Commission a Portrait
The
process of commissioning a portrait is simple, and we will walk you through from
start to finish. Client to artist communication is time consuming at the
beginning, yet good communication produces beautiful portraits. Below you
will find an outline of the basic Process and Procedures of commissioning
a portrait, along with the Terms and Conditions
that will apply to each commission. If you agree with the terms and
conditions, please proceed through to the Commission or the Quick
Sketch Commission links at the bottom of the page.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
Commission
Process and Procedures
Initial
Contact:
Contact us via
e-mail or post. Your contact should include a Commission Form, filled out
to the best of your ability, as well as any copies of photographs/examples that
would help us have an idea of your style and vision. By submitting a
Commission Form, you are confirming that you have read, understand and agree to
the Terms and Conditions of commissioning The
Brown Brush, especially involving copyrighted photographs.
Consultation:
The consultation
is simply a way for us to connect and discuss the topics covered in your
Commission Form, including your ideas, photographs and style. Your
consultation session can be done at your home or over the phone if distance
restricts a personal visit. We will want to know about the person we are
painting (and meet them if possible), as well as your ideas for the finished
piece. We prefer to record all consultations so we can take accurate notes
later, allowing us to participate more fully in the conversation. In
lieu of recording, you may opt to type and e-mail a fully detailed recount of
your requests and ideas from our consultation, including any revisions that
you’d like to make to your original Commission Form. From this, we will
prepare the Contract to Commission, which outlines the final decisions, vision
and goals for your portrait.
Contract
to Commission: We
will contact you with a written version of our conversation, called the Contract
to Commission, which will provide the final details of the portrait from our
discussions. With this, we will send an invoice and a preliminary sketch.
This sketch allows you to approve the composition and color choices. The invoice will reflect the final price of the painting with
a 50% deposit due upon approval of the Contract to Commission. A returned
and signed contract and 50% non-refundable deposit confirm the commission.
Final Approval: When your painting is complete, you will receive an 8x10 proof to give final approval before the piece is printed, shipped and/or framed. Once final approval is granted, any changes that you request will entail additional costs. If you prefer, we can complete the approval process via the Internet. In this case, the final piece would be posted in a password protected file in our portfolio to be reviewed by you and your family.
Delivery:
Standard
Ground delivery with professional packaging is included with each commission.
If you’d like to upgrade to a Rush Service, we will quote a price at the
time of shipping. The entire portrait process takes anywhere from 2
weeks for Sketches to up to 12 weeks for Masterpiece portraiture, and can take
longer in the case of revisions.
Rush
Orders: As we only have a limited number of
commissions that we can accept per month, we cannot always accommodate Rush
Orders, especially around holidays. Every portrait is meticulously
completed by hand and requires many, many hours of time. Since your
finished artwork will most likely become a favorite focal point, we strongly
recommend not rushing the process. We do make rare exceptions, so please contact
us for more details.
Presentation: Every portrait will be professionally packaged for delivery. If your portrait is a gift, or you would like to make a special presentation, please see the presentation drapes for sale or rent in the Store
Reproductions:
Please visit the Store for
d
Special
Considerations:
Please
consider the following details, which you will find on the Commission Form.
These are essential in establishing a working plan for your portrait:
Style
guidelines: An
idea of what style of artwork most appeals to you.
Do you have a favorite painting or artist?
Are you casual or formal? The
more information that you can give us (photos, magazine clippings, favorite
artworks, etc.), the better!
Other
Helpful Information:
Style of Décor: Photographs of the room(s) in your home where you are considering displaying the portrait. This helps us establish a sense of your style when working on the piece and when advising on frame selection.
Subject Details: Photographs of the person(s) being painted at a similar age and angle as the original. Sometimes the original photograph may capture a wonderful pose and expression, but details are lost because of lighting. Alternative photographs allow us to best capture every detail.
Other
Details:
If the
clothing/jewelry will be a special feature in the portrait, it is especially
helpful to have additional photographs. A picture of the dress or outfit
in which the person was photographed, straight on from the front and back, or
close-ups of special jewelry are very helpful in filling in details which may
be lost in the original photograph.
Please
feel free to contact us at any time during the portrait process with additional
ideas, inspirations, or questions. We
look forward to working with you on what will become a very special part of your
family heritage.
Terms and Conditions
Please read the terms and conditions below which apply to all
custom and commissioned orders. By submitting a Commission Form or
photograph to The Brown Brush, you
are confirming that you have read, understand and will abide by the terms and
conditions below:
1.
The Brown Brush is committed to your
personal privacy. Your name and information will never be resold or
shared with other companies.
2.
The Brown Brush retains all the
rights to the final artwork. Copies of your artwork may be featured in our
portfolio, on marketing materials and on our website. For your privacy,
surnames will not be used in any part of the portrait title or published in
the materials mentioned above.
3.
We recommend that all photographs be sent in e-mails in high resolution .jpeg
format, or mailed in traceable packages (e.g. delivery confirmation).
Please do not send negatives or irreplaceable original photographs through the
mail, as we cannot be responsible if they are lost or damaged in transit.
Your original photographs will be returned to you with your portrait.
4.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required upon approval of your initial sketch
and with the returned/signed contract to commission. The remaining
balance of your portrait is due in full at final approval before the painting
ships.
5. By submitting a photograph for commission, the client confirms they have full rights to the image or have permission to copy the image and subject(s), and agree to indemnify The Brown Brush from any claims to the contrary. If you have questions or concerns about copyright with the photographs that you've selected, please contact us with questions. Many photography studios and professionals will grant/sell you the rights to an image.
I agree with the terms above and would like to Commission a Quick Sketch
I agree with the terms above and would like to Commission a Portrait