FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
For portrait paintings and drawings, I charge $300 for 18" x 24". I prefer to work at least that size. It's a good compromise between being large enough to capture life and yet small enough that shipping is not exorbitant. Drawings cost more to ship because of the larger size of the paper relative to the work. Other sizes would vary in price. For drawing and painting instruction, I charge $20 a lesson, which should happen no less than every two weeks. People able to travel to Saint Paul MN can work with me in my artists' building. Online lessons require a video streaming or meeting service such as Skype so we can see each other and what we are doing. I tailor lessons to yourgoals so that you see the greatest success in the shortest amount of time, so we will talk a bit first. I may require you to purchase certain materials, but my recommendations will be mindful of your budget and I will help you source their purchase online. Each lesson will consist of a review of your last assignment, followed by some live instruction / exercise, and concluding with an explanation of the next assignment. It is typically an hour or so for each lesson. For a series of illustrations, for editorial color or design / architectural presentation I charge based on the project. $50 per drawing roughly 5" x 7" is a good starting point but it may be more or less depending on requirements.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
See above
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I was born with a pencil in my hand! My mom fostered my talent by paying for several years of private watercolor lessons with a local, internationally-recognized watercolor artist, and signing me up for college-level drawing classes at the local community college while I was still in grade school. I majored in theater design in college for my first undergraduate degree, designing and building sets, props, and costumes, and lighting design (my favorite). I went back to school for an architecture degree, where I was often selected by drawing and design professors to be their teaching assistant because of my ability to match my feedback to the student's unique situation and perspective. I voluntarily enrolled in additional courses that trained students how to teach representation to other students. My day job is as a Product Owner for a software company, where I design new features and user experiences. My representation skills come in handy every day, to illustrate product pitches, graphically represent complex functionality, and sketch mockups. However, I look forward every day to coming home so I can draw, paint, and help others do the same.