Portrait Painted in Paris - Where?
 

Any ideas I where I can get a painting done in Paris -- portrait of myself and girlfriend (cheesy, perhaps, but she'd like one). Paint would be better than drawing. If I remember correctly, there are TONS of really touristy places on the streets around the Latin quarter which will do sketches and caricatures? Am I correct in this memory? Are there specific streets/corners to find this?

Can anyone think of where we can get a higher quality portrait done? Hopefully with real paint? Thanks for the ideas!

In warm weather, a lot of that also goes on on Montmartre.

The Square Place De Tertre on Montmartre
would be my suggestion. You can bargian with the portraitists so it is fun. There are private studios in Paris but I'm not aware of any myself.

Montmartre. Never done it myself, but it looks like everybody else is having it done there.

We had ours done in Montmartre in February 2 years ago. You just have to sit for a while. It was a little chilly. It was done with colored charcoals. My wife likes it very much. ((b))

Portrait central for Paris is around Place d'Tertre on Montmartre. But be advised that the city of Paris licenses portrait artists and you will find that the artists who have kiosks on Place d'Tertre are licensed but those who roam freely through the streets in the area are not licensed and their degree of talent is suspect. Also they will only do drawings, charcoals, pencils etc. Weather is really not a factor as I was there in December and lots of licensed artists were painting in the cold weather.

Larry J

Hope you don't mind if I add a couple of questions here, to Budman or anyone else who has had a protrait done at Place de Tertre. About how long does one sit? How is the portrait given to you to carry away - fixative applied and portrait rolled up? Matted? Or just paper flapping in the wind?

Thanks.

We did a double portrait on one piece. My wife first and took about 45 minutes, then me. She did a great job on my wife. Mine was just OK -- she said I reminded her of "John Wayne." Maybe because I didn't smile? My wife says I look just fine. ((a))

It was on parchment with tissue and rolled up. There was a "hawk" running around selling tubes for a couple of Euro.

It was a unique experience. BTW, the lady that did ours was Danish. We negotiated the price ahead of time, but I can't recall how much we paid. ((b))

Thank you, Budman. I appreciate your reply!

Barbara

I'll suggest you enjoy the walk around the area and watch a few of them work. Pick an artist whose sketch actually looks like the person they're painting. Or go the caricature route where it doesn't really matter.

Some years ago now, we had a charcoal sketch done of our son whilst strolling around Place du Tetre. At that time the artists were allowed to sketch just anywhere and he stood right in the middle of the square for the 10min. or so it took. The beauty of this sketch is that he liked it so much he took it to an architects office and had it blown up 10 times bigger, cut it into four squares and mounted them on some kind of backing and put them up onto one of the walls in his apartment. I have the original. Everytime we go back to Paris I look out for that paticular artist but have never seen him again.