Help on Your Order
 Choosing Your
Medium: Oils or Charcoal
This is basically a matter of choice. Charcoal is considered
by some to be a more simple yet serious medium for portraits
while oils bring more depth to a portrait with the use of
colors.
This can be the most difficult choice you will make and we
encourage you to think long and hard on this. Do not dismiss
charcoal so easily. The black and white of a charcoal portrait
made by the master artists we have on our team can be quite
dramatic and capture the subject perfectly. If you have never
seen an Ansel Adams picture
I encourage you to do a search on
Google and appreciate this master of black and white photography.
However, oils also have the ‘wow’ factor
with the brilliant colors that help convey emotions
and feelings
of your subject on canvas. Many times oils are the
perfect choice to make that unique custom masterpiece.
Choosing the Size of Your Canvas: How Big? How
Small?
Choosing the best size of your canvas is as important as
the medium for your portrait. While there are sometimes
considerations to take in account that go contrary to conventional
wisdom (for example you may have an antique frame of a
particular size and no choice on the size canvas which
will fit in it) here is some general advice on making the
proper selection of canvas size.
The smaller canvases are generally only for head shots
and/or one person. If you want a full body portrait you
will want to select a larger size canvas for your portrait.
It is also wise that if you are having more than one or
two subjects painted to also increase the size of your
canvas.
The largest canvas 24” X 36” should
generally only be used for groups or full body
portraits and
landscapes. Unless you want a larger than life
head shot that can
be a powerful image, you should stick to the smaller
size
canvases when having a portrait done of just one
person.
Selecting How Many Figures: Is three truly a crowd?
While this is self explanatory, a quick note to
reinforce the selection of canvas size.
If you are having a
custom portrait done with more than 2 figures
you will want
to increase your canvas size to ensure
the best possible portrait.
You don’t want to crowd your subjects
into a small canvas and likewise have a
single figure
swimming
in
a large one.
Choosing Your Cropping: Head and shoulders above the crowd?
Just because your favorite picture is a headshot
only, don’t let that dissuade you from
choosing a different cropping. We can take multiple
pictures
and make one
portrait. You can choose the clothing from one
picture, the body
from another, and the face from another. We will
take all those pictures and make your very special
custom
portrait.
Choosing Your Background: A Studio Background or Detailed
Background?
Again, this is a difficult decision and not one to take
lightly. While it is tempting sometimes to quickly choose
the detailed background, there are times when a studio
background is the better choice.
The studio background will not distract from your subjects
and actually enhance the subjects in a painting. However,
many times the background is as much a part of the story
as the subjects themselves. So think hard about whether
you want this detail added to your custom portrait.
Choosing Your Orientation: Portrait or Landscape?
Normally if there is one subject being painted portrait
is your best choice and if there are more than one subject
you should choose landscape. However there is the pose
to consider as well. If your subject is lying down you
should probably choose landscape even if there is only
one subject. Or if your picture has multiple subjects in
it but they are very close such as in a wedding picture,
an orientation of portrait might be the better choice.
Again the background also has a factor to play as well.
If you choose a studio background it will not make a difference
on your orientation however if there are details in the
picture you want transferred to your custom portrait you
will need to decide if portrait or landscape would be the
better choice.
Choosing Your Shipping: Fast or Slow?
While the EMS option is cheaper (in fact it’s
free!) if you are under time restraints for a
gift presentation
you will definitely want to select the FedEx
option.
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