Commissioned Portraits: Custom Oil Sibling Portraits

I have completed the sibling of these two young woman (as they are today). I painted each sibling at the time of their high school graduation which was quite a joy.

It should be noted that while the family resemblance happens to be marginal in these three young adults, they are equal in wonderful traits, such as charm and intelligence!

I will post the new painting tomorrow. Then it will be varnished and delivered. There was some discussion that the adorable family dog may be next as there are no more children to paint!

Luxury Gifts, Luxury Gifts Online—Last Minute Shopping with Great Thought

For anyone who might be looking for a spectacular Christmas gift(or other occasion), but simply have not been able to get out and shop, I'd like to suggest a portrait of your loved one (or of your children) in 2016. What a lovely way to show your love and have something fun to look forward to. . . the unveiling!

I can email you a gift certificate, which can be wrapped.

Gift certificates are available for "head and shoulders", "3/4 figure" (which includes hands, but not feet in the painting) or full length portraits.

These also make memorable gifts for Anniversaries and Birthday gifts for those who may be ahead of many of the pack who are still finalizing Christmas gifts!

These gifts are enduring and will never be lost or forgotten. Please see my testimonials page to learn how moved family members are about these portrait gifts!

To enquire about gift certificate or a commission, please email me at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Luxury Christmas: Luxury Gifts for Men who have Everything!

So you have been thinking for weeks of what would be a unique gift for the man in your life who has everything! (Anniversary, Christmas, Birthday...)

He has all the finest clothes he can wear, first rate sporting goods, all the lovely luxuries in life and more. What else would be special? I would like to suggest that a wonderful, memorable gift for such a person is a portrait. This can be painted from existing photographs or we can plan a time for me to visit to make a quick sketch and take photographs. It could be a portrait of him or of your child(ren).

The beauty of this gift is it will never need batteries or gather dust in a corner!

To learn more about how to commission a portrait for your loved one, please click here.

Posthumous portrait: On the easel

I am currently working on a posthumous portrait for a lovely young woman. She lost her Mom so early in her life and therefore I am honored to paint this commission of her mother. It will be on the smaller side and I started it at 8 x 10, but now just this morning decided the painting will look better at 9 x 12 and I know she'll be pleased that the painting will be larger. This is a design decision, based upon my years of graphic design and 17 years of painting commissioned portraits. I am most decidedly not a factory, but hopefully at the end of the day, a place with an intersection of thoughtfulness, care, art and joy.

I am eager to complete a few paintings in my studio before Christmas and I'm working hard on the weekends and doing my holiday shopping during the week.

To commission a painting, please email me at soniahale1@gmail.com.

Hand-painted Portraits: A gift for Generations

Custom portraits enrich a home like no other artwork. Capturing your children in youth is an amazing thing to be able to do.

Here are some considerations in commissioning a portrait:

1. If you have more than one child are you going to have all your children painted at the same time or individually at at certain age?

2. Would you like an indoor or outdoor portrait(s)?

3. What will they wear? Do you want a more formal portrait or casual portrait?

4. What is your ideal timeline for completion of the painting(s)? Are the paintings a gift?

5. Do you have a budget for the painting(s)?

6. Would you prefer an oil or pastel portrait?

Getting started on portraits is as simple as sending an email to explore these topics. We can talk about your timeline and pricing.

I'd love to talk to you about your commissioned portraits. Send me an email and we can get started on your heirloom portraits. To send me an email, please click here soniahale1@gmail.com.

Luxury Gifts for the Man who has Everything: a painting of your Children, Pets or Vacation home view

Choosing the gift for the man who has everything takes some thought. If they truly have all their personal needs taken care of, thinking outside of the box can be fun in gift-giving. A Dad will be very moved by having a portrait commissioned of his children. Since it is just a few weeks before Christmas, a gift certificate can be wrapped and presented.

For more information, please click here: soniahale1@gmail.com.

Choosing the Best of Portrait artists for your Commission: Portrait Artist for hire

Before hiring a portrait artist you need to consider a few things:

1. Before you hire an artist you should ask yourself, do you love the artist's style? Portraits are emotional pieces and a labor of love by the artist, as well as the gift of love by the buyer. These pieces will endure for decades and become a testament of your family's strength.

2. Are you comfortable with the artist——do you trust them to paint your commissioned portraits on time and in the manner you envision? Will they make any changes you request without it becoming a battle? Commissioned portraiture requires a special temperament on behalf of the artist. Where this is not "fine art" to be completed and sold as such, the artist should be very willing to hear your response to the painting(s) and make adjustments if you so desire.

3. What is the artist's background: how many years of study have they taken on? Do they have a proven track record and testimonials which back their abilities?

I have found the vast majority of my paintings are accepted without any adjustments, many with small adjustments done in a half hour or less and a very small percentage have had any more adjustments than that. This was due to the family members having opposing ideas of how they wanted the portrait subject to be portrayed. I work closely with families to be sure they are happy with the finished painting(s).

A comfortable feeling with the artist in all communications is important: that you feel your wishes are being heard.

To discuss a portrait commission please click here: soniahale1@gmail.com. You can rest assured that you will receive your painting on time and to your satisfaction, as I have been painting commissioned portraits for over 15 years. I have a full page of testimonials on my website: www.soniahale.com