There’s something all of us should do at least once – get painted!

Have you been painted lately? 

We should all consider it at least once. Edward Jonas, chairman of the Portrait Society of America, says pictures are nice – but portraits are distinctive pieces of personal art. They really get noticed and are more likely to be appreciated and displayed for generations to come. 

Quality portraits aren’t cheap. They can run into the thousands of dollars. But Mr. Jonas says due to the weak economy and lower demand for portraits – many artists are willing to negotiate. Ask which mediums they work with that would affect price, including oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolor or charcoal. You can also suggest a simple background rather than a complicated one. Charcoal or pastel are generally the least expensive – and hiring an inexperienced artist, such as a fine arts graduate student, could help put your portrait in the right price frame.