Pet Portrait Art Commission
I am happy to do a pet portrait art commission on request. If you are interested in a commission please contact me with details of your commission. I will be in contact with you shortly to discuss your requirements in further detail and to request images of your subject.
The Pet Portrait Commission Process
For me to producing a commission you should provide a photograph of your subject along with a brief narrative of what you wish to capture in the image as a starting point. I will then produce one or more quick sketches of what I am looking to produce for you and will run this past you by email. Sketches and notes will then be exchanged until you are happy that I am capturing what you would like to see in your commission.
Once a rough sketch has been agreed further images will be produced until you are happy. Please note that in the case of an acid etching, for example, whilst I can reprint the image a number of times using different levels of shading, colours and texture, the process involves burning the image into a printing plate with acid which is an expensive process which will take a full day of my time and has to be booked at a studio with specialist facilities.
“Thank you so much for doing this commission, the whole process has been extremely enjoyable so far from meeting you at Bovey Tracey (such a lovely, modest but very talented lady) to receiving emails showing the process of creating our lovely Springers, can’t wait to see and hang the end result of all your hard work xx”
It will not be practical to redo the image multiple times to get it right which is why the initial pencil sketches are so important although applying ink in different ways to the plate can produce many variations in print that can be experimented with once the plate has been created. Drypoint etching on the other hand can more easily be redrawn if you are not entirely happy with the print as long as you are clear about what you are looking for in order to minimise the amount of redrawing.
Your framed work will be despatched to you or can be collected by you upon receipt of your payment.
Pet Art Commission Pricing
To estimate a cost for a pet portait art commission, you should find an example piece of work on my website that has been produced in the medium that you would like to be used for your commission. Have a look at size and framing options to obtain an accurate price for that item. I will then look at producing a commission costing between 150% and 200% of the cost of that work that is specific to your requirements.
This price is on the understanding that I can reprint a limited edition of your print. Without this permission the commission will need to be charged at a considerably higher price in order to cover my costs adequately.
Things To Keep In Mind
When asking for a commission there are a number of things that you should keep in mind
1. You should be familiar with my existing work. In my prints I like to capture character of the subjects. The prints are, however, an interpretation of the subject and should not be expected to be a photographic replica. If you want a photographic style print that clearly depicts your own subject in a lifelike form rather than capturing the essence of your subject along with some artistic interpretation you may need to look elsewhere.
2. I make a living from spending a lot of time developing images that can then be manually reprinted a number of times ensuring that the initial production costs can be covered whilst managing to sell a number of limited edition original prints at an affordable price. When considering a commission it will usually be much cheaper for you if I retain the rights to reprint a limited edition of your image later. Rather than reduce the value of your print the additional exposure is likely to increase the value. You will retain an ‘Artist Proof’ edition and a certificate indicating that you commissioned the work. Obviously if you wish to retain the rights to the work and prevent additional prints from being produced this can be arranged, however, this must be reflected in a dramatically higher commission price.
3. When commissioning work in order to accurately price it you will need to agree what medium you would like the work commissioned in (acid plate etching, dry point etching etc). You should be aware that some mediums will involve more costs than others and this will be reflected in the commission as will the size of the work required and framing options. Some mediums will also have limitations on the use of colours and textures. Ideally when commissioning a piece of work you should be able to highlight an example of a piece of work that highlights a style that you like albeit maybe a different subject matter. I will explain all the available options and help you through this process before accepting the commission
4. Timescales for pet portrait art commissions will vary due to a number of factors including the medium chosen (some such as acid plate etchings will need studio time booking), other work in progress and exhibitions taking place as well as all important family and holiday downtime. I understand, however, that commissions will often be a gift for someone special and as such will have a timescale that may need to be adhered to and I will be very quick to explain what can be achieved in the time available and ensure that that timescale is met.