Olivia Willoughby Art | Pastel Portraits

Commissions

I specialise in realistic pastel and oil portraits of pets, people and wildlife. I am happy to take commissions of any kind. I source my own wildlife reference photographs according to requirements, but for any other commission, a good photo is essential.

Photo requirements :

Portraits capture the spirit and character of the subject in a way that photos cannot. My work is highly detailed, therefore the more detail in the photo, the better. All that is needed is a high resolution, generally a close up photograph. The image naturally needs to be in focus and ideally in natural light. It is best to be on eye level with the subject and make sure there's no flash in the eyes. Usually just the head and neck/chest is needed, unless a full body portrait is required. The more defined detail the better: eyelashes, light in the eyes etc. A treat of some sort is always helpful! It is best to use a camera to achieve this level of detail, however a good high resolution and high mega pixel mobile phone camera can also be used.

Ultimately the subject's pose and general look will be up to you, to best reflect who they are. You can send as many as you want, but only one image will be used for the final picture.

Below is my current price list for pastel portraits. Please contact me for further information regarding a full body portrait, triple/ multiple portraits, etc. Any size is possible, including square or round portraits. All prices are in GBP £. A 25% deposit is required to secure the booking. I also accept payment by instalment. Please email me for oil painting prices, at oliviawilloughby.art@gmail.com

Pastels are comprised of pure pigment and a binder, consequently Pastel art is as close as an artist can come to painting with pure colour. The pigments are the purest of any painting medium. Pastel paintings do not yellow or crack and maintain their freshness and luminosity for a very long time indeed. All the materials I use are archival, of the highest quality and will be lightfast for hundreds of years.

Pastel portrait of a boy by Olivia Willoughby

Each piece is highly detailed and to achieve this level of detail and realism, A4 and above is preferred. Many hours are involved in creating the final portrait. I can spend anywhere between 40 and 100 hours on an individual piece.

Please contact me by email, or directly through this website, for further information about commissions in oil, sizes and prices or for an individual quote.

Please email your photos to oliviawilloughby.art@gmail.com.

If you are fairly local, I can arrange to come and visit to take some photos - this will be at a small cost to cover travel expenses. I live near Sherborne, Dorset, UK.

I allow myself approximately 2 weeks to complete a pastel portrait, but this varies depending on the size and scope.

Oil portraits will take a longer time.

I reserve copyright on all artwork and no piece may be reproduced without my permission.

I also offer high quality giclee prints and greeting cards of the portrait. A perfect gift for family, friends and special occasions.

Delivery - I am happy to hand deliver local commissions, otherwise portraits will be delivered by Royal Mail Special Delivery, a trackable next day service.

Framing and mounting is also available on request. Please contact me for prices. Mounted pieces can be carefully packaged and sent worldwide. Please enquire for individual pricing.

Thank you for your interest. If you would like a commission, or for any further information, please feel free to contact me directly through this website or by email to oliviawilloughby.art@gmail.com

Olivia