Art by Sarah Esen

Pricings and Ordering

I mainly do portraits on sizes 5x7", 6x8", 8x10", 9x12" and 11x14".

These sizes are for the mounted size, the paper itself comes a little larger for easy framing.

All artwork is drawn on high quality, acid free Canson art paper.

Please contact me with photos so I can give you an exact quote for a drawing. If you require a different or a bigger size other than the ones mentioned above, please contact me. My prices include all shipping and postage costs.

Please be aware that I may have a waiting list and it may be many weeks before I start your drawing. I draw when I have any free time, but on average, inbetween my other responsibilities, it can take me around a week to two weeks, sometimes longer, to finish a drawing. Each portrait is unique and will need different amounts of time taken on it. I can give you a rough estimate of how long it may be before I start your personal portrait.

After the photo/photos have been sent to me and you have confirmed your request, once I come to your slot I will then send you an initial outlined proportional drawing of what the end result will bear resemblance to. If you are happy at this stage, I will then carry on with the portrait. Throughout the process I will also send you progessional drawings via email for you to see your portrait slowly come to life!

We can discuss any work you wish to be created. I draw mainly from photographs and can advise you on photos that would be suitable for the best drawing. Photos that are very clear, not blurry, high definition, and have all of the main features (eyes, nose, mouth/muzzle) showing are the best for me to work from. I can only draw what I see. The better the photo, the better the drawing will be. I may request more photos from you if you have sent me ones that are not clear/suitable enough.

The time in which you will receive your drawing can depend on a few factors. Drawings take me many hours to complete, some more than others and you may also be in a long queue, plus there must be time allowed for postage. I would rather take the time it takes to finish a drawing to the best of my abilities, rather than rush a drawing and have it sent to you quicker.

If you wish to have a portrait drawn for a gift for someone special for a special occasion, please order very far in advance so you have more chance to give this gift to them on time.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions or requests.

What photo will make the best portrait?

Ideal photos to send to me for a good portrait should be all of the following:

• Very clear.

• Not blurry or hazey.

• High definition (when zoomed in, you can still see detail) Photos should ideally be at least 2MB in size.

• Shows all of the subject's head (for a head portrait) or body (for a full body portrait) within the photo border.

• Has good, clear lighting. Natural light is best. There should be enough light to take a picture without the flash.

• Has clear features (eyes are open and alert and all necessary features can be seen etc) that are not covered.

• Make sure the animal is clean and well groomed and has a healthy sheen.

• Make sure that any tack the animal is wearing is clean and smart.

• Make sure the animal is alert and focused. You can have a friend nearby  to rustle a plastic bag with treats for example to get the animal's attention. It may also be a good idea to take the animal to a place with a busy environment so that the animal will be more likely to be focused on surrounding activites which can also make for good poses.

• Take your time and shoot many photographs in various locations. Shoot at different angles and sides. You will have more photos to choose from when picking out the best ones.

• Sometimes natural and spontaneous poses can work aswell.

•  I support 'natural horsemanship', bitless riding etc. and enjoy seeing and drawing a horse in a more comfortable state as opposed to one that is tacked up in big bits and as much gear as possible. However, I draw what I am asked and my artwork is not intended to promote any certain type of horsemanship.

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This photo below is a wonderful example of a perfect photo for a commissioned portrait. I was told that this lovely horse's owner spent the time to take around 250 photos to get the perfect shot. This 3MB photo shows the horse in a natural, comfortable position with all the main features uncovered. With the photo being such high quality, this means I can still see detail when I zoom in and the more details I can see, the better the portrait will be.

You can see this finished drawn portrait named 'Asti' in my Gallery.

Payment Details and Packaging

Currently, I only take payment via PayPal.

Portrait prices currently include all shipping, packaging and paypal charges*. Please contact me for PayPal details.

*Please note if you are paying in a currency other than British pounds, PayPal will charge you a small fee for the currency conversion.

All drawings are sent well protected and packaged.

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Framing

All artwork is sent unmounted and unframed. This saves on the overall cost, and this means you are able to choose the style and type of frame and mount/mat that suits your own requirements from your local framer.

Custom made frames and mounts can also be purchased hassle-free from online websites such as IMAGE FRAMES. Purchasing online also saves you the worry of your artwork possibly being damaged in the hands of another.

For your convenience, my portraits sizes will fit most standard sized frames.

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