By Destany Fenton
It is preferable to work from life for many reasons, however,
it is rarely possible for me to do so. Most of my clients live in other states,
other countries or even on the other side of the ocean. Therefore, working from
photos supplied by my clients is often the only option for me. But when local,
I much prefer a personal meeting.
Once I am contacted for a portrait commission I will take some time to communicate with my client via email or over the telephone to establish the details of the painting. There are some key questions I will ask that will help me to determine what is the best composition of the painting. I will need to know as much about each individual sitter as I can. I will ask for as many photos of the sitter or sitters as possible, in order to more accurately correct photo distortion.
Once I am contacted for a portrait commission I will take some time to communicate with my client via email or over the telephone to establish the details of the painting. There are some key questions I will ask that will help me to determine what is the best composition of the painting. I will need to know as much about each individual sitter as I can. I will ask for as many photos of the sitter or sitters as possible, in order to more accurately correct photo distortion.
I am particular on my subject matter. I will not re-create a
photograph, unless the goal is to bring to life and old black and white
picture. I also do not like to paint “photobooth portraits” - vapid, smiling
faces staring out of a canvas on a plain background. In formal portraiture, the
use of props, background and lighting can create drama and interest to help
tell the viewer about the person they are looking at.
Much more than a photograph, a painted portrait tells the
story of you!
I will create an 8” x 10” study drawing of the composition
that my client has asked me for. These take about a day. Once the drawing is
fully rendered in shaded in graphite, I will send a copy of the image to my
client for approval. Once this is approved, I will ask for a deposit of 30% and
then I will begin work on the painting. When I am near completing the painting,
I will send a digital copy of it to the client for approval. This is the time
for them to request small alterations or fine-tune the painting so that it most
closely matches with their impression of the sitter. There is no limit on the
number of minor tweaks I will allow at this stage. A painting is finished only
when the client tells me they love it. At this point, I will request the final
payment and once received, I will ship or arrange pick up of the painting.
All of my paintings are hand stretched gallery wrapped
acryllic primed cotton canvas and painted in oil. I make each one specific to
the size required and they may be framed or hung directly to the wall.
For one sitter:
11” x 14” - $300
16” x 20” - $450
24” x 36” - $600
Each additional sitter: $50 to $100, depending on size.
*Other sizes are available, the above is a general guideline.
All prices are agreed upon and set before work begins.
For more information, please contact me:
816-612-1490
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