Portrait painters are not miracle workers. It takes time to paint a beautiful portrait. Wile the process can often be sped up for special occasions, people commissioning portraits must understand that for instant gratification, they will get far better results at the one hour photo-mat.

Part of the reason portrait painters take so long to complete their works of art can be attributed ti the sittings that are required to complete a portrait. Many portrait painters today do most of their work by using a photo as their primary study, but one or two live sessions are still almost always necessary. Time must also be allotted for a photo portrait to be taken.

Other Time Issues for Portrait Painters
In addition to sittings, portrait subjects must also be available for an initial consultation with the painter where they can discuss aspects of the painting such as the clothing the subject will wear and the pose he or she will be in. A consultation may last only a few minutes, but more often than not it will be closer to an hour. Portrait painters cannot begin their work until they have met with their subject.

Despite the fact that portraits take a long time to complete, their uniqueness makes them well worth the investment. Oil portraits are one of the most personnel gifts that can be given to a loved one and a wonderful way to capture someones likeness for generations to come. They may take weeks to create, but they will last a lifetime.