Commissioning a Painting


General notes
  • 20% discount applies for commissions selected between January 15 and March 15 with an eight-week completion.
  • 20% rush charge applies for paintings due less than six weeks from selection of the final composition.
  • 50% deposit required at start of commission when the final composition is selected and the price, size, and style are determined.
  • 6.25% Massachusetts sales tax applies to commissions. Generally one-third of final price is considered a design consultation and not subject to sales tax.
  • Further discounts can be made at the discretion of the artist if perfect digital photos are provided.

Home and Cityscape Commissions
  • All painting commissions begin with a digital photo including composition details and the general angle.
  • Contact Charles with the address and floor number of the residence or location and suggested sizes and style.
  • Using satellite imaging, Charles determines the best time of day to take photos of the location in natural light and does the initial photo shoot.
  • Proposed compositions are emailed to the client, and the client selects the final composition.
  • Once the price, size, angle and style are agreed upon a deposit is made, and a six-week deadline begins between March 16 and January 15.
Traditional

Traditional style includes detail and a realism derived from a multi-layer paint process; first thin layers of color are applied with turpentine, then each successive layer has more oil. The final layer is entirely varnish, oil, and pigment, making for a luminous transparent surface alive with changing light. The drying time between layers makes traditional technique slower, but allows careful modulation of color and tone without overworking. Traditional paint application is featured in the top tier of pricing year-round, and can also be used to create contemporary pieces.

Contemporary

Contemporary house portraits are the best way to get a thrilling original oil painting whose subject or location is particularly meaningful for the patron. Painted with the same flair, energy, and artistic freedom of subjects chosen personally by the artist, while fulfilling the specific requests of color and detail made by the patron, contemporary house portraits require extra time for preparatory painting and more interaction between the artist and the commissioner.

  • A preparatory oil sketch is created, capturing color scheme and artistic exaggerations so patron has an idea of what the final painting will look like.
  • A surcharge of 15% covers time of creating sketch and emailing, phoning, and texting photos of process.
  • Artist retains ownership of sketch for sale and exhibition.
Recreations

Recreations are commissioned or artist-initiated multiple-versions of chosen compositions. As the drawing aspect is established, they allow further development of paint surface, color relationships, tonal variation and lighting. Recreations also include artist-interpreted versions of paintings by other painters.

Copying exact brushstrokes and individual colors is not the aim of these oil paintings, but rather rediscovery and exploration of the strength and spirit of the earlier work. Often worked on en plein air, or outdoors, different effects of light, detail and color harmonies are captured, as no two moments in time are entirely alike.

Profile and Impressionist or A La Prima

These two styles provide alternatives for people seeking affordable commissioned paintings from Charles Tersolo Fine Art. Individually, they constitute a 15% discount for a house portrait started between January 15 and March 15 with an eight-week completion. Together, they constitute a 25% discount during this period. Subjects surrounded by leafy trees must be photographed in the desired season well in advance of discount period. Early notice is essential, even if home improvements are in process.

Profile commissions contain almost no angled or receding lines. Sidewalks, walls, and window frames line up with a grid pattern. The perspective lines of other styles can be misjudged and require repainting color, detail, and tone, to avoid feeling awkward or badly drawn. The straight-forward lines of a profile work ensure less reworking time, enhance affordability, and place focus on the elegant proportions and details of a building rather than its three-dimensional massing.

The A La Prima or "at the first" style can have a final layer of paint strokes that looks similar to more expensive works. In traditional painting, transparent paint layers often build up to the final strokes. In the impressionist work they are simplified to one or two quick underlayers with a final mostly-opaque impasto layer. Some color areas may be too vibrant, dull, light, or dark, but immediacy of brushwork is exhilarating and decisive. Some patrons prefer this style; many include one or two pieces in their collection that are offset by more elaborately detailed and layered traditional work.

Portrait Commissions

General Notes
  • Posthumous portraits are accepted, two or more photos preferred.
  • Flash photography is not acceptable in most cases.
  • No additional charge for limited portrait palette. (Generally, this is a color spectrum of one purple- and one orange-red, one orange and one greenish-yellow, with cool black substituting for blue.) Full impressionist-spectrum color adds 20% to total price.
  • For each additional head, hand, or animal in a painting, add 15% to the total price.
  • For backgrounds other than color gradation, add 25% to the total price.
  • Standard pricing does not include travel costs.
  • 6.25% Massachusetts sales tax applies to the value of commission as an oil painting, excluding the consultation and travel-expense portion of pricing.
Formal Portraits

The formal portrait is the most interactive and involved commission. Please contact the artist by email or phone to discuss preferences and possibilities. Background, attitude, composition and size are discussed, along with color palette. Full rainbow spectrum color may be chosen to favor a treasured background, but limited palette creates subtle controlled browns, violet-grays, and vibrant flesh tones, and is included in standard pricing. Note that traditional portraiture involves a variety of pre-mixed browns, ochres, and earth-reds that limit vibrancy.

Once location and background are agreed upon, a photo session with the participants is scheduled. Looking to create timeless appeal, access to wardrobe is important, where style and color are debated. Hundreds of photos can be taken in a few hours, with varying poses, three to five wardrobe changes, and a lot of interaction with the artist and model(s) allowing character to surface.

A mixture of natural and artificial lighting is preferred, but work must commence quickly, as indoor lighting changes on a seasonal basis. Obviously, the photo session should not take place before anyone involved leaves for a long vacation.

Charles selects a handful of compositions with varying proposed prices and sends the photos to the client for approval. Once a final composition photo is agreed upon, Charles begins work by blocking in color and basic form, nearly completing facial features and clothing.

After two to three weeks after the photo session, Charles meets with the models again at the same type and time of day, painting live with the models posing. Although challenging to get back into position, many breaks and lighthearted conversation make meeting exhilarating and energizing. One or two three-hour sessions are required, possibly more if the full-color impressionist palette is chosen, as blues and greens make controlling flesh coloring more challenging.

Informal Bust Portraits

These commissions are tremendously exciting and rewarding for both subject and artist. Models are encouraged to stand at eye level, within three or four feet of the easel, and talk, keeping just head and shoulders facing the same direction. Seeing the model's features in action allows Charles to capture character and expression along with an accurate likeness in short time.

Pricing and turnaround time is considerably less than the formal portrait, with a more gestural feel to the brushwork. A 15% discount is created by having the subject on hand for comments and approval. The subject must appear at the artist's studio with three or four outfits to chose from. Clothing choice is based on simplicity and timelessness. Highly patterned or recently en vogue clothing is discouraged.

It is best if the model carries as much of the conversation as is possible, as answering questions is difficult for Charles while concentrating on mixing color. Having a third person in room to talk to may help, but the model must remain directly behind Charles so the model keeps facing in the direction of the artist.

Sessions last two and a half to three and a half hours, with two or more breaks, at which point the drawing and tonalities of the piece are critiqued with the model.

The finished painting may dry in as little as 48 hours, spray varnishing before framing is preferred to maximize the saturation of color. Note that it may be done by the commissioner at a later date if time is short.

Pet Portraits

A 10% discount applies if five to ten photos are provided and one proves to be an acceptable option. Strong natural lighting and lively expression are qualifying factors. Flash photography is generally not acceptable.

Where no favorite photo is an option, the pet is brought to the artist's studio for a photo session. Photos will be selected and emailed. Once agreed upon, the portrait is begun and mostly finished in the studio.

When the portrait is near completion, the client is invited back to the studio with the pet for final adjustments in expression, colors and lighting, if necessary. Once the painting is dry, it is varnished, dried again, framed, and delivered to the client.