CCMS FAQ
If your question isn't answered here, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]!
Q: Are your prices negotiable?
A: Yes, I am quite flexible with my pricing and package programs, within reason of course!
Q: Will you trade personal art for advertising in my business?
A: No, sorry. I do not do free commissions.
Q: Why aren't most of your commissions shown in your online gallery?
A: Most of the commissions I do are of family members or pets, or for someone's personal promotion. As a result, most of them prefer that their piece not be on the internet. Out of respect for my customers and copyright transfers, I honor all requests for pieces to be left out of the gallery.
Q: I want a logo or design done that will be used in promotions and sales. What about copyrights?
A: I am willing to sell the copyrights to all pieces. If copyright is not purchased, there are certain royalty standards set by Canadian copyright laws that I do uphold.
Q: Why do you require a 50% deposit?
A: The deposit does two things: it gives me security so I don't spend hours on a commission that someone changes their mind on, and it also helps to pay for the initial materials (I buy most commission materials new)
Q: What does "plus material cost" mean and what does it buy?
A: All paintings are priced with a flat rate "plus material cost." A material cost is the price of the art supplies that go into the painting. It buys the canvas, the paint for your portrait, paint brushes, and ink or charcoal for the original outline.
Q: What do you do with your concept sketches for the main commission? Can I have mine?
A: I am usually okay with handing off any preliminary sketches along with the artwork. Just be warned that if the main work is complicated, I may have traced over it with ink to help me stay on course, or I might have altered or changed it. Also they aren't coated or on thick paper, so they will easily damage. If they don't go to the customer they just sit in my sketch book.
Q: Is art your only job?
A: In a sense. I am also a professional musician and a writer, so I'm very deep into the arts. I have also trained and showed horses and have been getting back into that as a job.
Q: Why is the wait time for oil paint so much longer than acrylic if their completion dates are the same?
A: Oil paint takes anywhere from 4-8 days to dry to the touch. If I let the painting leave my home before it dries to that point, the colors and oil will rub off and the painting will be damaged.
Q: How long does oil paint take to fully dry?
A: It takes 4-8 days to dry to the touch, and a week or two for the shine to go away. Then after that it takes eight months to a year before the paint is completely settled and hardened. After you take your painting home you should be careful to not lean anything against it or to put pressure on the painted area. It will be more susceptible to scrapes and gauges during this time. People don't have an issue as it is hanging on their wall anyways!
Q: Will direct sunlight damage my art?
A: I spray art down with some fixatives and protective coats to prevent fading and warping. Most sunlit places in homes are not under direct sunlight for more than a couple of hours a day as the shadows move about. Also, glass and other things filter out the sun's intensity. It's very rare that, inside, artwork will be affected by sunlight.
Q: Can you make multiples of the same drawing or painting?
A: I can get very close.
Q: Do you teach art lessons?
A: Yes, I will do one-on-one lessons either in person or through e-mail.
Q: Do I need to purchase a copyright for my tattoo design because it will be replicated?
A: Copyright is not required for tattoo designs unless it will be promoted in the tattoo artist's promotions.
Q: How long have you been drawing?
A: Ever since I could hold a pencil.
Q: Are you comfortable drawing nudity?
A: Yes, I will complete portraits that have nudity in them. However, I reserve the right to refuse any subjects. I do not draw "adult subject matter," if you will.
Q: How can your wait times be so much shorter than other artists?
A: Because fine art is my full time and main job, I work all day every day at it. Therefore, I can (and do) put up to 12-13 hours a day into artwork. Because I enjoy it, I'm okay with working that long because it hardly feels like work!
Q: Why are your oil paintings cheaper than most other artists'?
A: Because I charge by an approximate hourly rate rather than racking up my prices just because of the medium.
Q: I need multiple character designs in different styles or clothing but identical poses done. Can you make duplicates?
A: Yes. I can duplicate character forms and lines and modify the duplicates, like an animator might.
Q: Why are there so many horses in your gallery?
A: As I grew up training horses and working farms, they were the only live subjects I had the chance to study when I was younger. Because of that, I started my promotions mostly with horse art, and thus have gained many contacts on horse farms and at horse competitions. I've been hired at a custom horse equipment store as the promotional artist and have had my works showcased at major rodeos across the USA and Canada. I am also the exclusive artist for many horse farms in Canada and two in the USA. They are familiar ground for me, and also I never get sick of drawing them.
Q: Are you able to draw this?
A: If you have a photo reference, I can draw most things. If you don't, I can find references and work it out one way or another. I'm continually expanding my skills and will make anything happen.
Q: Are your prices negotiable?
A: Yes, I am quite flexible with my pricing and package programs, within reason of course!
Q: Will you trade personal art for advertising in my business?
A: No, sorry. I do not do free commissions.
Q: Why aren't most of your commissions shown in your online gallery?
A: Most of the commissions I do are of family members or pets, or for someone's personal promotion. As a result, most of them prefer that their piece not be on the internet. Out of respect for my customers and copyright transfers, I honor all requests for pieces to be left out of the gallery.
Q: I want a logo or design done that will be used in promotions and sales. What about copyrights?
A: I am willing to sell the copyrights to all pieces. If copyright is not purchased, there are certain royalty standards set by Canadian copyright laws that I do uphold.
Q: Why do you require a 50% deposit?
A: The deposit does two things: it gives me security so I don't spend hours on a commission that someone changes their mind on, and it also helps to pay for the initial materials (I buy most commission materials new)
Q: What does "plus material cost" mean and what does it buy?
A: All paintings are priced with a flat rate "plus material cost." A material cost is the price of the art supplies that go into the painting. It buys the canvas, the paint for your portrait, paint brushes, and ink or charcoal for the original outline.
Q: What do you do with your concept sketches for the main commission? Can I have mine?
A: I am usually okay with handing off any preliminary sketches along with the artwork. Just be warned that if the main work is complicated, I may have traced over it with ink to help me stay on course, or I might have altered or changed it. Also they aren't coated or on thick paper, so they will easily damage. If they don't go to the customer they just sit in my sketch book.
Q: Is art your only job?
A: In a sense. I am also a professional musician and a writer, so I'm very deep into the arts. I have also trained and showed horses and have been getting back into that as a job.
Q: Why is the wait time for oil paint so much longer than acrylic if their completion dates are the same?
A: Oil paint takes anywhere from 4-8 days to dry to the touch. If I let the painting leave my home before it dries to that point, the colors and oil will rub off and the painting will be damaged.
Q: How long does oil paint take to fully dry?
A: It takes 4-8 days to dry to the touch, and a week or two for the shine to go away. Then after that it takes eight months to a year before the paint is completely settled and hardened. After you take your painting home you should be careful to not lean anything against it or to put pressure on the painted area. It will be more susceptible to scrapes and gauges during this time. People don't have an issue as it is hanging on their wall anyways!
Q: Will direct sunlight damage my art?
A: I spray art down with some fixatives and protective coats to prevent fading and warping. Most sunlit places in homes are not under direct sunlight for more than a couple of hours a day as the shadows move about. Also, glass and other things filter out the sun's intensity. It's very rare that, inside, artwork will be affected by sunlight.
Q: Can you make multiples of the same drawing or painting?
A: I can get very close.
Q: Do you teach art lessons?
A: Yes, I will do one-on-one lessons either in person or through e-mail.
Q: Do I need to purchase a copyright for my tattoo design because it will be replicated?
A: Copyright is not required for tattoo designs unless it will be promoted in the tattoo artist's promotions.
Q: How long have you been drawing?
A: Ever since I could hold a pencil.
Q: Are you comfortable drawing nudity?
A: Yes, I will complete portraits that have nudity in them. However, I reserve the right to refuse any subjects. I do not draw "adult subject matter," if you will.
Q: How can your wait times be so much shorter than other artists?
A: Because fine art is my full time and main job, I work all day every day at it. Therefore, I can (and do) put up to 12-13 hours a day into artwork. Because I enjoy it, I'm okay with working that long because it hardly feels like work!
Q: Why are your oil paintings cheaper than most other artists'?
A: Because I charge by an approximate hourly rate rather than racking up my prices just because of the medium.
Q: I need multiple character designs in different styles or clothing but identical poses done. Can you make duplicates?
A: Yes. I can duplicate character forms and lines and modify the duplicates, like an animator might.
Q: Why are there so many horses in your gallery?
A: As I grew up training horses and working farms, they were the only live subjects I had the chance to study when I was younger. Because of that, I started my promotions mostly with horse art, and thus have gained many contacts on horse farms and at horse competitions. I've been hired at a custom horse equipment store as the promotional artist and have had my works showcased at major rodeos across the USA and Canada. I am also the exclusive artist for many horse farms in Canada and two in the USA. They are familiar ground for me, and also I never get sick of drawing them.
Q: Are you able to draw this?
A: If you have a photo reference, I can draw most things. If you don't, I can find references and work it out one way or another. I'm continually expanding my skills and will make anything happen.