Living in Portland, Oregon in the beautiful Northwest has its advantages. There are many artists of all genres living and working in this inspiring part of the country. When looking for an artist to render a likeness of your pet, you may want to consider the following tips: 1. Build a rapport with the artist of your choice by meeting them in person or via e-mail. Be sure they have a real love and devotion to animals, as this will come across in their artwork. 2. The artist will most likely ask for a deposit of half the cost of the painting up front, and the remainder due upon completion. Ask that a scan or photo be sent to you for approval and to make any needed changes before the painting is shipped to you, or that youre able to pick it up at the artists home. This will assure you that the painting is to your liking before you receive it. The cost is usually based on the size of the canvas requested and the complexity. Most artists have many sizes and styles to choose from. They may provide a simple background for a painting, a head shot only, or two or more animals in the same painting, and a more complex background. 3. There are many types of media that an artist may use, including acrylic, oils, pastel (both chalk and oil pastel), watercolor and colored pencil. Paintings done with acrylic and oil may not need framing. Artwork done in pastel, watercolor and colored pencil usually do need to be framed under glass, so be sure to consider this additional cost when commissioning a painting. Some artists recommend which frames will look best, while others leave the framing to the client. 4. A photograph will need to be provided for the artist to work from. He or she may request additional photographs to be sure to capture a likeness of your pet. If you live in the same area as the artist, they may offer to photograph the animal for you. Photos can be provided to the artist either by regular U.S. Postal service, or via e-mail. The artist can give you tips on the best way to photograph your animal for his or her painting. 5. Be sure to discuss the time frame involved for your receipt of the painting. Some artists have a backlog. If you have a deadline for your painting because of an anniversary, birthday or holiday, be sure to let the artist know. Sometimes they may be able to accommodate your deadline. Remember that they can always give you a gift certificate if the painting will need to be completed a few days after the time you would like to receive it. Once you have decided on which artist you are going to work with, its been my experience that the short wait to complete your portrait is definitely worth it! 6. After your painting is completed, ask if the artist also provides greeting cards of the portrait image, or other services that you may want. 7. The copyright for the finished work belongs to the artist, but you can discuss with them any special needs you may have. You may want to use the painting for your business cards or company logo. |
