How to Commission a Portrait

The photo is my only guide during the process, so quality is very important! While cell phone photos can work well, professional photographs are always the best choice.

Tips to select your images:

• The Vibe: Choose photos that evoke something special. A big smile or looking directly at the camera is not always required.
• The Quality: Focus, expression, and light are key. Please avoid very small or blurry photos.
• The Size: The larger the image file, the better.

For double or family portraits, I can sometimes combine people from different photos, but a single shared photograph is always best. Send me your favorite pictures and we will choose the perfect one together, with no obligation.

Every portrait is different, and I adapt the paper or canvas size depending on the composition or your specific needs. For my pastels, I use high-quality Canson paper, and also fine canvases for my oils.

• Soft Pastel Portraits:
  • Head and Shoulders (Bust): I prefer a 19 x 21 inches (48 x 53 cm) format. It is beautiful and perfectly balanced. However, I can also use formats similar to this size.
  • Half Body: Standard Classic size of 19 x 25 inches (50 x 65 cm). This size is also excellent for double head-and-shoulders portraits.
  • Three-Quarter Figure (3/4): I highly recommend the 22 x 33 inches (56 x 84 cm) format. It is elegant and impactful. This format is very comfortable for other compositions as well.
  • Full Body: Larger standard size of 29.5 x 42 inches (75 x 105 cm). I use this format for standing full-length figure portraits, but it also works beautifully for more complicated compositions, such as group family portraits and siblings.
• Oil Portrait Paintings: Standard sizes vary, most commonly 25.5 x 21.2 inches (65 x 54 cm) and 32 x 25.5 inches (81 x 65 cm) or larger, depending on the needs and the composition.

There is no fixed price list because every commission is unique. To give you an idea, the base price for a single head-and-shoulders pastel portrait currently starts at $800 USD plus shipping.

Once the portrait is completed, I will send you a high-resolution photograph for your final approval.

• Pastel Portraits: No advanced payment is required. Payment is made (via PayPal) after you approve the final artwork.
• Oil Portraits: A 30% deposit (non refundable) is required to confirm the commission. The remaining balance is due after your final approval, before shipping.

Once finished, soft pastel portraits are protected with a professional pastel fixative. All orders are shipped worldwide via Correos International, well-protected and fully insured.

Pastel Portraits: Shipped safely rolled in a tube with protective paper once treated with the fixative.

Oil Portraits: Shipped safely rolled in a tube (canvas only) once completely dry to prevent damage.

You will receive tracking information and simple care instructions as soon as your portrait is on its way.

Soft pastel is an incredible medium. I have been using it for decades, and I am still fascinated by its unique qualities. Because soft pastel is almost entirely pure pigment, it provides a vibrant, raw intensity that no other medium can match.

My favorite part of the process is the direct contact with the artwork. I paint directly with the sticks, using my fingers to blend the colors onto the paper. It is an intimate and spontaneous way to bring a portrait to life.

While pastels look delicate, they are incredibly durable, and if well framed under glass with a mat (passe-partout), they can last for generations. Masters like Degas, Renoir, and Manet used this exact technique for masterpieces that still look fresh in museums today.

I invite you to explore my gallery and discover the beautiful, rich texture of soft pastels.