Commission Photo FAQs

What sort of house pictures should I send you?

For house/storefront portraits, we want to see a straight-on photograph in good, clear lighting - not taken at an angle from the lawn, not obscured by a tree, not taken in the middle of a snow storm when the snow is obscuring all the colours/details of the house. The picture must show details and shouldn’t be grainy/pixel-y. I can only draw based on what I see in the photograph, so the onus is really on you to ensure that I have proper photos to work from!

This is an example of a usable photo.

It is straight on, clear, and taken during daylight.

This is an example of a photo that is not usable.

It is taken at an angle and is too close to the house.

What sort of couple/family pictures should I send you?

I need to see a straight-on, head to toe photograph taken in good, clear lighting. No selfies please, as that doesn’t accurately represent your height. The reason we need straight-on, head to toe photographs is to see height accurately represented. If you’re sending multiple photos and some do accurately represent height and others do not, please let me know which ones do. If the reference photos do not accurately represent height, be sure to let me know before the sketch is made, as altering a sketch due to the reference photo not accurately representing height may incur an additional fee. (This also applies to things like tattoos, hair colour, etc).

This reference photo is usable, as it shows the subjects standing together so you can see their height.

And yes, that is me with my mom :)

This reference photo is not usable.

This selfie doesn’t show the bottom half of the subjects, and also, you can’t tell but this is my friend Jasmine and she’s like seven feet tall but we look the same height - this is why selfies are not ideal to be used!

I want a couple/family portrait of my friend - can you look through their Instagram for a good picture?

Unfortunately due to the high level of demand for portraits, I’m unable to dedicate time to sleuthing through your friend’s social media to find a usable picture. Please use the guidelines noted above, and please find 2-3 photos that show them well to send me.

Can you draw a background or add in some elements?

I don’t draw entire backgrounds, but sometimes can add in elements such as some of a wall, or perhaps a wedding alter for a couple portrait, or a couch/chair for a fee. Here are some examples of what I mean by this!