuine.
