A gift for someone you love :)

This is a pencil portrait (it is different from a sketch) I completed on Sunday. It took me about twelve hours of work. I am surprised when people who have read my books, tell me that they did not know I  also paint and make portraits.I do indeed accept portrait commissions, and am currently working on a commission, apart from writing my fourth ninth book.

Most people who receive a portrait of a loved one as a gift are indeed delighted beyond measure, and the picture becomes a treasured possession.
This is what Swati (one of my first portrait commissions) had said

" Hey Preeti
Once again thanks so much for making this the best birthday gift I've ever given my husband. The look of pure joy on his face when he unwrapped the portrait will be one of my most treasured memories :).
Hoping you get lots more commissions :).
I really liked the way you were so involved in the whole process, even messaging me on his birthday and asking how he liked the gift. It's so good to see someone put so much into something they do - not take it as just another job.

-Swati "



For me, art is a passion apart from my writing. I can paint and write poems only when something has deeply moved me. My art, like for most artists, is an expression of my innermost emotions. That is the reason I never explain my pictures. The viewer is free to interpret it as they like.

Some months back I had written this post where Suma(who blogs at aalochaney)  had said about my portriats:

"I love it!!!!! all three of them for different reasons :)  unrelated, but just got reminded of this:
  I have an artist friend here and she was cribbing that she gets upset because people think that they can get freebies from her, or shortchange her, they don't realise how much (emotionally sometimes) has gone into each and every artwork."

I want to add that this is exactly how I feel too. There is a LOT which has gone into my pictures emotionally. No amount of money can  really compensate that.  For me, my paintings are like bits of my soul, really. That is how strongly I feel about my pictures (no matter what others think of them). I too, like Suma's friend, used to  feel very upset and irritated when people ask me for freebies and ask me to 'make a painting for me na' so casually.

 Most people do not understand that for an artist or an artistic soul, a painting is a gift from the heart. If you  really and badly want a picture then please honour that artist by acknowledging that and  paying the price they demand.

And yes,  I do accept pencil portrait commissions.  A lot of people ask  about my Portraits. With the kind of questions I have been asked, I realised that many have doubts as to what portrait commissioning is. (It simply means you are paying an artist to create a work of art, as specified by you) Also, many are confused between a quick sketch, a caricature and a hand drawn pencil portrait.

You find sketching booths in malls which give you 'portraits' within a few minutes. It is basically a photograph clicked and digitally altered by a program to make it appear like a portrait. (There is no talent, no time and no art involved here). You could easily do this with something like Picassa or photoshop.


When I make portraits, I use the materials of the highest professional quality. The portraits I make are  on  super smooth 100% acid free Bristol board  paper, sourced from UK and the finished picture,would be sprayed with an Artists fixative to prevent smudging.It would retain its freshness for centuries. It can be shipped anywhere in the world, please allow time for shipping.

I need  fifteen days time from date of placing the order for completion. My charges for a portrait start at 15K upwards. The shipping costs would be additional. You would need to pay 25% of the amount on placing the order, and the rest on completion, after which the picture will be shipped. The rates are non-negotiable. ( I specify this as some people mail me  and bargain with me, asking me to reduce the prices!  I guess they do not know that they are commissioning  a portrait, not buying vegetables!)


A hand drawn pencil portrait takes me at  the very  least a whole day to complete. The finished result is a lifelike resemblance and is very realistic. (Unlike a caricature or a 'cartoon' ). The portrait is entirely hand-drawn and more than 400 measurements are taken painstakingly to achieve a very good likeness.

I need high resolution photo (at least 1 MB) clicked in natural sunlight. Higher the resolution, better the portrait! The reference photo is very important, and I will help you choose a good reference photo. I would not be able to accept commissions from low quality photographs or photos clicked with a flash.

To see my portfolio, please go here.

If you like my work and want to gift a portrait to that someone special, then you can mail me on ps@preetishenoy.com to know whether or not I can currently  accept your commission.

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