Bespoke Art – Commission of House Portraits

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The Process

To create my portraits, I hand-draw them in freestyle using pen and soft pencil on card paper. No rulers or projection methods are used. I work from photos in my studio. I prefer to visit the house and take the photos myself if possible, if its too far or in another country then I work from photos that people send me.

Portrait sizes are A1, A2 and A3.

Once the portraits are complete, I scan them in high definition, then clean them up in photoshop, and save them as a high resolution images. These images can then be used to print on stationery and on greeting cards.

Bespoke
Commissions

The portraits are created with a unique touch & feel that Eli portrays from the specific house type, period, and character. This result in an art piece with a life of its own, crafted carefully to reflect the unique story and beauty of the house

Eli does not draw every house, and is very particular and keen to firstly see initial photos, and feel if the house will benefit and be suitable for his technique and artistic style. In some cases Eli will personally visit your house to take photos himself.

He draws only by commission and produces one or two commission per month, to allow him to dwell and concentrate on the feel and character of the house while he is creating the portraits.

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HOW DOES IT WORK?

After you send Eli some initial photos by email, and if he feels that the house is suitable for his style and technique, he will then either visit the house himself if it’s not too far, or he will ask you to send some more photos. A visit is usually preferred if possible, because Eli can then feel the vibe of the house, see all the surroundings and views, and get ideas of angles and elevations that one not necessarily would have thought of. When he visits the house he takes photos on an iPad, stitches some of them on the spot and then sits with you together to go through them and choose the best angles.

If a visit is not possible Eli will work from photos you send him, as he does with clients that send him photos from all over the world. He will then revert with suggestions of potential angles and maybe some more photos that you'll need to take. You can take them just using your mobile phone and emailing them to him.

After Eli completes the artwork you will receive the framed original portraits, together with a high-resolution scanned copy of the portraits, to be used as stationery.

“After I take the photos I go back with them to my studio and draw the portraits free-hand using thin-tip pens and soft pencils. I smudge the soft pencils and then highlight the artwork with eraser pens. I sit for days on each portrait, going into minute details of bricks, tiles, woodwork, windows, climbers and gardens. By the time I finish a portrait I know each brick and stone of the house. It is sometimes very hard for me to give the portrait ‘away’ to its new owner, it’s as giving away your precious creation.”

A Gentle Twist Of Perspective

"I become very emotional when I draw beautiful old houses. They are living history scattered everywhere across the English countryside. Driving along narrow country roads you can be sure that nearly every driveway you pass ends with a beautiful house with a history all of its own.When I’m drawing a house, the fine detail of my pen work takes me on a magical journey where the history of each property is revealed with every brick and stone I immortalise. The uneven lines of the roof, walls and beams deepen this mystery. That’s why I slightly enhance these elements to bring out the warmth and personality of the houses. This Gentle Twist to Perspective is my unique style and my artistic signature. It transforms a house into a work of art that tells an ancient story. My unique style and artistic signature is giving the house a gentle twist to perspective. This is what I feel coming out of the house onto my paper while I’m drawing. It gives character and feel to the portrait rather than just an architectural Blue-Print."

With a Gentle Twist

With Very Mild Twist

You can choose if to have a gentle twist to the house perspective, a mild twist or none at all.

After the portrait is complete, it is scanned in high resolution, stitched and cleaned up in Photoshop and copied onto a CD.

You will be given the Copy-Right to the portrait so you can use it for your stationary.

Eli is fortunate and blessed to have an average waiting-list time during the year to be between 6-10 months ahead. So please keep that in mind when you are planning the portrait as a gift for a specific date.

He will sometimes push ‘urgent’ commissions higher in the queue such as a gift for a very elderly parent or a wedding etc…

PERSONALISED STATIONERY

Your house on Letterheads, Greeting Cards and Placemats.

After creating the art work, the portrait is then scanned into the computer and given to you on CD.

That allows you to have a wide range of possibilities and outputs in addition to the framed portrait itself. For example, you could have your house produced on:

Letterheads with your address details added.
Greeting cards with or without your text printed inside.
Postcards with or without your text printed on one side.
On-line usage such as in e-mails and web sites.
Placemats and Coasters, set of 6 or 12.

Framing

The Portrait can come framed in 5 basic frame types: Dark Wood, Light Oak-looking wood, Modern smooth Black or Modern Silver, and New Gold.

The wood frames will have a three layer mount and the silver two layers. Gilt frames are also available with extra cost

Artistic Licence

Unlike photos, a drawing can expose hidden parts of your house and re-construct period features

For example:

• Move your neighbours out of the portrait
• Choose an angle that’s hidden by trees or walls
• Add / remove extensions, period features, windows or doors
• Create garden features such as ponds, wisteria, flower pots…
• Include pets and vintage cars in the portrait
• Create different seasonal scenes such as spring or snow