FREQUENT QUESTIONS
here I try and answer some of your questions about my artwork and uk portrait service. I hope this helps you in your decision making when choosing an artist
1
Do you send photos abroad I know some companies send to china to save money.
No,
all my portraits are painted or drawn in the UK by myself, I don`t farm out any work,that way you know who you are dealing with, and you know that the artist who is creating your portrait has also produced the samples that you see on the site.
please be wary of any website that does not mention who is doing your portrait - it could be someone abroad with little experience.
2
why cant i just press a button on your site to pay by paypal ?
This is intentional - I don`t want clients sending deposits only to find out that their photo is not suitable
It is better to email your photo first and find suitability and get a firm quote - then you know that the portrait can be completed and avoid disappointment.
When you know that I can paint your photo
email me to go ahead and i send you an invoice from the paypal website for your agreed deposit..this seems a fairer way for everyone involved and your order is processed by paypal in the usual way
PS I never see your paypal account - I get informed immediately when payments are made and can then create your artwork to order.
3
What type of photos do you need to create a portrait ?
you need clear photos to copy detail for portraits
Creating a professional portrait by hand is a time consuming practice that takes much skill from an experienced artist, but you still need a decent photo to copy
Most photographs that are passport size or over ( head and shoulders ) are going to be ok, if clear.
The clearer the photo ,the better .Fuzzy, unclear photos are no use for me.
A photo of your auntie halfway up a mountain 100 feet away is not any use for a portrait as you won`t be able to see detail to copy.
Some photos taken from phones or stored on internet may break up into pixels when enlarged and will not be of use.
Again, this is general info and other artists requirements may differ.
Always let the artist see photographs beforehand and get a quote - to avoid disappointment, in case it is not suitable for use.
make sure you really like the photo that you give to the artist and it looks like the person intended - you will be charged for copying the photo provided, even if you later decide the photo was not the best.
4
are your portraits created on a computer ?
No - my portraits are not created on a computer.
All my portraits are painted or drawn by hand using traditional artists materials.
you will see some companies advertise digital oil paintings or drawings - this means they are created artificially on the computer and you get a computer print out instead of a hand created traditional artwork - please watch out for this practice as some companies go to some lengths to hide this by some clever wording.
5
I have seen portraits advertised cheaper - do you price match ?
No - every artist works differently and has their own price scale, some take a long time and others can work more quickly.
There can also be differences in portrait style and in materials used - some professional materials can be very pricy indeed - and you may not see the difference at first- but good materials usually last much longer .
In the main you pay for time and experience plus materials used.
If an artist is cheaper and you like his or her work - go ahead and buy, but do not buy on price alone - you could be very disappointed .
This is an area of work where experience counts.
allways look for samples of work done - and compare with others whenever possible.
my prices are very competitive and offer very good value for this quality of professional workmanship and creativity carried out with care
Please get in touch if you have your own questions about my
authentic portrait from photos artwork
I do my best to keep all answers on this page current and correct but please note that this page is ongoing, and replies are of a general nature as not all possibilities can be foreseen. More questions will be added time permitting and may be amended - If you need more information please get in touch by email and I will do my best to help you
regards
David Gilchrist
