Portraits

Sylvie is available for portrait painting commissions; she uses only the highest quality materials.

A commissioned portrait can be a private or public work. It will require the highest level of focus, investigation and energy to capture the essence and energy of the sitter and their requirements for the portrait.

A commissioned portrait is a wonderful way to surprise and indeed honour someone you admire and or yourself. It is a gift that lasts and so is an investment in honouring a life.

Sylvie prefers to paint directly from reality. The number of sessions to achieve a satisfactory outcome may require several sittings depending on the complexity of the painting. A portrait can take between 3 to 6 months to complete, depending on its size.

The first step is to invite the artist into your everyday life, to meet you in your home or work setting is ideal. Sylvie says, “I believe it is only through spending time in my portrait subject’s world that I can begin to build a mental image of the references I will need to tell their story”.

An equally important step, is to get clarity around the expectations and the selected appropriate theme or intention for the portrait. Sylvie explores the options for the composition and any relevant background. Finally the size of the work is considered, along with pricing for the project. Below are some indicative prices.

Oils/Watercolour/Pencil

30.5cm X 40.6cm (12″ X 16″) $2,500
40.06cm X 50.08cm (16″ X 24″) $3,000
50.8cm x 61cm (20″ x 24″) $3,500
76.2cm X 101.6cm (30″ X 40″) $5,500
121cm X 91cm (48″ X 36″) $8,000
91.4cm X 182.88 (36″ X 72″) $9.000
182cm X 121cm (72″ X 48″) $10,000

These prices are estimates. If you add another figure additional prices apply. Happy to negotiate with a client.

Next is the important step of making time in your diary. Usually one session can be enough for a portrait sketch and some reference photos but Sylvie says, “the magic happens when the sitter is available for longer”. Up to approx. 3 sessions may be required for a larger format.

Good collaboration with the artist is key to the success of the portrait. For a confidential discussion or more information, contact info@sylviecarterartist.com