I consider my portraits to be more personalized paintings rather than portraits in the traditional sense of the word. When I first started using my own children as models for some of my paintings 20 years ago, parents started asking me if I could do a painting with their children in it, which I of course replied “Yes.”
The process starts with me taking good photos of the children, adults, families or pets in the pose that was decided beforehand during a client consultation. I then put together a sketch, and when approved, I start the canvas. People enjoy seeing the step-by-step progress of these “Portraits” via email and once complete, seeing their loved one in my painting.