Pricing for Complex Backgrounds?

Michele Rushworth · 10-02-2002, 07:53 PM

What kind of a percentage do others use when adding onto their standard pricing for a complex background?

I am currently working on a full-length portrait of a charming little boy. The background consists of the rough brick steps he's sitting on, rose bushes to his left, petunias, and several other distinct kinds of flowers to his right, and an elaborate urn filled with foliage. My style is fairly detailed, so the background will be treated realistically rather than impressionistically.

I was thinking of adding 50% to the cost of the full figure composition. Any suggestions?

Mary Reilly · 10-12-2002, 01:24 AM

Michele,

I add 20% for a detailed background, although I try to encourage my clients to go with the looser more impressionistic background. I guess the key would be how much of the canvas is background. I tend to have the portrait itself take up the majority of the canvas, but I suppose if the background took on a larger portion I could rethink the 20%.

Mary

Stanka Kordic · 10-13-2002, 07:01 PM

Hi Michele,

I think 50% is a little high as well. I do 15% extra for complex backgrounds, but since you are more detailed 20 - 25% seems resonable to me. After all, skin tones are harder to paint than brick.