To Commission a Portrait

How to Commission a Portrait

Photographing your Beautiful Beast

Commissioned Hand-Painted Portraits from Beautiful Beasts are created from photographs. It's simple: the better the photograph, the better the final portrait. However, you do not have to be a professional photographer to get a great photograph. Your animal companion will be most relaxed around you, anyway, so just get your camera* and a few rolls of film, and start shooting!

Here are some tips:

Make sure the lighting is good.
Get down onto the ground so that you are eye level with your animal friend.
Wait for the good shots! You'll be surprised at the great results you can get with a little patience. Make sure you get some shots that show detail and facial expression.
If all else fails, you might contact your local pet shop. Often, for a reasonable fee, professional photographers schedule days at pet stores when you can bring in your pet for a photo shoot. Harry's portrait (see the Testimonials page) was created from a professional photograph, but all the other portraits on my website were from photos taken by people just like you!

*About cameras -- you may use:

a 35mm camera with film
a digital camera (the more pixels, the better)
even an inexpensive single-use camera

Personalizing the Portrait

Does your Beautiful Beast have a favorite food, toy, or obsession? Something that makes him or her truly unique? I have a great imagination and can include these details in the portrait, making it a truly unique gift for yourself or someone special.

Instead of a trait of the animal, you may want to include something about yourself or your home to personalize the portrait. Is there a favorite pillow your animal friend sleeps on? Or a shoe she loves to nibble on? Or maybe you've seen one of the other portraits I've done on my website and you'd like to do something similar. There are endless possibilities and portraits can be whimsical and fun, or serious and traditional.

When you are ready to commission a portrait, e-mail me. Be sure to tell me your animal companion's name, and describe his/her special spirit. I will help you to create a very special portrait.

Pricing a Commissioned Portrait

Because each painting is so unique, several things determine price: The size of the painting, the medium (oil on canvas or acrylic on paper), the number of animals in the painting, and the details that will be included. We can discuss pricing and come up with an amazing portrait in your price range. A 50% deposit is required to begin, with the balance due upon completion.

Terms and Conditions of Sale

Artist retains all copyrights and reproduction rights to artwork produced.
Deposits are a commitment to proceed with the portrait and are non-refundable.

For more questions about commissioning a portrait contact the artist at beautifulbeasts@comcast.net.