Alecia Underhill

Commissioned Portrait Packages

Commissioned portraits are available in oil. Prices range from $550. for an 11 x 14 dog or cat portrait, up to $1260. base price for an 18 x 24 horse portrait. All price packages include a photography session with the animal(s), if within a reasonable driving distance. I prefer to see the animal in person, and it makes my job easier if I can photograph the animal myself. Photographs distort proportions, and don't always tell the truth about color.

If you commission a portrait and I am unable to photograph the animal in person, then my acceptance of the commission depends on receiving good reference material from you. Good reference material represents the horse at its best, with a clean, glossy coat. Look at the photographs with a critical eye and make sure the color in the photographs represents the true coat color. For example, black horses can tend to look brown when photographed in the summer, or in bright sunlight.

Photographs should be taken with a 35mm camera or a high-quality digital, outdoors in natural light. No poloroids or indoor flash pictures, please. If you use the services of a professional photographer, I will need his/her permission in writing to use the photographs. Overcast conditions will tend to bring out the rich color in the coat, whereas a sunny day will provide contrast. Early morning or late afternoon sunlight gives us warm highlights and interesting shadows. Take a lot of photographs, the more, the better, and in different lighting conditions. I typically shoot at least 36-50 pictures, from all angles. Even if you want your horse's full body in the portrait, take close-up pictures of the head, and any special markings. If you want your farm landscape in the background, take separate photos of the landscape scenes--but be sure that the direction of the lighting in the background scene matches the direction of light on the horse. For portraits with more than one horse, it is critical that the lighting match up on both animals.

Unique

This would be a pretty good reference shot for a head portrait. It has nice light and shadow, and it depicts my horse's color pretty well. It also gives a sense of her friendly, curious personality. That is another important factor in choosing reference material.

Things that aren't as important are leg position, and ear position. Most people try to get the horse's ears up in a photograph. As the artist, I am much more concerned with the color, the overall pose, and the clarity of the details. I can move a leg or put the ears up in the painting.

For an example of how references are used in a portrait, see the next page.