COMMISSIONS
Several times a year I accept portrait commissions. If you’re interested or even just curious about the process, contact me and we’ll figure something out.
““I had the pleasure of discovering David at last year’s North Valley Studio Tour. I was instantly drawn to his work. Among the many great pieces on display, one portrait stood out in particular: a stunning painting of his father. The emotional depth of the piece left me in awe—I felt as though I knew him.
David’s exceptional talent and ability to capture not just the likeness but the essence of his subjects inspired me to commission a portrait of my husband Marvin. The results exceeded all of my expectations. It authentically captured Marvin’s mannerisms, sense of style, and his personality. He sees beyond the surface to reflect the soul of his subject. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the result.
David is a true master of his craft. I wholeheartedly recommend him.””
REPRESENTATIONAL DRAWING AND PAINTING
It’s a luxury to have your subject sit for a portrait that can take many hours to complete. That’s why I typically work from photographs for representational commissions. I arrange a photo session at my studio where we can collaborate on wardrobe, poses, and background. Then I’ll send you a couple select choices from the shoot that will act as a guide for the painting.
If a photo shoot is not possible for you, working from existing photos is sometimes an option, but only if they are of a decent quality.
Once the photos are sorted, I start on sketches and poster studies. These are just for me, and are intentially quick and unrefined. If you’d like to see how I navigate the design challenges for the commission, let me know and I can share any rough explorations and keep you involved along the way.
TIME FRAME
Turnaround time for all commissions varies depending on the artwork and availability of my schedule.
COST
Commission costs are negotiated on an individual basis. Each artwork is unique with it's own set of requirements such as size, number of subjects, background detail, materials, etc. The combination of these elements determines the overall price.
A deposit of half the agreed price is to be paid at the beginning of the commission. The remainder to be paid when the painting is delivered.
“Of course we’d seen David’s work before commissioning him to paint our beloved chocolate labs, Mabel & Molly, so we fully expected to be satisfied with the results. Hard to describe how much he exceeded our expectations. Probably because David’s work is about more than results. He shares his process. We saw the paintings come to life in layers: sketches…colors…shades…heart & soul. So now we have this stunningly beautiful art we commissioned, holding a connection we never imagined. ”
“Several years ago, after seeing some fantastic paintings David did for a friend, I knew I had to have one. He painted a remarkable still life of my favorite room in the house, complete with my dog Murphy. I couldn’t know then how important this painting would be to me. I’ve since moved from that home, leaving behind many memories, but now this painting is the piece of art in my current home that everyone is drawn to. I believe it is already a family heirloom, and it won’t be the last painting I commission from David!”