When and how do I pay you?

Payment for your portrait is due when I have finished your portrait. I will send you a scanned image of the finished work.  The receipt of your deposit, your knowledge of my work, my receipt of your photos and your approval of the layout is your irrevocable commitment to pay for your portrait in full, upon completion.  I will ship your portrait when I receive your payment.  While I do not request final payment until your portrait is complete, if you want to receive your portrait quickly, you may pay for your portrait up front and include shipping.  Checks should be made out to Zumpano, Inc. and sent to 736 Gloster Court, Gurnee, IL  60031.  You may also pay for your portrait via credit card for an additional 3% via  www.paypal.com by referencing my email address: wendy@pencilportraitcards.com  
I will receive an immediate notification that you have made a payment to me through paypal. Paypal is a very safe method of paying via credit card that is used all over the world.

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Portrait Questions and Answers

​How are copies of the portrait printed and what is the digital file option?

I will scan your portrait at a high resolution (approx 400dpi), then digitally clean the image of dust and re-highlight eyes so that they really sparkle in the reprints.  Sometimes the digitally reproduced image is even better than the original.  You can purchase the cleaned, high quality digital image, which will be anywhere from 5-20MB in size, to duplicate as many times as you want, or I can produce any size reprints for you.  As pencil portrait greeting cards are a significant part of my business, you must reference my website on any cards that feature my work.

​How do I get photos to you?  Can I email them?

Digital photographs are preferred in .jpg file format if they are good quality, preferably at least 1MB in size.  Email photos to wendy@pencilportraitcards.com.  You can mail photographs to me at Wendy Zumpano, 736 Gloster Court, Gurnee, IL  60031.  I will be very careful with your photographs and return them with your finished portrait.  However, I am not responsible if something happens to them, as I will be handling them during the creation of your portrait.  I have never had a problem with photos in 25 years of portraiture, but accidents happen.  If the photo is precious, I suggest you send me a copy of the original.

Can you combine separate photographs?  How does it work?

Yes, any number of photos can be combined.  You can email digital photos to wendy@pencilportraitcards.com or send them in the mail.  I will erase the background of the photos, resize the images if necessary, and arrange them digitally using Photoshop.  I will email a black and white layout for you to approve before drawing begins.  You may also provide photos of the same subject taken from the same angle and I can combine multiple aspects of the same person, such as hair style from one photo and a smile from another.

How do I receive my finished portrait?

Portraits are shipped with insurance through USPS Priority mail or UPS.  You will received your portrait within two to three days of shipment.  If you are located in the Chicago area, you may pick up your portrait by appointment.​

What if I am unhappy with my portrait?

As stated in your layout approval email, I will draw your portrait precisely from the layout that I create from your portrait.  If you are completely happy with the photos that you've provided, you should be thrilled with your finished portrait as my work is very accurate.  However, pencil portraiture is not the same as photography.  The likeness that I create from your photos will be very close and near perfect in some cases, but cannot be absolutely perfect.  I can make adjustments to you rfinished portrait to improve a likeness, if necessary.  Changes that result from your photos selection may require additional payment.  After we work together on adjustments, my clients are ALWAYS happy, even if the first draft of the portrait isn't exactly what they hoped for.  See comments here. Your knowledge of the quality of my work and your approval of the layout is your irrevocable commitment to pay for your completed portrait in full.  Failure to do so will result in legal action. ​

How do we get started?

You can call me at 847-848-3255 or send me your contact information (name, address, phone, email), your photos, the size of the portrait you would like to order, when you need to have the portrait completed and instructions as to how you would like to see the photos combined, if you are sending multiple photographs.  This info can be entered into the contact page of my website, emailed to wendy@pencilportraitcards.com or sent in the mail to Wendy Zumpano, 736 Gloster Court, Gurnee, IL  60031.  If you are combining photographs, I will email you a black and white digital arrangements of the photographs on a white background.  Once you approve the layout, you should send a 50% deposit via mail (checks made out to Zumpano, Inc.) or credit card.  (See payment options below.)  When I receive your deposit, I’ll put you in the queue to begin work on your portrait. 

How long will it take to get my portrait?

Depending upon my backlog, I can often turn urgent projects around very quickly, within a day or so, if you have an immediate occasion - especially for memorial portraits.  This may require an expedite fee depending on my workload. Normal turnaround time is approximately 3-4 weeks.  As the holiday season approaches, wait times can increase to months.  If I cannot complete a portrait as soon as you'd like, gift certificates are also available stating,  “A Masterpiece is being Created for You”.  This certificate will be customized with your information and can include a black and white layout of your chosen photographs, or can include sample portraits appropriate for the occasion.  This can give the gift recipient a chance to participate in the photo selection.
There are two ways to receive a discounted price on your portrait.  If you place an order for a portrait, in person, at a show with either a deposit or photos, you will receive a 10% discount on the price of your drawing (reprints, framing and other additional options are full price.)  Secondly, if I receive an order from someone whom you have referred, you will get a 10% discount for each new client that you refer.  This is unlimited, but your discount(s) may only be applied to a single portrait order.  If you order more than one portrait at once, you may apply the discount to multiple drawings ordered at one time.  If I receive a referred project from one of your referrals after you have paid for your portrait, the discount will be available for your next portrait order.  Referral discounts are not transferrable, they are meant to be a thank you for existing clients.​

Can you use a professional picture or do you need a release from the photographer? 

I am not duplicating the actual photograph, I am referencing the photo while drawing a picture of part of it.  They are completely different medium.  If you are concerned about whether this is okay with the photographer, you can put me in touch with the studio.  I have drawn many professional photographs without a problem. 

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