About Commissions

A portrait of a fine animal can give you years of memories and become a family heirloom; or if you have a vision in your mind which you'd like to see painted, send a description and I'll see what I can do. I invite you to browse the portrait process, pricing examples, printable form, and tips on commissioning the portrait or painting of your dreams.

The Process:

Modified reference photo from client (reprinted with permission)	Digital version	Acrylic painting, "Camelot"
More details about the making of "Camelot"
Modified reference photos from client (reprinted with permission)	Digital version	Oil painting, "Suena and Azad"
More details about the making of "Suena and Azad"

Choosing a Medium

Here are a few things to consider when you're deciding what medium you'd like your artwork to be (I have only listed ones I use):

WATERCOLOURS: An archival medium, good for works with a looser style. If sharp detail is required I might prefer to mix it with coloured pencils. Watercolours must be framed with acid-free mats under glass, which adds to framing costs.

COLOURED PENCILS: Artist quality coloured pencils are a lasting medium, nice for smaller, detailed work, and handy for travel. It's time consuming to cover larger areas and blend them into polished works, so a large piece would be colstly. These must be framed with acid free mats under glass.

OIL PAINTS: An age-old medium used by the masters, and therefore is one of the first ones thought of when someone wants fine artwork. The thinners give off hazardous fumes, and the long time for the paint to set (harden due to chemical reactions) means delays in the painting process, especially when transparent washes are desired. The paint has to set for a few weeks after the work is finished, then be varnished a year later when the paint is completely set so blooming won't occur under the varnish. There is no need for mats or glass in the framing.

ACRYLIC PAINTS: A modern revolution, and therefore not associated with expensive antiques. However, Winsor Newton company, makers of fine art oil and acrylic paints, says that if anything, they are more archival than oil, not less. Another company, Liquitex, claims their new acylic formula is the most archival (lasting) paint yet. Acrylics give off a small amount of formalhyde while drying, but the drying time is a matter of hours. Special mediums such as "Acrylic Transparentiser," and "Acrylic Retarder," allow the paint to be worked and appear very similar to oils. With this medium, you can have a completely dry, varnished, archival piece delivered in a relatively short time. If they are used on canvas or board, no matting or glass is required for framing. Acrylics can also be used on paper similarly to watercolours, in which case mats and glass are needed for framing.

Prices

Since a small detailed piece may take longer than a large simpler piece, I've made a chart which takes into account the complexity of the work. Feel free to contact me for a price on what you want, or use the chart below to find the base price plus the shipping/handling. All prices are for unframed work.

*Note: Normally when an artist sells an original piece of art, said artist retains the copyright, which allows them to reproduce the image for sale. Please let me know if you wish to keep your portrait as a one-of-a kind. Otherwise, I (the artist) may publish this commissioned art and/or any preparatory sketches made as fine art reproductions and/or on such items as notecards. If I do so you will recieve complimentary items. If you do not want reproductions made I may wish to discuss a different price.

Definitions:

Type 1 Central Figure:A head or head and shoulders with no tack, or a complete horse with less facial detail and no tack.

Type 2 Central Figure: A head or head and shoulders or whole horse with tack, or two or more central figures without tack.

Type 3 Central Figure: A horse or team hitched to a vehicle or implement, or more than one central figure with tack.

Simple Background: A monotone or simple blend of colours.

Medium Background: Landscape backdrops such as shrubbery/trees, dramatic skys, garden, ocean or other water, faux rock or wood grain etc.

Complex Background: Buildings, background figures such as people, dogs, cats etc., very detailed landscapes.

To Commission a Painting

1)Decide what you want
2)Find the price. If you're not sure, or it's not on the chart, just ask me.
3)Fill out or partly fill out the order form and contact me. You can copy and paste the form into an email, print and fax, or mail. I'll confirm pricing, discuss details, and give you a time of completion estimate. (I will post a message on the site if I can't take on any new work at a particular time.)
4)If we're both satisfied that I'm the one for your job, mail the signed order form with your reference photos and the $20.00 deposit (or send deposit via Paypal, fax or email the signed form and email good quality jpg photos.)
5)I'll let you know when I recieve your package, and keep you informed. The $20 deposit is refundable until you have approved the sketch, usually sent by email. Final payment (including shipping/handling fee) is due when you're satisfied with an emailed jpg or mailed photo of the finished painting.

Payment Policies

Deposits and final payments may be made by check, certified check, money order, or Paypal. With checks there will be a delay in delivery while the check clears. With money orders or certified checks, shipment will be made as soon as it is recieved. Paypal is a popular method of making instantaneous payment electronically. As soon as I recieve a Paypal payment, shipment will be made.
For more information on Paypal, or to sign up for an account so you can make payments that way, visit www.paypal.com (see "Links" on my homepage.
Bartering: I'm open to trading a painting for goods of equivilent value such as custom sewn, quilted, or embroidered items, garden products/statuary. Make a suggestion, and we'll discuss it.

Tips:

*Many artists are very busy in the few months before Christmas. Plan ahead and commission a painting in the slow months after the holliday season.

*Non-local commissions require either the best photos the customer can provide, or the extra expense of my travelling for a photo shoot. For tips on how to get what the artist needs, see: Photographing a Horse for a Portrait, with excerpts from an article by artist Donna Weber (reprinted with permission). See "Links" on my home page to view Donna's work.

*You might wonder why prices differ so much among artists, even when the quality seems similar. There are many factors involved; the experience level of the artist, whether they went to art school or not, the confidence level of the artist (they might not realize they're as good as they've become). The demand for a particular artist is a big factor -- once an artist becomes known, prices tend to increase. The amount an artist spends on advertising can be a factor. Some artists want more creative freedom, so they charge more for commissions to discourage large numbers of them. Some styles and techniques take much longer than others to complete. It's not unusual for a good artist to be a poor marketer; others have found or made good connections. The gist of it is, if you like what you see, you should like what you get. Don't be overly concerned about pricing discrepencies between artists, there's no standard in the industry.

*If the art you see on my pages doesn't suit you, try browsing the Equine Art Guild site. (See "links" on my home page.)

Copyright Notice

Artists invest substantial resources in materials, education, and time. Please respect our right to control where and how our work is displayed unless that right has been sold. Most people wouldn't want pictures of themselves or their children displayed publicly without their knowledge; many artists feel the same way about their work. If you wish to add an image to a web collection, please check with me. If your display is attractive, chances are I'll give permission as long as you don't alter the image, and provide a link back to my site. Failure to comply with this policy is likely to result in prosecution. Thankyou for your cooperation.

Wendy E. Stevens (signature name Gamble)
15 Jean St., Saint Basile NB Canada E7C 2K1
+1 506 263 2012 fax +1 506 263 2012
email gambleart@equineartguild.com