I will be ending my commercial portrait practice in November 2024. Until then you can get one drawn via zoom, or IRL in my Berlin kiez!

Commissioning a portrait is easy and fun- it’s a treat for you, or a very special gift.

I will be doing a few Zoom and IRL portrait sessions until November 2024. You can email me to discuss!

You can have a drawn portrait done in  ink, or colored mixed media (I use pastels, inks and markers for accent colors, not to create a full color drawn portrait.)

I do drawn portraits in A4 (roughly 8.5″ x 11″).

A4 pencil & ink drawn portrait, one person, one to two hour sitting: in black and white, 200€ or with color accents, 250€.

A4 pencil & ink drawn portrait, two people, two hour sitting: 250€. With mixed media color accents, 275€.

Zoom has turned out to be a great way to do portraits, and I have done a LOT of drawing folks via videoconferencing in the last four-plus years.

I think the results have been consistently good, especially if I have already met you IRL!

Zoom allows for a lot of flexibility in terms of timing and background. It’s especially convenient for pregnancy portraits and wedding receptions that are far away! I’ve done a few of these already.

How we plan your portrait: email or chat on insta, telegram or twitter (no phone calls, fb or signal, sorry!)

We’ll discuss the idea of the portrait: will it be formal or casual, standing or sitting, what you’d like to wear. If you don’t yet know what you want, we can figure it out together.

If you live in Berlin or are visiting and it’s not the dead of winter or high summer, we can also meet in my neighborhood for an outdoors, IRL portrait session. I have done many of these now at local cafes and love the results.

What’s it like to pose for a portrait?

Well, I’ll be looking at you a lot, and that can be a strange feeling to some folks. Plus, sitting still is harder than you think! But I have a lot of experience in supporting folks through this.

Some people like to relax and enjoy the peaceful feeling of being still; others like to chat with me as we work. You can ask me questions and for a peek at the drawing any time.

We’ll have regular breaks to stand up and stretch, snack or drink. You’re welcome to photograph/screenshot the portrait in progress for your own use and/or for sharing.

Getting the physical portrait to you is the hard part.

I provide a hi-res scan within 48 hours, and if you live in Berlin I can courier the portrait to you easily. However, I have terrible OCD about mailing, so if you don’t live in Berlin, it’s a lot easier to have someone who’s coming to Berlin collect your picture! Seriously. It takes me months to mail things, and it causes me terrible stress. But most people I know, know someone who’s coming to Berlin sometime!

About painted portraits:

Sadly, I have retired from painting portraits.

My health no longer allows for the physical effort. I do very much hope that treatments for ME/CFS and fibromyalgia will become available and change this!

Here’s the FAQ:

Can you draw my picture from a photograph?

Yes, but I won’t. Photographs are useful tools for a portraitist, but a portrait from a photograph is a copy. Spending time with the sitter allows me to get to know you, to see your face from different angles and in different moods. A portrait from life moves back and forth through many moments at a certain time in your life; a photograph captures a single instant.

Can I use the portrait for my holiday cards/website/business cards etc.?

Sure!

Can you draw my baby?

Yes, but I won’t, unless you are a close friend or longtime client. Babies and small children are very challenging subjects. It’s not my specialty. There are portraitists who specialize in children who can do a wonderful traditional picture of your baby.

How about my older child?

Possibly. Kids over eight or nine can be part of the portraiture process, interacting and establishing their character the way adults do. However, I’m not a children’s portraitist and I do not guarantee the results.

Can you paint/draw me nude? 

Sure!

Can you draw me and my partner(s) performing a sex act? (or a circus act?)

Sure, if it’s consensual! (All blood play, breath control play, and fluid exchange must be simulated!)

You will have to provide documentation of age of consent for all. You can see lots of my sex drawings here, though you will need to be logged in to flickr with adult safeties off to see the really explicit, kinky queer sex art. Which is free to download for your own use btw!

Can you draw me/us at our favorite dungeon/fantasy room/commercial sex club/ drag bar/SF&F convention? 

Definitely, if you can zoom from there, and you secure permission from the owner of the space.

Does it hurt?

Sometimes, yes. It depends on the pose. Sitting or standing in one position for a long period can be uncomfortable. If you have chronic pain or a back problem, we should choose a comfortable pose and take frequent breaks.

Interested? Let’s talk! suzanneforbes at protonmail. Or leave a comment on my insta!