vendredi 7 mars 2014

Commission A Portrait Painting From A Skilled Artist

By Leticia Jensen


The idea of capturing the likeness of an individual in an artwork is not a new one. This concept has been popular through the ages. Commission a portrait painting and you have a lasting way of preserving memories that can be passed down through generations. However, it is important to choose a skilled artist who will do more than just produce a copy of a photograph.

Your choice of an artist will largely depend on the fact that you consider him or her to be skilled at what they do. You do not want to end up with an artwork that is merely a copy of a photograph. A true artist will capture more than just the likeness. Artists also work in oils, charcoal, watercolors, gauche and other mediums. On examining the portfolios of artists, you will inevitably prefer the style and medium used by one artist above another.

Artists who painted portraits in days gone by needed a sitter to remain in a certain pose for hours on end. Photography has changed this to a large extent and artists follow many different methods. Some artists still prefer to draw from life, making sketches and studies. Others like to work from photographs they have taken themselves in a single session. Many like to combine the use of photographs and on the spot 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.

Backgrounds can be very different, depending on the preference of the client. You may want the individual to be posed with a background scene you associate with them. You may prefer to select a really simple background to reduce costs. The clothing worn by the individual can also influence costs as more elaborate clothing takes more time to paint.

It is important to have a contract drawn up once all the details have been settled. This should be signed by both parties before any further work commences. Most artists require some kind of deposit at this stage which may be up to half of the total amount.

Finally, the artist can get to work on producing a preliminary painted sketch. This is presented to the client and helps them to visualize what the final artwork is going to look like. They are able to make certain minor changes at this stage if required. The artist charges for this sketch which is kept by the client.

Many individuals are put off commissioning portraits because they are afraid of the expense involved. Not all portraits are highly expensive. Prices do vary considerably and can often be negotiated between the artist and the client, depending on factors such as the size, background and the medium used.




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