Frequently Asked Questions

Picture


Please check here for the most common queries, However don't hesitate to contact me if there is anything else you need to know!
I've seen this on another website, can you replicate it for me please?
In a word, no!  I'd be really cross - and consider legal action - if someone copied my ideas, and I certainly won't do it to someone else.  If you like someone else's work then please just buy it from them - after all, they have put in the time in creating it!  And yes, I do get asked this.  A lot.
I know you're not taking any House Portrait Commissions at the moment, but can't you just squeeze me in?
No, I'm afraid not.  I am not currently taking House Portrait Commissions.

But I really really really want one...
Sorry, you're just too late.

Please...
No.  Sorry.

Can you email me when you start taking new commissions?
I don't know if and when I will resume House Portrait Commissions, so I am not going to start taking a "pre-order" waiting list.  Best thing to do is keep checking back here, or like my page on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter or Instagram.  I will definitely make any big announcements via my social media if I do resume House Portrait Commissions.

When will you start taking new commissions?
I really don't know.  I may not.  Watch this space.

How much is a House Portrait?
I'm afraid I'm not giving any quotes at the moment - as it's likely my pricing will change as and when I resume commissions.

Oh, you stopped doing House Portraits.  Why?
There are several reasons why I've taken the decision to stop taking House Portrait Commissions:
  • After several years of hunching over drawing millions of tiny bricks, I developed a trapped nerve in my shoulder and neck.  I can't risk continuing working at the rate I was doing, at the expense of my physical health.
  • I wanted to spend some time working on other projects.  I love cheese, but I don't eat it for every meal.  To the same end I love drawing houses, but I wanted to draw some other stuff, and maybe even some buildings of my own choice.
  • I really need to revise my pricing for House Portraits, if and when I do resume commissions.  I'd put my prices up gradually over the years but it really wasn't in line with my hourly rate.  I figured the fairest way to do this would be to have a total break and resume with a totally new pricing strategy.
  • I needed some time to myself!  I've spent four years working like mad, putting myself under pressure to complete House Portraits as soon as possible, alongside all my other commitments.  If I do resume House Portraits there will be a completely new ordering process, wherein I will only take a set number of commissions per month.  I want to carry on enjoying what I do, but to do this I need to do a little bit less of it!

I know you're not doing House Portraits but will you draw this special building please?  It's not my house.  Honest.
For "House Portrait" please read "Building Portrait".  I'm not daft!

Would you like some help with optimising SEO / redesigning your website / marketing your business?
No, I'm good, thanks all the same.

Can you do me a personalised alphabet?
I'm afraid this is not I can undertake at the moment.

Have you thought about doing an alphabet of...
Possibly.  I have thought of lots of alphabets.  However with each alphabet taking 30-40 hours to complete I need to be convinced it is something that's going to sell (and not just to you!).  I have a few ideas on the table at the moment - including swimming and yoga, but if you have a really good idea then please do get in touch.  Please consider that I have to be mindful of copyright and trademarks, so a "Disney Alphabet" or an "A-Z of Trainer Brands" is never going to happen!

Can you draw a skyline of... ?
I love to hear from people if they are after a skyline of a particular city.  Predominantly I am working on UK cities, and when making a decision I look at the population of the city and other factors such as whether it has a University, what the most popular landmarks are, and how many requests I have had for that city.  It's unlikely that I'm going to draw anywhere that's really tiny - as I need to figure out what the market is likely to be for each image.
I have a list of cities I am planning to draw next - and I can always let you know if the city you are looking for is on that list.
However, if you want to discuss commissioning me to draw a skyline for you then please get in touch.  It takes days to research and plan each skyline, so the cost is from £300+, depending on what landmarks you're interested in me drawing.  Please note that I would not transfer copyright for any commissions, and I'd reserve the right to offer prints of any resulting images for sale.
If you're interested please do get in touch.
How much do you charge for logo design?
Before answering this question I need to have as much information about your project as possible.  Please let me know exactly what you are looking for and I will then be able to give you an estimate.  I do not have a standard price list as each project is individual and as such is quoted based on the time I think it will take me to complete the project.

Are you taking on staff?
Not right now, sorry!

Can you do me a personalised card with a picture of a ... on it?
I can undertake commissions for bespoke illustrations, however I do charge for my time (around £30 an hour) so this makes for an extremely expensive greetings card!  Have you considered commissioning a bespoke illustration instead?  I can happily scan it in and make it into a card to accompany the original illustration.

Thirty pounds? For a CARD???
No, I said £30 an hour.  It's probably be more like £60-90 for an average sized greetings card illustration.  You're paying for my time as a professional illustrator.  Think about it, if I charged you a fiver for three hours work I'd be charging less than £2 an hour.

You've given me a quote but I was wondering if you could do it a bit cheaper?
I'm afraid my quotes are final quotes and not negotiable.  I'm quite clear with guide prices here, so my quotes should not come as a surprise.  Please bear in mind you are paying for my time, and I'm sure you wouldn't be happy if you were asked to work for less than your normal rate of pay.  Please don't ask me to reduce my quote as, quite honestly, it's a bit cheeky, and this will only cause embarrassment.

Do you sell wholesale?
Yes, if you are selling in a bricks and mortar shop.  Please have a look at my wholesale page, and get in touch, telling me a bit about your shop and with a link to your website.  If I think we'll be a good fit and I don't supply anyone else nearby I will email you a price list.

Do you want to sell via my website?
No thanks, I am happy with the online presence I have already and am bound by existing agreements to only sell via Etsy, NOTHS and my own website.

What medium do you work in?
I generally work with watercolour paint and ink.  I also manipulate some images digitally, use professional marker pens and have also used cut paper to create shapes that I then work with.  I'm not a computer whizz by any stretch of the imagination!

Where do you buy your envelopes?  How do you print your cards?  Where do you get your mugs printed?
Sorry but I'm not going to give away my list of suppliers, equipment specifications or methods of working.  It's taken me a long time to build up a supplier list that I am happy with.  I have discovered my own suppliers by trial and error and I would strongly suggest that you do the same if you are looking at setting up a similar business.  Think about it, why would I give away my knowledge and experience, for free, to a stranger and potential competitor?

But I'm just starting out, please can you help me?  I won't be competition, I promise...
Try Google.  It'll save you sitting waiting for me to email you back, and it's probably how I found the answer to your question in the first place.

Can you give me some business advice?
I'm afraid my time is not free and I am generally pretty busy.  If you're interested in learning more about selling online than I'd suggest you have a look at my Small Business Workshops and see if you can make it along to one of them.

Can you donate to our charity / give a raffle prize / do some free work for my organisation?
I am already heavily involved with several charities.  I donate regularly to CALM and the Whitechapel Centre; and I have worked on craft projects with people experiencing homelessness within the Liverpool area.  I'm really proud to have been associated with each of these charities as they all have a personal connection to me.  However there's only one of me and I do need to make a living too!  As a result I have come to the decision that I will not be donating to any new charities, sorry. 

Would you like to exhibit at our Wedding Fayre?
Probably not, no.  It's just not something I'm interested in doing right now.

Can I contact you by phone?
I very much prefer email as a method of communication as I am not always available to answer the phone.  With an email there is an accurate record of what we have discussed, should we need to refer back to anything, and I'll always endeavour to reply to emails within 48 hours.  Before emailing please take the time to check through the website to see if the answer to your question is here.  If the answer is not listed, then please do get in touch.