Portrait Artist Forum - An honest assessment

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Hi Michele,

Here are a few samples. I've only done one oil portrait so far (the last image), so the others are pencil or pastel (the man is pastel.)

I'm not referring people to my website right now as I think it's too amateurish looking and I don't have enough good work. I'm not actively advertising right now, either. The commissions I'm getting currently are from word of mouth or friends. I know I need a larger porftolio of more oil portraits before I would feel really ready to actively seek out commissions. Any direction you could give me would be appreciated.

From reading your other posts, you sound knowledgable and I would value your opinion.

Thanks.

By the way, the man at the piano is not finished. I've left it like this for a while because I can't decide whether to make the rest of it realistic or somehow less well-defined. I want the head and hands (holding the sheet music) to stand out.

Brenda, if the rest of your oil portraits are as good as that one you can charge a lot more than $500. Maybe start at $1,000 and see how it goes.

Quote:

The other consideration is repeat customers. If I do a commission for someone at $500 and 6 months later they want another portrait of their other child, they might not appreciate paying $800 for "the same thing". If I start at $500, I have to be willing to increase my prices gradually. I would be wary of giving repeat customers "deals" as they might come to expect it every time and want another $500 portrait when my work now costs $1500.

My repeat customers pay whatever my going rate is at the time, regardless of what they've paid in the past. For example, I'm doing a second portrait for a family whose older child I painted two years ago. At that time they paid $4,900 for a three quarter length portrait with a very complex background. Yesterday they signed a contract for $7,800 for the same type of portrait. My prices are now more in line with what people charge nationally for this sort of work, and I've had some higher profile commissions in the intervening two years, which is why my prices are higher. I'm told by folks who really know the portrait business that my prices are still on the low side, however.

Yea! Go Michelle!!! You inspire each one of us.

Just so you know, that growth represents years of full time work on my art, a great percentage of which was taken up by non-billable hours: administrative stuff, marketing, etc.

Thank you, Michele.
Let's hope that my first oil portrait wasn't a one-off.

Your work is beautiful; I am not surprised by those numbers you posted.

I just feel like I'd have to grow into that $1000 price. I suppose if I'm not going to seek commissions right now and keep myself busy learning and painting a lot until I do feel ready to start advertising, then that $1000 price could act as a nice "Do Not Disturb" sign in the meantime!

Hello Brenda,

I think your work is very well done. I could be wrong, but maybe the four digit number ($1000) may be frightening you. Go for it. I don't think you've got to grow into it. I think you've already done that. When I first got accepted into my first gallery, (my income is from still-lives, not portraits) I was surprised at the prices they told me they'd ask. But it works.

You WILL do well, just never forget that!!! You've already paid the price to put a $1000 price tag on your work. The next step, for all of us, is to continue to grow. Isn't that what makes this field so exciting?

Good luck,
Anthony

Thank you, Anthony, for your encouragement and kind words. :)
I will take it to heart.