Creation of a portrait is one of the most difficult and challenging  genres in fine art. When I'm commissioned to create a portrait of any individual or individuals there are certain procedures that I've employed over the years to successfully execute one. These procedures are as follow. First I want to meet with the person being portrayed so that I can get a feel of the person as far as any decisions and ideas that I may have for this portrait. If the person being portrayed is deceased I'll make a decision about doing the portrait based on the reference material on hand(photos). Also at this time we discuss the outfit that will be worn, the background, the size of the portrait and the price. Next we'll schedule a time for the first sitting which consists of a series of experimental sketches so that I can get a feel for the portrait. Next comes a photo session which under normal circumstances should take 1-2 hours. I may create a small color study to make a note on the sitters complexion, eye color etc. I then take this material back to my studio to begin the actual work on the portrait. Normally, depending on the size of the portrait it takes between 2 to 3 months to complete depending on it's complexity(background elements, additional figures, pets, etc.) Afterwards I will present the portrait to the client for final approval.