This is easily the question portrait artists are asked the most. The short answer is, that it depends what you’re looking for. A pencil drawing done in approximately 25 minutes is less expensive than an oil painting that can take months to complete. There are a variety of portrait options to choose from.

A pencil portrait done from life in approx. 25min

Generally speaking the price of a portrait is determined by the composition or cropping, meaning how much of the subject is included in the portrait. This is usually divided into three prices. A head and shoulders is one type of portrait. A 3/4 portrait is another and a full figure portrait is the last option. This three tiered pricing structure is the most typical pricing structure.

FROM LIFE OR A PHOTO

Some portrait artists offer the option to have a portrait done entirely from life in a single sitting. Some artists only do portraits from photos and others ofter both options. The option to paint the portrait from life is often less expensive for a number of reasons. Primary among them is the desire on the part of the artist to share the process they love with subject. Another reason is the amount of time and technology involved.

On this site, a 8.5 x 11 inch pencil portrait from life, completed in 25 minutes can be as little as $200. A drawing of equal size, done from a photo and noticeably more finished is $500. A 15 x 19 inch head and shoulders charcoal portrait drawing done from life is $1000. Completed from a photo, the cost is $1500.

On the same site there is another option for and oil painted portrait completed from life in a single sitting ranging in price from $2000 - $3000.

THE BEST DEAL

The most cost effective, and fastest portrait option is to have your portrait painted or drawn from life. An additional benefit of seeing the portrait take shape from beginning to end is that the experience is one you and the subject will remember for years.

MUSEUM QUALITY FINISH

For a finished, museum quality, traditional oil portrait one can expect to pay $11,000 for a head and shoulders. $15,000 for a 3/4 portrait and $18,000 for a full figure. Some artists charge a little less. However, with some artists, the price tag can easily have another zero attached to the numbers mentioned.

In this case, the artist will often travel to your location of choice and take photos of the subject for the final portrait. Most artists will share the photos with you immediately or through email and discuss which you feel would make the best painting. This part of the communication stage is very important. So you want to know if the artist has this important step in their process. Believe it not, some artists don’t share the photos with the client. These portraits can often take months to complete, depending on the artist’s schedule and pace, which is the reason why they cost more. When you see the finished result it’s very impressive.