Contact Information:
I live in Front Royal, in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, with my Husband, a dog, several cats, and a variety of fish. You can contact me here (see below), or call/text me (please leave me a message, as I'm out painting a lot ) at 540-660-2716. You can also check out my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sommersend or email me at Michele@sommersend.com
Feel free to sign my guestbook while you're here. I'd love to know what you think of my website and my work!
General Pricing Information:
I have tried to put pricing information on the individual pages, but I'll attempt to summarize here.
Pricing varies depending on the project, and I would be happy to discuss your budget and specific needs. Feel free to contact me with any questions, no obligation. I am usually able to work with practically any size budget, modifying the project to fit your financial parameters by adjusting the level of detail, size, or by using existing materials. If you tell me the range you want to be in, I will build a project that will meet or exceed your expectations.
To give you some general information, I have broken down some of my pricing guidelines.
MURALS
Prices for my murals vary depending on size and amount of detail. Starting price is $850 plus any travel related expenses. This includes ALL costs: design, sketch (when required) and all materials, and is not based on time. I quote based on the project. Some are accomplished very quickly, and others take a bit longer to complete, and often changes happen along the way. No matter how long the project takes, the price remains the same, unless significant changes are made to the agreed upon design.
Most of the murals I do are what I consider "medium" detail. If seeing every hair on animals, or every leaf on trees is your vision, or less detail would suit you to make a mural more affordable, I will be happy to make those adjustments to fit within your price range.
Some smaller projects, borders or accents, and small portable murals can be done for less, depending on the project and your location. Feel free to let me know what you would like to spend, I can work with practically any budget.
PORTRAITURE
All portrait prices are for head and shoulders on a basic background, but these can be modified to suit your tastes for an additional fee. The media chosen other than acrylic paint (my preferred medium, but I can work in graphite, colored pencil or oil paint) and the substrate (stretched canvas, hardboard panel, pvc etc) may add to the price, as do background details or other elements added.
I will give you a more precise quote once I have all the details for your specific project. When working out the cost for you, I will take into account the number of subjects, background and size, as well as the photos I have to work with. A variety of sizes are available. If you have a specific budget to work with, please let me know and I can offer advice on choice of size and background.
Framing is not included in the price of commissioned work, but I am happy to help you choose a frame.
CALLIGRAPHY
Calligraphic poetry or other layouts:
Priced based on the size and type of project. I have a $65 minimum project setup fee. Then the calligraphy is based on the time it takes to complete, but generally averages about $4 an average sized small sentence of 4-6 words, or $16 an average "verse" of 4 short lines (see the sample on my "calligraphy" page). Any artwork is priced based on the complexity of the design.
For example, a basic poem with 10 verses of 4 lines each (total of 40 lines) would be about $145 plus any materials that I don't already have in stock (specialty papers or inks), artwork additional.
************************
Envelopes provided by you for wedding invitations, Christmas cards, birthday cards or other special events can be addressed starting at $4.25 each for a set of inner and outer envelopes.
Outer only, $3.50 each.
This is for a basic italic hand, left-justified or staggered copy, fine tip. Additional charges apply for larger or varying sized tips, flourishing, drop shadowing, other fonts, centered copy, opaque envelopes, custom colored inks, assembly of invitations (to prepare for mailing), shipping or pickup and delivery (where feasible) or if I supply the stationery.
You can find information about how to address your formal wedding invitations, and the format I prefer for your list, on the "Calligraphy" page, or the source I use, Crane's Wedding Blue Book.
*******************
Certificate Fill-ins:
$25 for the first, $20 each additional, plus shipping or pickup and delivery where feasible. This includes the average certificate information: Name and date(s). I can also create a custom Certificate from scratch, using the same pricing strategy as poetry.
PERSONALIZED ORNAMENTS/ OBJECTS
They can be done on glass or ceramic Christmas bulbs, wooden balls, flat wooden circles, magnets, gourds, saw blades, car accessories, mini canvases, velvet, legally taken animal skulls or bones, feathers... pretty much any surface you can imagine, and some you can't! I am willing to experiment on other surfaces or objects at your request. Up to 2 custom subjects (people, cars, pets, buildings, a favorite photograph) and lettering (size restrictive) start at $100. Just lettering, $45 & up, depending on how many words.