Frequently Asked Questions Find all the answers you need about my pet portraits and wildlife art.  You will find everything you need to know because everyone has asked these questions before. I hope I've covered all the important aspects but if you still are unable to find the answer please browse through my conditions page or contact me and I will help you all I can. If you feel I have not included a major topic in my FAQs then please let me know, it may just be the answer the next person is looking for and my help them a great deal.

MY PORTRAIT How long will my portrait commission take?  About 4 - 8 weeks, however this is determined by my work load. If you do require a pet portrait for a certain deadline simply email me and will tell you if this is possible. Order your commission here Why do I need to make a non-refundable deposit for a portrait?  This is to deter time-wasters so only those serious in making a pet portrait commission will continue.  Will I need to pay postage?  Postage is now free to any worldwide destination.  Which medium?  This is simply a matter of taste, graphite pencil was the old fashioned portrait medium and is still going strong. Colour pencils offer all the advantages of paints but allow extreme detail to be captured resulting in a truly vibrant portrait. View graphite and colour portraits in my galleries How much will my portrait cost? This is calculated from my prices page. I do not charge individually for portraits, everyone pays the same rate so you can calculate how much your chosen portrait costs before you even contact me. I want copies of my portrait, what do I do? All portraits I produce are my copyright and cannot be reproduced without my permission. If you require copies, simply let me know and I can provide affordable artist's quality reproductions for you to keep or give to friends and family.  What if I'm not happy with the finished pet portrait?  This should never happen (it hasn't yet) as you are able to leave feedback as your portrait is shown progressing on my blog if at anytime you have any concerns simply email me and I will rectify your portrait, if you are still not satisfied you are offered a no quibble money back guarantee.  What does it mean when you say 'the artist retains the image rights'?  Although you have purchased the painting and it is from your photograph, the pet portrait has been created by myself and I am able to use it as I see fit (examples on my website, prints of originals, using as an example of work) but I will respect anyone's wishes if they do not wish their pet portrait to be shown on my website as a gesture of goodwill. Email me if you have any issues IMAGES Can you put images from different photographs together in a portrait?  Yes, please try to ensure your pet images are in proportion as without seeing your subjects in person I will not know sizes. Even if it is not your chosen image, it is helpful to send an image of the animals together so I can see the difference in sizes. See my photography guide to capture the perfect shot  What size digital images are needed? As large as possible, for the smaller portraits no less than 250kb is acceptable but for portraits 10" x 12" and above the larger the size image sent, the better the portrait will be. If you are in any doubt, please email images to me for no obligation advice. How many images should I send? As many as possible, I work from one main image but use others for eye colour, coat colour etc so the more information I have, the better the final portrait will be. FRAMING What frame will I need for my portrait?  You will receive information with your commission stating which size frame you require. Can you frame my posted portrait? I do not use custom frames so any postage costs would far outweigh their value, unfortunately due to the weight of a framed portrait I would be unable to offer free worldwide postage. If you are looking for a custom frame I suggest you look on the internet, the cost of a custom frame plus added postage would be excessive and too complicated for me to offer this service. GIFT CERTIFICATES I want a portrait for someone else but can't get suitable photographs. Simply order a gift certificate, you can download the packages instantly if the deadline is short but posted certificates come with a card, certificate and full colour brochure to present to the lucky recipient. Learn about gift certificates. How long are the certificates valid for? Certificates are valid for a lifetime, please be aware though that are valid for prices at the time of surrender, so if you leave them too long there could be an additional cost. My gift certificate is a lower value than I want to spend. email me with the difference in cost you wish to pay and I will invoice you via Paypal or Google Checkout for the difference and then your portrait can be started. I have more than one gift certificate to redeem. Gift Certificates can be grouped together for a single portrait if required PAYMENT Why do you only accept Paypal or Google Checkout payments? Commissions are not despatched until full payment has been received, cheques take days to clear and can bounce whereas Paypal and Google Checkout provide a fast easy and instant transaction which ensures a smooth business deal can take place. I do accept cash for locally collected portraits. Can I pay for my portrait in stages? Yes you can, I can regularly invoice you with Paypal or Google Checkout, however your portrait will not be despatched until the total balance has been paid in full FURTHER INFORMATION see terms and conditions but if you still require further advice visit my contact me page See more portrait art to see how it is created step by step by visiting my blog Read how to make pet portraits and wildlife art commissions Find out prices, sizes and mediums available for wildlife art and pet paintings Buy a gift certificate for pet portraits and wildlife paintings