Suggestions on how to price a non-traditional portrait?

[Mary Sparrow]

I have been approached by a client wanting a painting of her husband and young daughter walking away. I obviously have a price list for my portraits, but am curious as to how to handle this. Since there will be no faces to paint, how do I charge? The same? Significantly less?

She also does not want it in full color but a monochromatic painting. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks so much.

Mary

[Michael Georges]

Mary: I think you have to gauge your estimate of the level of effort for you to complete the work and price it like that. If there are no faces or likenesses to capture, then I believe that it can be somewhat easier to do the painting - if there are no other things that complicate the work. I have done one painting that had just side views of the faces and I did discount it some because of that.

If you have done lots of monochrome painting then that should not be a problem, but if you have not, then it could be a factor that will take you some additional time. Also, how good is the reference, and what level of detail is she expecting?

[Mike McCarty]

Hi Mary,

I think those of us who think of painting sixteen hours a day are the ones burdened by these terms like traditional vs non-traditional, figurative vs portrait.

I recently completed a painting much like the one you describe. It's true I spent no time on facial features, but I had to imagine and then paint a forest landscape. To the client I was painting people, a portrait of specific people. I never got into the subtleties of terms.

If they bring up the issue then it's every man for himself.