What should I expect to spend on my portrait?
Each portrait artist has his/her own fee schedule based on the figure size.  Figure sizes are:  head and shoulders, half figure, three-quarter figure, and full figure.  The most active price range for three-quarter figure portraits is $10,000 - $25,000.  However, there are artists who charge much less and others who charge more.

It is important to understand that when a price is quoted, it is for the artwork only.  Extra charges may be incurred for such items as: additional figures, pets, and detailed backgrounds, framing, a platform or pedestal and installation costs for sculpture, artist’s travel, crating, shipping, and insurance of the finished work, nameplate and picture light when appropriate.

We can accommodate most any budget.  Please do not hesitate to call us to discuss your preferences.

What do I need to know before selecting an artist?
Who will be the subject of your painting?  If you are having your children painted, you need to decide if they will sit alone or as a group.  Individual portraits of children are charming and often very reasonably priced.  Groups can be a more expensive way to go, but they fulfill a wonderful documentation of your children’s relationships with one another.  

Where will the painting be installed – an office, a lobby, a living room, a formal sitting room?  Does it fill a personal, official, formal, casual, classical, or whimsical need?  Answers to these questions will help you determine the medium, the composition, the clothing, and the setting.

What style do you prefer?  Are you more comfortable with an impressionistic, painterly style or a more realistic, photographic style?  This is the first question you will be asked, so educate yourself by browsing our website, going through art books, or visiting a museum.

What is the budget for the project?  Don’t forget the possibility of added costs such as artist’s travel, a frame, and shipping.  

What is the medium you prefer?  The medium can impact the purpose, style, and budget of your project.  Oil and sculpture are the most versatile mediums affecting style and purpose, though they can be the most expensive.  Pastels and drawings are often less expensive, but they are generally less formal, so they tend not to be used for corporate or institutional purposes.  Photographic portraits can be either formal or informal.

How does the process work?
After you select an artist, he or she will travel to your desired location for a sitting.  This is an exciting experience involving photography, sketches, color studies, and important artist/client communication.  The artist then returns to his or her studio to complete the portrait.  When circumstances require, many artists will work from a photograph that you provide.  Your portrait is either shipped or personally delivered when completed.  Your artist and sales associate communicate with you frequently throughout the process to keep you aware of the progress.

How do you help me select an artist?
With assistance from your personal sales associate, you will select from our wide selection of outstanding painters and sculptors.  Our associate will help you narrow your selection based on your personal tastes, budget, time frame, and preferences for a particular medium.  All of our sales associates are educated in the fine art of portraiture and are trained to help you determine the style and the artist that is right for you.

What if I only want to use a local artist?
With a roster of nearly 200 artists from almost every part of the United States, as well as Europe, Canada, and Australia, we feel sure we can provide you with an excellent artist for your project.  We encourage you not to sacrifice the quality of this once-in-a-lifetime project with restrictions on where the artist lives.  We believe you should find and use the very best artist for your unique project.  Of course, it could happen that the artist you select does actually live nearby!  At least you will have made an informed choice and selected the artist for the quality of his/her work and not for his/her address.

What about a frame?
For paintings, photographs, and drawings, the frame is the next most significant expense you will have.  You should seek out professional advice for framing, and purchase the best you can afford.  A portrait is not framed like a landscape or modern art.  There are specific guidelines for framing portraiture and certain archival considerations only a professional knows.  The staff at Portraits, Inc. has devoted years to learning the fine art of framing.  We have developed relationships with many great frame shops and we are happy to assist you with this decision.  

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any of your questions.  We are here to assist you!