The Commissioning Process
Every portrait begins with a conversation. Tell us about the person or animal you love: their character, favourite places, interests and the moments that make them unmistakably themselves. Once your commission is agreed, we ask for photographs to guide the likeness and composition.
Your personal story, original poem and bespoke illustration are developed together. You receive a private digital proof and one comprehensive refinement round before approving the finished artwork. One professionally framed A3 fine art print is included as standard; additional copies and options are quoted separately.
Delivery timescales
Our indicative delivery timescale is four weeks from your initial commission. We agree the brief, required photographs and expected delivery date with you at the outset. The schedule includes developing your artwork and poem, your review and refinement round, and printing, framing and dispatch after final approval.
A premium service targeting delivery within two weeks is available for a 15% surcharge on the agreed commission price, subject to availability and confirmation before work begins. Both timescales depend on timely receipt of photographs, feedback and written approvals. Changes to the brief or delayed approvals may affect delivery; we will discuss any revised timing with you. Please tell us about a specific gift or occasion date when enquiring.
Communication and approvals
The agreed brief is our shared reference for the subject, story, style and important details. We keep you informed at the main stages and bring questions back to you when a creative decision needs your input.
You receive a private digital proof of the artwork and poem, followed by one comprehensive refinement round. Please send your comments together so the changes can be considered as a whole. Before production, check names, dates, spelling, poem wording, likeness and other important details, and confirm your approval in writing. Printing and framing begin only after final approval. Requests beyond the agreed brief or refinement round are discussed and quoted before further work.
What your commission includes
Our standard Story Portrait commission brings your personal brief to a finished piece to keep or give.
A personal creative brief — We agree the subject, story, mood and important details together.
A bespoke portrait and personalised poem — A composed illustration and accompanying poem developed around your people, animals, places and memories, brought together in the final artwork.
A private proof and refinement — You review a digital proof and have one comprehensive refinement round before approving the final design.
One framed A3 fine art print — A professionally framed A3 fine art print of the approved artwork is included as standard. A3 refers to the print size (297 × 420 mm); the finished outer frame size depends on the mount and frame agreed.
Agreed presentation and delivery — Paper, frame finish, mount, delivery arrangements and the full price are confirmed in your written quote before you commit.
A clear approval stage — Printing follows your approval of the final artwork and poem.
Made for your home
An illustrative presentation of an A3 Story Portrait in a natural pine frame. Final frame and mount details are agreed with your commission.
Additional copies and options
You may order additional framed or unframed copies of the same approved artwork for family, friends or another home. Alternative print sizes and digital files can also be discussed. These options are quoted separately and are not automatically included in the standard commission. Please tell us the quantities and presentation you would like when enquiring.
Your photographs: ownership and privacy
Ownership stays with the rights holder — Submitting photographs does not transfer their ownership or copyright to the Studio. Rights remain with you or the existing photographer or rights holder. Please supply only photographs you have permission to use for the commission, with appropriate permission from the people shown and a parent or guardian where children are pictured.
Limited use for your commission — You give us permission to use your submitted photographs only to develop and fulfil your commissioned artwork. Access is limited to the team and service providers who need them for that purpose. We do not sell your photographs or license them for anyone else’s use.
No social-media or promotional publication — Submitted photographs are private working references. We do not publish them on social media, our website, in our portfolio or in advertising. Any permission to display the finished portrait is separate and optional; it does not authorise publication of your submitted photographs.
Deletion after completion — We delete submitted photographs from our active project files and working copies once your commission is completed and delivered; we do not retain them for future projects. Any residual copies in routine backups are put beyond use pending deletion through the backup cycle. You may contact info@storyportraitstudio.com to request earlier deletion or ask about our handling of your photographs.
Ownership and personal use
The physical prints you purchase are yours. We retain any copyright we hold in the finished artwork and poem unless a different arrangement is agreed in writing. Your commission includes permission to display and gift the supplied prints and to share images of your portrait for personal, non-commercial purposes. Commercial reproduction, copies for resale or a transfer of copyright require a separate written agreement. Rights in photographs and other material you supply remain with their existing owners. We use your finished portrait in our portfolio only with your separate permission. Submitted photographs are never used in our portfolio, social media or promotional materials.