A custom portrait is a want, not a need. For many people, a hand-painted oil or watercolor portrait is a step up in class from a framed snapshot or one of those all-too-familiar gauzy portrait studio photographs. Capable artists can create painted versions of photographs of individuals, husband and wife, a family scene, or a favorite pet. Some people will pay handsomely for an art rendition of their yacht, sailboat, hot rod, sports car, or summer home. For that case, there is a job as painted portrait. This kind of job serves to paint custom oil or watercolor portraits of individuals, families, and pets. Besides that, the job of painted portrait also works to create custom portraits of homes, boats, and cars. One of the great advantages of a painted portrait is that the painter can take artistic liberties: peeling years off a face, adding a handsome or famous landscape, turning a young pistol into a cherub, or removing an out-of-favor friend or family member from a picture.
For the up-front expenses of the job, you’ll need an artist’s kit: brushes, paints, palettes, and other supplies. If you will be promoting your work over the Internet or accepting submission of e-mailed photos, you’ll need a capable computer with Web access. But, in that case, you have to know that in dealing with your client’s property, you should seek to limit your liability for damage or loss to the actual replacement value of items in your possession. You should protect yourself against claims for sentimental value or loss of use.