Pastel Gift Portraits

Marko Milovanovic

Born in 1978 in Nis, Serbia, Marko has studied architecture and received his Master's Degree in 2007. He has painted portraits since 1998 and his medium of choice is pastels. In 2002, he travelled to the Montenegrian coast where he painted tourists during the summer season and continues to paint in Montenegro. In 2006, he travelled to Tassos Island in Greece and painted portraits there as well. He has garnered great drawing experience from his travels to Montenego and Greece. Marko has painted portraits for ArtQuest since 2001.

Pastel Portrait of a Young Child Actual Photograph Finished Pastel

Each piece is hand created by Marko. Keep in mind that quality photographs that show detail are very important to a successful portrait. Pastel Portrait of a Young Child is a Custom Portrait in the large size (24" x 18") and includes not only the head, neck, shoulders and background but the hands and body as well as a bouquet. The pastel colors of the bouquet was also a special request which falls into the custom work category. This portrait is priced at $300 per the Price Chart below.

Grandfather Actual Photograph Finished Pastel

A pastel fixative will be sprayed over the surface of the completed portrait to keep the pastels from smudging while in transit. Marko's Grandfather is a standard portrait in the small size (18" x 12") and includes the head, neck, shoulders and background. This portrait is priced at $200 per the Price Chart below. More Portrait Examples

How long will it take to get my Portrait?

Upon receipt of your photograph, you can expect to receive your completed portrait in 4-6 weeks. This time may vary slightly but a delivery date will be provided upon receipt of payment.


What kind of photograph should I send?

Professional photographs are always nice, but any picture will do as long as it is clear. Make sure the photograph has good detail since an artist can only draw what is seen in the photograph. The more detailed the photograph, the better detail you will see in the portrait. Color photographs normally have much better detail, especially in the eye area. Just make sure that the image to be drawn is large enough that actual detail can be seen.


Can I email an image?

Yes, you can email a scanned picture in a jpg, gif, tiff, bmp, or psd format. Keep in mind that compression eliminates the detail needed to see the fine lines in your picture so please do not compress your image. Email only the very best scanned image without any compression.


Where should I send the photographs?

ArtQuest, Inc.
PO Box 50291
St. Louis, MO 63105
USA

You may also email uncompressed digital images to: artquest@artquest.com


Is my photograph returned?

Yes, it can be returned upon your request.


What do you include in the finished Portrait?

Whatever is pictured as the background of the photograph will be included as the background of the finished portrait. If you want the background changed or would like clothing changed other than what is shown in the photograph, this will be a custom request. Basically, the artist will not alter the image or add items to the image that are not already pictured in the photograph. For example, if you want hats or sunglasses added or removed or possibly a different hairstyle, this is all considered custom work. Keep in mind that the artist can remove blemishes from the face area of the final Portrait without any custom charge.


Will the Portrait be framed or unframed?

Unframed. Since these portraits are being shipped from Yugoslavia, it is much more reasonable to ship them unframed.  Portraits will arrive ready to frame and will be sprayed with a topcoat fixative to protect against smudges and to preserve the Portrait so you can cherish it for a lifetime.


What do I do if I dislike the finished Portrait?

ArtQuest will guarantee that you will treasure your Portrait. Before any shipping takes place, you will receive an email with an attached image of the finished portrait. This will give you ample opportunity to critique the work and have the artist make any changes before it arrives to you.


If I'm not satisfied, is there a refund ?

Yes, a full refund will be given if you are not completely satisfied with the scanned image that is emailed before shipping. ArtQuest wants you to be happy with your Portrait and wants you to treasure your work of art. Of course, the completed portrait will not be shipped if a refund is given.


What if I want an animal portrait ?

Upon request, the artist will view your photograph. Whether it be a pet, an office building, or picture of your own backyard. Our Portrait artists are quite talented and can draw just about whatever you need drawn.


Can I include a Note Card?

Of course ! If you are purchasing a Portrait as a gift for someone, our Order form will walk you through the complete process and a personalized note card can be included with your portrait.


How much is shipping ?

Shipping a Portrait by UPS from Yugoslavia to anywhere in the United States is $50. Actually, it's a little more but we've rounded it down to an amount that's easy to remember. Federal Express was just too expensive to ship a portrait from Belgrade, Yugoslavia. This also includes the packing and insurance.


Is there a sales tax ?

If the portrait is ordered or shipped to the state of Missouri, a sales tax of .07325 will automatically be added when you're filling out the Order Form. Otherwise, no sales tax is due from any other state or country.


How do I pay for the Portrait ?

Payment is required before work on your portrait begins. Our Order form will walk you through the complete process and will also give you a chance to personalize a note card to be included with your portrait. You will also enter the shipping address so that if you purchase a portrait as a gift it can be shipped directly to the recipient. You can use our Secure Server to pay by Credit Cart, Check or Money Order. Since Gifts are products and not online services like the rest of our listings, we must calculate tax for Missouri residents. As such, we need to keep the product transactions separate from the other listing transactions such as Links, Advertisements and Sell Listings. For this reason, completing your GIFT transaction from Step 1 to Step 4 all at one time is required. Clicking the Order Button will take you to Step 1.