Frequently asked questions.

First, decide who the portrait will depict, and whether they will appear alone or as a group — this shapes composition and style. Consider where it will hang and its purpose, whether formal or informal. Reflect on the style you prefer, from a painterly to a more realistic hand, and your budget, including framing and shipping. Your sales associate will help you weigh each of these.

A sales associate helps you select an artist; you provide reference photographs; the artist develops the portrait in oil; you review and approve it; and the finished portrait is delivered. From consultation to delivery, a commission generally takes 3–4 weeks depending on the artist and the complexity of the work.

With the assistance of your personal sales associate, you choose from our roster of outstanding portrait painters. Your associate — trained in fine portraiture — narrows the selection to your taste, budget, timeframe, and preferred medium.

Portrait artists have varying fee schedules based on the size of the figure and the medium used. The figure sizes may vary from head and shoulders, half figure, three-quarter figure to full figure. The starting price for oil portraits is $4,000, while pastel portraits start at $3,000. Charcoal portraits begin at $1,500.

It is important to note that the quoted price is only for the artwork. Additional charges may apply for items like extra figures, pets, detailed backgrounds, framing, crating, shipping, and insurance of the finished work.

We are happy to work with clients within their budget. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific needs.

No. The price you pay for a commissioned portrait through National Portrait Service is the same as you would pay working directly with the artist. By using the Service, you gain an experienced partner in securing the portrait you desire.

For a painted portrait, the frame is the second most significant expense. A portrait is not framed as a landscape or still life is; there are particular conventions and archival considerations that only a professional knows, and the Service is glad to assist.

Yes. Where subjects were photographed separately, or where no single photograph suffices, the Service composes the portrait from several references so the figures appear together as one unified work.

Reference photographs are held in confidence and used solely for the commission. A finished portrait is shown in the Collection only with the consent of its patron.