A commission of any size painting, no matter how simple or complex, requires a commitment of time and concentration. A large, highly-detailed painting doesn't use that much more in materials than a small, relatively simple painting. The value of a custom piece is mostly attributed to its complexity which involves more time and skill.
The base price for a custom painting is $375 USD. By real world standards that's very low, but I like the idea that people who are not necessarily wealthy have the opportunity to own original artwork. I've kept my fine art prices affordable for the same reason.
The three examples shown here demonstrate how size has little to do with valuation of custom paintings. The canvases are about the same size, basically the same amount of paint is used, but the images vary greatly in complexity.
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EXAMPLE 1
Valuation: $375 |
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This is what is called a "head and shoulders" portrait. When I refer to "base price" ($375) for a custom painting, this is the kind of image that would fall into that category. This painting is mostly eyes, nose and mouth. The background is undefined. The dress, hair and other facial features are "implied". Whether your subject is a figure, an object (e.g. a car, a barn, a pair of shoes) or a landscape, a basic painting will emphasize certain key features with little specificity elsewhere. The next example shows a bit more complexity. |
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EXAMPLE 2
Valuation: $425 |
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A full body depiction instantly adds complexity to a painting (unless it is distant and generalized on the canvas). Acute proportioning skills are necessary to make the figure work as a whole. Creating focal areas within that figure requires a certain degree of skill as well. In this painting, the background is "implied" as the dress was for the toddler in Example 1. Specific backgrounds can add so much life to an image, providing a context, an environment, a viseral element to the piece. Backgrounds can also add to the "description" of the individual as we'll see in Example 3. |
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As you can see, there are many factors to consider when valuing custom work. When I receive your uploaded photos and comments, I'll make an assessment of your image idea based on these pricing principles. In our consultations about the piece, I may offer content suggestions which could alter the price up or down, depending on your needs. Together we will find just the right combination of visual elements that will result in an original painting that can be handed down through the generations. If you have any general questions about the process, please feel free to contact me. |
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EXAMPLE 3
Valuation: $550 |
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The figures in this painting were extracted from two separate photographs. The inclusion of the view from their beloved cabin was a must to complete the atmosphere that my client had in mind. That view was extracted from a third photograph. Essentially this is three paintings in one: two portraits and a landscape. The landscape, although not entirely fleshed-out and prominent, is specific. Composing these three elements, matching light quality and direction, proportioning each element to one another and establishing areas of focus for the overall required a good deal of time and experience. |
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KieferArt