Portrait commissions
A portrait painted for the people you love.
Soft pastel portraits of people and cats, worked from your own photographs and built in dialogue from start to finish.
Commissions
A portrait of someone you love.
I take commissions for soft pastel portraits of humans and cats, worked from photographs you provide. Each piece is a collaboration — we keep the conversation going from first enquiry through to the finished, framed portrait.
Start here
Enquire about a portrait.
Tell me a little about the person — who they are, the photos you love most, and the feeling you'd like the portrait to hold. I reply to every enquiry personally within two working days.
How it works
How a commission works.
I use professional, archival materials so your portrait will give you years of enjoyment. Each commission is built slowly, with you involved at every stage.
A conversation
We chat about who (or which cat) the portrait is for, the feeling you want to capture and the rough timeline. No commitment — and I'll be honest about lead times before you book.
Your photographs
You send one or more high-resolution photos. I'll help you choose the one that best captures their likeness and spirit, and we agree the reference together.
Painting — in dialogue
The portrait is built in soft pastel over several weeks. I share progress along the way — this is a collaboration, and your feedback shapes the piece.
Final tweaks & delivery
Once you've seen the finished portrait I'm happy to make minor amendments to improve the likeness if needed. Then it's carefully packed, framed and on its way.
Photo guide
Choosing the right reference photos.
The portrait can only be as good as the photographs we start with. A few quick pointers — but don't worry about getting it perfect, we'll choose the strongest reference together.
High resolution, please
Send the largest, sharpest files you have. I'll need to zoom right in on the eyes, mouth and details of the face, so phone photos taken at full quality work well.
Head and upper body
Head-and-shoulders shots are ideal — the way someone (or a cat) holds themselves often tells me a lot about their character.
Emotion and character
Pick a photo you love. A real smile, a familiar expression or a moment that feels like them will always make a stronger portrait than a posed shot.
Turn the face slightly
Photos taken slightly off-centre, rather than straight on, usually make for a more interesting and dimensional portrait.
A little light and shadow
Natural light with some shadow on one side and soft highlights on the other gives the face form. Avoid harsh flash or flat overhead lighting where you can.
Send a few options
Two or three favourite photos is perfect — we can then choose the strongest reference together before I begin.
Commission pricing
Price list.
A simple, single price for a framed soft-pastel portrait of a human or cat. A 50% deposit secures your place in the diary; the balance is due on completion. P&P is quoted separately.
01 · Human or cat · one sitter
Framed pastel portrait
Lead time · Up to ~8 weeks (often sooner)
£160
02 · 50% up front · balance on completion
Deposit to secure your slot
Lead time · Holds your place in the diary
£80
Framing included · P&P quoted separately · 50% deposit holds your slot
Kind words
What clients say.
“Leslie captured my mother exactly as I see her — the warmth in her eyes, the way she holds herself. It's a painting we'll treasure forever.”
“From the first conversation through to delivery, the whole process felt thoughtful and unhurried. The finished portrait is extraordinary.”
“A genuinely beautiful piece of work. Friends keep stopping in front of it. Couldn't recommend Leslie more highly.”
“Bold, painterly and full of life. Leslie understood the brief perfectly and the result exceeded what we'd hoped for.”
Two ways to start