Graphic Design Commissions
If you are in need of a graphic design solution, I will initially need to talk to you to get a proper brief. Everyone has an idea in their head of how they want something to be, and sometimes it’s difficult to get that across in words. I need to understand what the ‘bigger picture’ is. Graphic design projects are often a complex conundrum, there are immense lists of criteria to understand, long before any pencil touches paper, and it is too long to list here – suffice to say, my Number One tip and place to start is – ‘Know your Market’.
Portrait Painting Commissions
If you would like a portrait painting from your photo it’s very easy! Just contact me and you can send by email your photo and I can update with you the progress by email etc. Paintings can be done in a minimum of 8 days, but two – four weeks would be preferable as the paint needs time to dry in-between stages and of course before delivery! Varnishing of the painting is required to protect the painting and really ought to be done at least 3 months after completion.
Paintings will be done in oils on canvas or board, as to your preference. Canvases come in set sizes and are detailed below:
Currently my basic Prices are as follows: (Price as of January 2020).
£400 for a single Portrait on size approx 406 x 508, this smaller size is more suitable for head and shoulders.
£450 for a single portrait, size approx 457mm x 609mm, much like the ones shown on the website, or seen at Bayswater Road.
£600 for a double portrait size approx 457mm x 609mm, faces and shoulders.
£750 for a double portrait size approx 609mm x 762mm, with more of the whole figure.
Other sizes will need to be quoted.
I would ask for half the fee upfront, payable by cash, bank transfer or PayPal, and the final payment on completion, after which I will arrange delivery. If you are locally based (London area) I would normally arrange to deliver the painting myself, or hand over at the Bayswater Road pitch.
About the painting
The paintings shown in the Art section of the website are done in a loose, lively style capturing the essence of the sitter. My paintings, although accurate as I can make them, do not have the quality of the hypo-realistic, neither do I want them to be, as I prefer a more painty style and colours. As that is my style, it is what your painting will look like. A lot of the portraits I do are from Photos. To make a good portrait from a photo it’s best to have a natural looking photograph to begin with, and the better the quality of shot the better. Good lighting and interesting clothing also make a big difference, as does the background. Paintings can be done with complicated backgrounds as in some of the other paintings on this website – they can be suggested or painted more fully. To do a portrait from life the sitter must be able to maintain a pose for at least half an hour at a time, and be prepared to sit for a number of hours at various times, it is therefore a lot easier to paint from a photo for the sitter! Bearing that in mind, a more natural looking portrait from a photo would require the sitter to imagine they are preparing to sit for half and hour at least, this will make the face more relaxed and the painting will have greater depth of character. Paintings can of course be done from holiday snaps, if good quality, but laughing faces and sunny lighting will look just like a painting from a photograph – and nowadays there are many printers that produce, very cheaply , prints of your photo onto canvas. Sending a few photographs of the person will also help, to get a better idea of how they look and their personality. If you would like a professional photographer to set up your photo for me to paint, I have a partner who works along side me in this, this would be an extra cost. https://www.kayvanmichael.com
I either paint on board which can be smooth or rough textured and rigidity, or on a good quality linen or cotton canvas. Please specify which you prefer when commissioning . The portraits on this website are all around A2 in size approx 450mm x 600mm. Stretched canvas come in standard sizes, whereas if painted on board I can do any size you like.
Painting two or more people on one painting is best achieved if they are all in the same shot at the same time and place – ‘cobbling together’ separate photos can be done with my Photoshop skills, but if the angles and lighting of the people are not matched the picture will look strange. Obviously painting a double portrait will cost more than one person. A portrait with a dog or cat , or any other pet or object needs to be quoted. I will usually edit out anything in a photo that is not wanted or looks strange.
When painting from a photo, I cannot stress enough the importance of a good photo to work from! This means a photo that’s in focus and high resolution – not web size. The image should be in mb rather than kb. Most cameras and iPhones today will produce a photograph of adequate resolution size to paint from. But it will need to be sent to me by email or downloaded in a link. Don’t send via Whatsapp, Messenger or Messages etc, as these will reduce the photo size and quality.
Painting and drawing from life is also an option, but will require a lot of time and setting up. But this is something I can do, so contact me to discuss.
Framing and Delivery
You don’t have to have the portrait framed by me, in fact it will probably be better if you choose and do your own frame. It will then be easier to deliver and ship, as will be lighter. If you do require a frame, I can of course supply. The type of frame will determine the extra cost. Something simple like the one of the couple shown in the Art section would be about £50 extra. Delivery in London will be undertaken by me at no extra cost, or paintings can be collected from Bayswater Road, London on a Sunday. Delivery elsewhere will be most likely done by Hermes and costs differ enormously so I will need to quote you separately. Most UK and European destinations are relatively inexpensive.
Contacting me
Just use the contact page to email me. I’m of course also available by phone, text, whatsapp, etc… for those of you that have my business card or flyer. I’m also on Facebook; Cindy Scott Art Antics – there’s probably a link somewhere on this website!