About Commissioning my Original Art

Commission Art

Commission art; as a portrait artist there is no greater honour than to be chosen for an art commission. As such, I absolutely love working on commissions, as each piece is a new challenge and allows me to grow as an artist from the experience of painting each one. In order to create a portait, I like to research the subject and then generally I work from photographs of the painting’s subject doing what they love.

Often it is a close family member, friend or colleague that commission the piece, so I am able to find out about the subject’s background, their life and their personality.  Then my aim is then to capture their energy. Through my work I wish to convey the fleeting moments of time in the life of a loved one.  In addition, their personality has to shine through and somehow it always does.  When there are two or more people in the painting, the connection they have between them must also be captured. I use photos for reference and I also work intuitively. This is very important because photographs only capture so much. Commissioning a painting of a valued colleague, friend or family member really is an exceptional gift, as they will be passed down through the generations. That is why, when I paint art commissions, I believe I am painting heirlooms.

To see examples and to read more about the process for commissioning art, please see below. Alternatively, if you would like to commission a portrait of a loved one or a colleague, please feel free to contact me to discuss your vision and we’ll see how we can make it a reality.

How to commission art. Where possible, I go to the clients house because people are always more relaxed in their own environment. To begin, I take “posey” photos first, as that’s what is expected.  Then after that, the real magic begins, as they forget about me and go about their daily business; be it work or play. This takes about an hour at the most. Also when capturing children, don’t worry if your child never sits still.  I will be taking it all in and these moments always get captured. Where it is not possible to to to the home, I work from photographs and, wherever it is possible to take photos specifically for the portrait, I can advise how best to capture the subject.

Once the commissioned art is almost complete, I invite you to my house before adding the finishing touches. We both have to be happy with it. If you live far away, we will meet up at a convenient time and location to review your commissioned art.

To read what my past clients had to say about their experience of the commission process, please go to my testimonials page to read what clients say about my work and their involvement in the creative process.