REALISTIC PORTRAITS
ON COMMISSION
​Alessandra has been creating commissioned portraits since 2010, for clients in Italy and abroad, with a realistic style that has always distinguished her work, with careful research into the detail and atmosphere of the portrait.
Each portrait is unique, like the subjects that come to life from a sheet of paper or a blank canvas, as are the stories of each individual client.
What characterizes her portraits is in fact the profound attention to the subject's expression and what it communicates, with a research aimed at representing an emotion, an instant, and making it eternal.
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All portraits are made entirely by hand, starting from white paper or canvas.
It's possible to follow the work in progress of the creation of the portrait, and see the result before the shipping, with the right to request any changes.
Portraits can be made with different techniques, based on the client's preference. In fact, dry techniques are available (pencil, charcoal and pastel on paper) or oil painting on canvas.
The portraits can be shipped worldwide by express courier and the packaging is done with care.
Look at the photo gallery and request a free quote.
TECNIQUES
CLASSIC PORTRAITS
Pencil and charcoal
Soft pastel
Oil on canvas
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
TIME LAPSE VIDEO
of the realisation of the portrait
Authenticity certificate
always included
#Portraitscommission #PencilPortraits #OilPortraits #Portraitsfrompictures
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What is the difference between realism and
hyper-realism?
"I began studying drawing and painting with a hyper-realistic approach and an almost "morbid" attention to every single detail. But then over the years of my career and comparison with other great artists I realized that it is not the detail the important thing, but the message, the emotion, the atmosphere.
In fact, hyper-realism tends to emphasize and exasperate every single detail, but reality couldn't be more different. When we stop to observe a live face, in fact, we don't notice every single pore of the skin or every small wrinkle, but we are captured by a look, a light, a contrast, a colour.
My artistic research applied to portraits is based precisely on this: the desire to capture the subject in its purity, the environment, and to make it real through emotion and contrast rather than with line and mannerism."
FAQ
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Can I commission a portrait from a photograph?Of course. The portraits are made remotely by sending suitable photographs, by e-mail or Whatsapp. It is possible to choose a single photo or combine several photos into a single portrait after seeing a graphically created preview to show the position of the subjects. It is recommended to send several photographs in order to be able to verify their feasibility and get advice on the most suitable photo for a better rendering of the portrait.
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Photo features for good portrait renderingTo obtain a good result the starting photo must have a good definition, preferably in the foreground or half-length and it must be taken in broad daylight. The quality of the result depends very much on the quality of the photo.
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Time of completion and delivery of a portraitThe time to complete a portrait varies according to the technique, the size and the number of orders in progress. However, it is usually advisable to move well in advance and to commission the portrait at least 45 days in advance for the pencil/charcoal technique or 60 days for the oil technique.
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Is the Certificate of Authenticity included?Always! The portraits are always shipped accompanied by dated and signed CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY. This will prove the value over time.
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Packing and ShippingAll portraits are carefully packed with several layers of bubble wrap and special boxes and marked with adhesive tape. The courier in charge is TNT, which usually delivers in 1/2 working days. Packaging and shipping in Italy cost €15 for purchases of less than €400, while they are free for purchases of more than €400. For shipping outside Italy, please request a free quote.
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Privacy PolicyThe photos sent for the commission of the portrait are used exclusively for the purpose of creating the portrait itself. They are then seen and used exclusively by the artist to copy them in the chosen technique. When the portrait is completed, the artist asks the customer for authorization to publish the portrait on her website and connected social networks. If permission is granted, the portrait is then published on the website; if permission is denied, the portrait remains private and is not disclosed in any way.
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How much does making a portrait cost?The cost varies according to the following: - Number of subjects to be portrayed (animals and landscapes are to be considered subjects) - Portrait technique - Size CLASSIC PORTRAITS have a dedicated price list, lower than the author portraits type, and the price is calculated per square metre. CREATIVE PORTRAITS, on the other hand, refer to the artist's coefficient on the art market. It is possible to request a free quote with no obligation on the dedicated page.
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Payment methodsThe accepted payment methods are: Bank transfer PayPal Credit Card Once the specifications and price of the portrait have been agreed, the customer will be required a deposit of 40% of the total amount to proceed with the order. Once the portrait is completed the customer will receive a preview photo of the result and after their approval and final payement, the order will be shipped. It is also possible to request customised payment based on the final cost of the portrait and the customer's needs.
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How does ordering a remote portrait work? Can I see the result before it is sent to me?Commissioning a remote portrait is very simple: first of all, a request for information and an estimate is made by the client. The artist replies by mail or by phone according to the customer’s preference within 1/2 days. If the estimate meets the customer's needs, we proceed to verify the photo and order the portrait. When placing the order, the customer's billing and shipping information is requested, together with a deposit of 40% of the final cost of the portrait. This can be paid by bank transfer, Paypal or credit card. Once the portrait is completed, Alessandra will send a preview photo of the result and only after approval will proceed with the payment request and then shipping. The customer can request any change to the portrait before it is shipped.
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Can I request the portrait to be sent with a frame?The frame is a very personal and subjective choice, which depends on the taste of the client and the furnishings of his home or office. Furthermore, the shipment of framed portraits, especially in the case of frames with glass, would be risky due to the delicacy of the frame itself. For this reason, the artist has decided not to provide this service. She advises going to a local or trusted framer once the portrait is received, in order to be able to carry out some live tests with different frames and choose the one that is closest to your tastes.
CLASSIC PORTRAITS
Reference photo features
Remote portraiture relies on clear, sharp, and "finished" reference photos. This is because the artist cannot have the subjects present and posing to conduct the necessary studies regarding position, perspective, light, and shadow. For this reason, photos already ready for painting are required, which can be relied upon fully to produce a faithful copy or pictorial interpretation, as far as possible.
Multiple photos can be combined into a single portrait (Alessandra will create a composition in Photoshop to place the subjects side by side), as long as they are compatible in terms of perspective and context.
In essence: the portraitist does not invent, but reproduces reality.
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✅ So, in short, a list that can give you some guidelines:
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Background: It can be removed or completely changed, adding almost anything you like.
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Clothing: You can change the color of the clothing, but not the clothing itself.
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Pose and expression: It's absolutely impossible to change the subject's pose or expression (for example, asking for a smile if the mouth is closed in the photo, because it's impossible to invent such important anatomical parts), or remove sunglasses, etc. The portrait is based on a single photo, which must be representative of the subject and showcase them to their best advantage.
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📷 Reference photo features
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The photo must be in high or medium definition, taken in daylight (a smartphone photo is also fine, as long as the flash is not used and the photo is bright). Photos with filters or manipulations of any kind are not accepted, as the portrait is personalized directly by the artist, and the original primary photo is required.
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For close-up or half-length portraits, a close-up photo is required (not cropped from a full-length photo), as the faces would be too low definition.
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For full-length portraits, a high-definition photo is required, where all the subjects' details are clearly visible.​
NEW
Personalization with AI
Thanks to modern digital tools, it's possible to create a creative and personalized portrait from scratch. Artificial intelligence is in fact very useful in some cases for creating scenarios that would otherwise be impossible, and the artist continually studies AI advances to offer his clients a more modern approach.
To create a creative portrait, simply send 5-6 close-up photos (even selfies) and provide general information about the portrait: for example, a self-portrait of an emperor seated on a throne, or in a 1920s setting and attire, or even choosing to appear in elegant modern or antique clothing. In short, with this option, there are few limits to the imagination! The first phase would therefore consist of creating a completely customized reference image, which would then be painted by the artist following the reference and transforming a digital image into an original painting.
What customers say
Payment methods
BANK TRANSFER
CREDIT & DEBIT CARDS
*Possibility to make payments in installments