Commissioned House Portraits, Scenes, and Historical Recreations 

in Watercolor, Pen & Ink, or Mixed Media

Click here to see samples of portraits

I also do portraits of museums, tourist sites, hotels and inns, corporations, and commercial buildings. In addition, I can help you market your business by reproducing your image on notecards, letterhead and advertising.

How is a House Portrait Created?

House Portraits are generally done from photographs. If the house is more than an hour outside of Ruidoso, NM, then all you do is provide photographs. Generally, the more photographs that are supplied, the better it will be for me to create the work.  The following are some helpful tips to keep in mind while taking and selecting photos:

• The best time to photograph a building is either in the morning or late afternoon, especially when the sun is shining on it.
• You are most likely to get an interesting portrait if you shoot at a slight angle, showing a part of one side, as well as the front.
• No matter how far back you have to stand, try to get one shot of the whole building. If this is not possible, take two pictures, one of each half of the building. Be sure to stand in the same place for both pictures, turning your body to change the view of the building.
• Closeup detail photos are also helpful. If possible, take photos of windows, doorways, etc., especially if they are hidden by trees or shrubs.
• I will omit wires, cars, and people unless requested to do otherwise. Don't worry about the side of a neighboring building or the utility pole. They won't appear in the portrait unless you want them to.

If you wish, I can alter the details in photos. When you send me your pictures, please enclose a note describing any minor details you want changed such as adding more trees or shrubs or removing cars and power lines, etc. I will work with you to ensure that you will be satisfied with the final piece.

How long does a portrait take to finish?

A portrait usually takes 3-6 weeks to complete depending on the workload; however, some portraits can be done sooner. When placing your order, please let me know when you would like your portrait and I will do my best to fulfill your request.

You may request notecards to be re-produced from your house portrait. Please note that in order to get notecards, you must order a house portrait first. The color of notecards come in either white or off-white (creme) and are available in two different sizes: small (4.25" x 5.5") and large (5.5" x 8.5"). Prices for notecards are as follow:

On-site service: If you are an hour within Ruidoso's city limit, I will be happy to come to your home and take photos, as well as discuss landscaping changes, etc.

Photo service: You may choose to send photographs to me along with the order form. Please see helpful tips above to get good quality photographs.

Place your photos in a photo mailer, or insert a piece of stiff cardboard into your envelope to keep photos from being damaged in the mail. If you are using valuable photos, you might consider making good quality color copies (even for black and white photos, because color copies are much more detailed), and sending those instead. If you would rather send the original photos, please ask for insurance from the Post Office. It is well worth the small cost.

Payment method

At this time, I will only accept checks or money order. Please use the printable portrait order form. Include a check or money order for 50% payable to Diane Gremillion and mail it to Diane Gremillion, P.O. Box 727, Ruidoso, NM 88355-0727.

If you have any questions about how to order a house portrait, please don't hesitate to contact me by email at dgremillion@valornet.com.