COMMISSIONING A PORTRAIT
Commissioning a portrait from me
is very easy and only takes a few simple steps. Firstly, all you need to do is
contact me via Facebook messenger, email or phone and let me know your portrait
requirements. I require a 35% non-refundable deposit* on booking your portrait,
with the balance due on completion.
Alethea Arts portraits are
created in coloured pencil, where only high-quality Faber Castell Polychromos,
Caran D’Ache Luminance and Pablos, and Derwent Lightfast oil-based pencils are
used. I use Daler Rowney smooth heavyweight cartridge paper, a great archival
paper with a surface that allows for many layers really capturing the colour
and texture of the artwork.
I highly recommend completed
portraits be mounted with backing board. I get this professionally done at a
small additional cost. Portraits are then wrapped in acid free packaging materials for
delivery purposes. Your quote is effective for 2 months. Framing is not
included in portrait prices. On request this can be professionally done at an
additional cost. I have compiled the most affordable offers from professional
framers to keep artwork safe and stunning, If interested in framing please
inquire for the “Framing Price List”.
*Deposits are non-refundable,
except in the unfortunate case where I have to cancel your portrait, whereby I
will refund your deposit in full.
PORTRAIT SIZES AND PRICING
I offer four different sizes
from small A5 portraits to extra large A2/A1 portraits, your choice may depend on the
aesthetic of the portrait (whether you would like a head/neck portrait or a
full body portrait), the number of pets in your portrait, and your budget.
Prices are based on one head and
shoulders, depending on the requested portrait full body portraits may incur
additional costs. All portraits are on a plain white background, however, at a
small additional cost a background can be added on request. The sizes are based
on standard paper sizes, where your portrait will be well fitted within the
paper area.
Please see below for sizing
and prices in South African Rands. If you work in a currency other than Rands, please contact me or use a currency converter to convert accordingly.
I will send an invoice for
payment, where a 35% non-refundable deposit is required to secure booking. The
balance is then payable on (or before) approval of final product. Portrait will be
delivered/ posted to you once product has been approved and final payment has
been made.
*Larger A1 portraits are available POR.
These sizes and prices are a rough guide, I would be happy to quote
on other sizes.
*Additional pets on single
portrait: R150.00 per additional pet.
*Mounting: A5: R45, A4: R60, A3:
R80 to include off-white mount (prices above do not include mount)
*Framing: Framing is not included
in prices above. Framing is highly recommended. However, framing is optional on
request at an additional cost in Port Elizabeth only, as shipping frames and
glass can ruin the artwork.
Postage
Prices below do not include shipping. I use Aramex or Dawn-wing shipping in South Africa, and FedEx or DLH for shipping outside of SA.
All shipped portraits are bubbled wrapped and packaged using strong cardboard
within a large mailing bag/ tube (size dependent), to reach you in perfect condition. I ship
worldwide, please contact me for price conversion and shipping costs.
A5 - SMALL
(148 x 210mm / 21.0 x 29.7cm / 5.8 x 8.3in) *Not recommended for full body or multiple pets
ZAR600
Per A5 Single Portrait
A4 - MEDIUM
(210 x 297mm / 21 x 29.7cm / 8.3 x 11.7in) *Not recommended for more than 2 pets
ZAR950
Per A4 Single Portrait
A3 - LARGE
(297 x 420mm / 29.7 x 42cm / 11.7 x 16.5in) *Not recommended for more than 3 pets
ZAR1500
Per A3 Single Portrait
A2 - EXTRA LARGE
(420 x 594mm / 42 x 59.4cm / 16.5 x 23.4in) *Not recommended for full body or multiple pets
ZAR2500
Per A2 Single Portrait
REFERENCE PHOTOS
My style is detailed and based on
realism, where "the better the photo, the better the portrait".
Therefore, I ask for good quality, clear photographs which conveys your pet’s
personality. Digital preferred but I am happy to work with hard copies too.
I am happy to work with poorer
quality images if necessary, but please be aware that I will not be able to
create highly detailed portraits from unclear photos.
That being said, if you can’t
decide on the best photo quality or pose, you are welcome to email me your
photographs and we can discuss together.
Choosing a Photo
When selecting a picture of your
loved ones and pets, or taking a new picture yourself, there are a few
important things to consider:
Good Lighting - is the picture well-lit and can you see your pet
properly? Is your pet too far to see properly?
Eye colour - does the picture show the true eye colour of your pet?
Fur - does the picture show the true colour and texture (detail and
direction) of your pet?
Capturing Personality – Only you know your pet best, so when trying
to find/capture that perfect reference photo try keep in mind their
personality!
Multiple Pets on One Portrait
A lovely addition to any home is
a family portrait. However, I know just how tricky it can be to get all the
lovely fur babies in the same place at the same time looking at the camera at
the right moment, near impossible. If a “family portrait” is what you are
looking to commission, do not worry if you cannot get a picture of them all
sitting together. With the right selection of photos, I will be able to draw
them all together for you. These family portraits can use multiple images to
draw your pets’ side by side or a more traditional style with just the head and
neck poses of each pet spaced apart from each other.
If you would like either of these
options or have something else in mind and need help choosing the right photo,
then please contact me and we can discuss the best picture selection together.
Pets That Have Passed Away
Pets are part of our family,
ingrained with their quirks and unique personality and love. It is terrible to
say goodbye to those who we love so dear. If you are looking to commission a
portrait of a pet that has sadly passed away, I understand you may have limited
photos available. Please do not worry and send me as many photos as you can
where we can then work through them together. I will however, need to see
photos of pets that have passed before I accept your commission, to ensure I
can work from photos provided to give you the best and most realistic outcome.
Backgrounds
I do not normally add backgrounds
to portraits, as I prefer the focus to be on your pet, however if you require a
background please let me know and I will be happy to offer this.
If you are having trouble choosing a reference picture of your pet, please feel free to send me a selection of photos and we can discuss together which would be good for creating your custom pet portrait. I am always happy to help and give you the very best advice that I can.
Once you have your photos
together and have decided upon the type of portrait you would like please
contact me with your requirements via my email at hello@aletheaarts.co.za
with the subject being “Your name – Order”. Please also mention if you have any
specific deadlines for the portrait such as a birthday, anniversary, or other.
I will confirm the approximate time scale upon your enquiry, and I will always
try my best to juggle my schedule to fit in a special occasion. Once I have
replied to your submission and you are satisfied with the timeline, you can
send me your photos. I will always review and discuss your photos with you when
ordering a commission. Once I have seen your photos and we have discussed your
portrait you are ready to finalise your order. The portrait will not be started
until the deposit payment is complete. Payments can be made securely online by
bank transfer or credit/debit card via Paypal. Please see terms and conditions
on invoice.
Please do not hesitate to contact
me if you have any questions. Feel free to send me as many photos as you like,
with no obligation at all - my advice is always free.
PROGRESS
I will contact you via email just
before I start your portrait so you can watch the progress on my Facebook and Instagram page. This will give you the opportunity to see how your portrait
is coming together, as well as contact me via the email thread with any comments
along the way.
NB! Please let me know if you
would prefer me not to post on social media, in the case of spoiling a secret
gift until after the unveil. In that case I will send progress shots directly
to you via email, which will then be posted at a later date when acceptable.
COMPLETION
Once I have completed the
portrait, I will email you a full scan for your approval. I may be able to make
minor adjustments at this stage if absolutely necessary.
A beautiful way to finish your
portrait off is to have your portrait mounted/matted with a backing board. This
gives your portrait more depth, and are 100% acid free, using conservation
mountboard which is essential to guarantee protection and longevity of your
portrait, guarding against staining.
Upon full satisfaction of the
finished product you will be invoiced for the delivery of your portrait.
You can pay in full via bank
transfer or PayPal, and the total cost includes:
✔ Reference photo selection guidance.
✔ Only the highest quality archival materials are used in the
creation of your portrait.
✔ Backgrounds are left white, unless otherwise specified.
✔ Progress pictures of your commissioned artwork.
✔ Portraits are mounted with acid free conservation mount
board.
✔ A certificate of authenticity and artwork care guide are
included.
✔ Packed and wrapped in acid free tissue paper.
✔ Secure trackable shipping.
Once the full payment of the
portrait and delivery has reflected, your portrait will be securely wrapped;
beautifully packaged; and shipped out to you via 24-hour courier (SA) or by
International Courier.
I look forward to working with
you!
Give me a call on 0825720948, or email me at
hello@aletheaarts.co.za,
if you’d like to have a chat about having a portrait of your pet created. Other
art, family or animal portrait commissions are most welcome!