Commissioning artwork is easier than you think: send me some photos, tell me what you want, and voila! I'll get to work!
If you haven't done it already, I suggest you to spend some time looking through the paintings in my Portrait Gallery, as this will give you a clear idea of the kind of work I do, and will also help clarify some of your choices--for example, do you want just one subject in your portrait? would you prefer a head shot? a full body portrait? a painting with multiple subjects? several paintings of the same subject? would you like to include a specific background? There are practically unlimited options available, which makes the planning phase all the more fun--and, of course, there's never any charge for consulting on a portrait.

To get started on your commission, all you have to do is click on the button below--this will take you to an email form that will allow you to contact me directly, and we can discuss what you have in mind. If possible, I recommend that you attach low resolution copies of the photo(s) you would like me to work with, as this will give me a clearer idea of what the painting will involve. See my Photo Tips page for suggestions on choosing and sending your most promising pictures.

You will probably want to consider cost in making your choices about your portrait. Again, the comments on the individual images in my Portrait Gallery can be helpful in giving you an idea of what costs what, but in general my prices start at $125 and go up from there, and the overall guideline is this: for digital paintings, the size of the finished print doesn't matter, as it is the amount of painting involved in creating the work that determines cost. Simply put, more subjects, more complex backgrounds, and so on equal higher cost.

Simple Projects:
$125 is the basic price for a custom portrait of a single subject, head shot only, with a simple
background. My paintings of Pooter, Cinders and Danny all fall into this price range.

More Elaborate Projects:
More complex paintings, which have more than one subject, or a more intricate background,
cost between $150 and $200, depending on the amount of detail involved. My portraits of Fluffy,
Mickey & Tank, Sara & Onyx and Stella & Rachel all fall into this category.

Projects with Multiple Parts:
Sets of paintings--several views of the same animal, or two paintings that go together, for example--
start at about $225. My portraits of Rhona and Sky, the companion paintings, and the
triptych painting of Charlie, involving three separate paintings, cost about $225.

None of this, of course, is set in stone. The best way to determine price more precisely is to contact me,
and we can discuss the particular project you have in mind.

Once we've discussed and agreed on your project, the next step is to get me workable versions of your photos (Photo Tips) and a $75 deposit that I require before I begin a painting. To pay this deposit, simply go to Purchase page, and click on Pay Deposit.

The time it will take me to complete your painting depends a lot on what else I have on my plate--I will let you know when I respond to your inquiry what my time-frame looks like. I do, however, maintain a waiting list, so there's no harm in getting your project on the books as soon as possible. There's no harm, either, in letting me know that you need a portrait asap--I might be able to accommodate you.

When your painting is completed, I will send you an email proof, so you can see the portrait before it's finally printed and mailed. Final payment of the balance can then be made through my Purchase page, by clicking on Pay Balance.

All custom portraits are printed on archival quality watercolor paper, using fade-proof Ultrachrome inks, and will look magnificent when they are matted and framed. Finished portraits will be shipped to you via USPS at no additional charge. If you have sent me hard copies of photos, they will be returned with the final portrait

Unpredictable elements can always crop up when you order a custom product, so it's important that we be flexible and patient with each other to ensure that you get the portrait you want: I'll do my best to give you the clearest possible guidelines on what I offer, what I need, and what it will cost, and you, in turn, will let me know about any particular requests or questions you might have along the way. Communication, as they say, is always the key, and you should never hesitate to send me your thoughts, questions or suggestions.