Commissioning Process
After opening a dialogue of the sitter's requirements, I will need at least one meeting at the outset and perhaps one again at the end, each lasting, on average, 2-3 hours.
The first meeting can be at my studio in North London or at a venue of the sitters choice. I start by making some preliminary drawings to begin to understand the sitter's face; its quirks, tensions and individual mannerisms. I try to bring out the expressions that feel most natural and familiar to it. To create a successful portrait I feel it is important to get to know the sitter's character, so that, on taking final photographs, I know what I am waiting to see in the face to capture the sitter's essence.
I like to work partly from life, partly from preparatory drawings and predominantly from photographs. I think the mix of the three allows me to achieve an accurate likeness but most importantly capture the persons energy and spirit, resulting in a more complex piece.
The size and content will determine the time frame and cost of a portrait. A simple head and shoulders portrait around 30 x 50cm starts at £1000.