Commissions

Working to commission is always a privilege and a joy. I draw fine art portraits in pencil and pastel, creating something truly special from your photographs.

Commissioning a portrait is an exciting experience. It is an opportunity to have a truly original work of art which will be cherished for many years to come.

My portraits are typically drawings of people, dogs, cats and horses. You will find many examples of these in my gallery, alongside more unusual studies also.

I will outline the commission process for you here, and I go into more detail in my Guide to Commissioning a Portrait. A successful portrait is the result of a collaboration between the artist and the client, with the subject at the heart of every decision we will make.

Hand drawn in pencil or pastel

My fine art portraits are all drawn in pencil, pastel or coloured pencil. Which medium you choose is personal preference, though I will gladly advise if you are unsure as to what will suit your drawing best.

I always create with materials which are lightfast, and on acid free paper, to ensure your portrait looks beautiful for the longest time.

Here are some examples of previously commissioned portraits of people and pets for you to be inspired by.

Dogs portraits drawn in pencil include Lula in graphite, and Morse, drawn in coloured pencil on black paper. And in pastel there is the gorgeous and very curly Mikey.

In my gallery of people portraits, Wakhan Girl was drawn in coloured pencil on toned paper, and Sasha‘s portrait was drawn in pastel. Lisa and Danny, looking beautiful on their wedding day, were drawn in graphite pencil.

“Commissioning a portrait begins with a conversation - an opportunity to discuss what you would like, and how that can best be achieved”

Reference Photographs

When choosing reference images for a portrait, there are two elements which are most important. The photographs should be as clear as possible, and they should capture the personality of your loved one.

Whether it is the playfulness of a puppy or the grandeur of your beloved parents, a portrait is as much about how it makes us feel as how it looks.

My passion is capturing the nature of my subject in all their beauty. To do this I work from photographs, meaning there is no sitting required. These can be digital images or old photos, depending on what you have available of your loved one.

I am always happy to discuss any ideas you may have for a portrait, and how we can make your thoughts a reality. Both pencil and pastel are wonderful mediums for a classical portrait, and can transform an otherwise average snapshot into a true work of art.

Portrait pricing

Prices for commissions are calculated according to the complexity and size of the artwork. A portrait starts at £500 for pastel, and £700 for pencil. There may be additional cost for the inclusion of more than one subject or a detailed background.

Due to the high level of detail and realism in my art, each portrait takes many hours to create. As a guide, allow a minimum of six weeks from your initial enquiry to receiving your drawing.

Guaranteeing a portrait you love

Communication is key, so to ensure that the portrait is everything you want it to be, I will share the development of the artwork with you as I am drawing it. This allows you to enjoy the process and see how I work, and means that if any changes are required they can easily be included.

From Cornwall with love

Commissioned portraits are sent professionally mounted and wrapped, all ready to be gifted or to be framed.

Additional options include fine art giclée prints and greetings cards so your portrait can be shared with your loved ones. Also available is a professional framing service if you would like to receive your artwork ready to hang.

Read my complete guide to commissioning a portrait, or contact me to start your personalised portrait journey.

Art with ethics

My love of portraiture is inspired by my lifelong love of the natural world. I strive to take care of my environment and those whom I share it with, and this is reflected in my business ethics.

Living and working with sustainability in mind is of great importance to me. I explore some of the ways this influences my practice in this blog post.

One way I do this is to donate 10% of profits from each commissioned portrait to a local charity. My charity for 2023 is The Flicka Foundation Donkey Sanctuary in memory of my beautiful Gran, Dora.

Dog sketches for rescues

In order to raise much needed funds for a local dog rescue, I am sketching dogs portraits in charcoal. These drawings are a looser style than my other work, and half of the proceeds from each portrait goes directly to Help 4 Hounds, making a real difference to dogs in need.

Read all about Bruno, the handsome hound who inspired this project, then get in touch to commission your charcoal sketch.

Portrait pricing

Prices for commissions are calculated according to the complexity and size of the artwork. A portrait starts at £500 for pastel, and £700 for pencil.

Drawing your portrait

Due to the high level of detail and realism in my art, each portrait takes many hours to create. As a guide, allow a minimum of six weeks from your initial enquiry to receiving your drawing.

From Cornwall with love

Commissioned portraits are sent professionally mounted and wrapped, all ready to be gifted or to be framed. Additional options include fine art giclée prints and greetings cards so your portrait can be shared with your loved ones. Also available is a professional framing service if you would like to receive your artwork ready to hang. Read my complete guide to commissioning a portrait, or contact me to start your personalised portrait journey.

Testimonials

The portrait is every bit as beautiful as I expected, if not more so. Seeing it in all its glory for the first time made me quite emotional. You have really captured her features so true and now we shall always have her with us come what may.

The three portraits arrived safely this morning and I wasn’t prepared for the emotion I felt when I saw the original. It brought tears to my eyes and perfectly embodies my little Connie (back when she was really little!)

Today I received my commissioned portrait of my gorgeous pups from Tamsin. All I can say is WOW! It is amazing and will keep them forever young. She has captured them so wonderfully... an amazingly talented lady

Just a quick note to say that the portrait of Verity, Billy and Emily was a huge success - given as a present from the children to my wife for Christmas - tears of joy all round. Thank you so much.

The pictures arrived today. Thank you – I can’t tell you how I feel about the fantastic job you’ve done. I met with my sister at her house and gave her her print as a housewarming surprise. She was speechless too – we had a hug and a (big) cry together as we looked at it – I’m sure you can imagine the scene. Everyone is amazed at how detailed the portrait is – much praise for your talent. I’m taking another surprise print to France in September when we’re going to stay with Sharon’s son, so this will be the gift that keeps on giving!