FAQs

Portraits can take anywhere from a couple days to a couple months, with watercolors taking the longest.  Basic portraits in charcoal usually take only a week to complete.

I recommend customers order commissions at least a month in advance of the day they want to give the portrait.  For major holidays like Christmas, contact me at least two months in advance to ensure I can find a slot for your project.

No.  My standard artwork prices only cover the cost of the artwork itself.

I ship my artwork in between two pieces of foam board protected by tracing paper.  The foam board will be wrapped in bubble wrap and contained in a reinforced cardboard box.  I ship all of my artwork priority USPS, and I include insurance and signature confirmation to ensure clients’ interests are protected.

I use PayPal invoices for my transactions.  PayPal accepts all major credits cards, and you are not required to have a PayPal account to pay the invoice.  You will receive an invoice for 50% of the price before work begins and an invoice for the remaining 50% after you approve the finished portrait before I ship.  The first 50% is nonrefundable once the work is started.  For clients who prefer not to use PayPal, I can take credit and debit cards over the phone, and I accept check and money orders through the mail.

The down payment is nonrefundable once I have started work on the portrait to compensate for my labor and materials in the event that clients do not pay for the finished piece.

It takes more time for me to complete a portrait in pastel or watercolor than it does to draw in black and white, so the extra cost compensates the extra work.  In addition, color mediums cost much more than graphite and charcoal, making it necessary to charge more to cover the cost of supplies.

I do not apply fixative to any of my drawings.  Fixative tends to darken the colors and can give artwork an unnatural finish.  Instead, I protect my artwork during shipping with tracing paper and warn clients not to touch the face of the paper.

Getting your portrait is a 10-step process. 

1. Send me a picture:  Whichever photo you choose, I’m going to need the highest resolution you can give me. Upload your selected photo to an email in the JPG file format.  If the picture is not entirely clear, I may request additional pictures of the face to reference to make sure I get all the details right.

2.  Confirmation:  We will confirm the details of your portrait, such as the size, paper type, and medium.  I will send you a confirmation email, and you can let me know if I have the details sorted out properly.

3. Payment:  I require 50% up front.  I accept payment through PayPal.  When you send me confirmation and a picture, I will send you my invoice for 50% of the total price.

4. I will get started on your portrait and send you occasional updates about my progress.

5. When the portrait is finished, I will send you a photo of it.

6. Accept or edit:  At this point, you can either approve the painting or request alterations.

7. Final payment:  Once you approve the final painting, I will send you my final invoice for the last 50%.

8. Shipping:  When I receive payment, I will ship out your completed portrait.

9. You receive your portrait.

10. Let me know what you think:  I would love to hear if you’re happy with your portrait!  Leave a comment on my Facebook page and tell your friends about my business!

I can, but your finished portrait won’t have as much detail as many of my other works.  I can only draw as much detail as I can see, so make sure you provide a reference picture that is clear and represents the subject as he or she looks in real life.

You can send the reference photo to my email address, theartofmarissarenee@gmail.com or attach it to a message on my contact page.  Please make sure that your reference photo is in JPG file format so that I can crop as needed.

I can, but shipping will cost more than my standard shipping and will vary according to where the portrait is being shipped.

I charge $45 for shipping and handling.   That covers the cost of USPS priority mail with signature confirmation and insurance.  It also covers the price of my packing materials and the time it takes for me to package a portrait.  

Giclée printing is a form of printing that uses fade-resistant archival substrates and archival inks in an inkjet printer.  It is the highest quality of printing available.