Frequently Asked Questions

Who makes the artworks?

Postcard Facade’s custom house portraits are hand drawn and hand painted by professional illustrator Simon O’Carrigan. Every piece is a unique work of art, made by hand.

What materials do you use?

I work with India ink and watercolour on premium archival watercolour paper that is high gsm, cotton based, and acid free. Pencil drawings are made on high quality drawing paper.

What makes your house portrait service different to others?

I make custom hand painted house portraits with character! Each one is carefully and lovingly painted by hand in my art studio using only the finest art materials.

I trained in drawing and painting at some of Australia’s most well regarded art schools, and as a professional illustrator I consider the service to my clients as important as the artwork itself. Some house portrait services simply print out digital sketches, or make simple drawings on plain paper. The artworks I create follow a much more involved creation process, all the way through from the enquiry, to preparing the reference imagery, sketching then painting the house, and preparing the work to be ready to be framed.

What kind of reference material do you need?

I need to know what address you want me to draw, or, if privacy is a factor then I need some images to start with.

Think about which angle the house looks the best from, and what time of day.

How do I prepare and submit reference images for my custom house portrait?

Photos taken with your smart phone are perfectly fine for this!

Usually it helps to have a handful of images to work from, from slightly different points of view. Close up images of any key details to include help, too. I’ll make a digital collage of the reference images, if needed, before the drawing begins.

You can upload your reference images through the order form, or just email them to me when we discuss the project.

Do you have any tips for getting the best reference images of my house?

My artwork is only as good as the reference material. I can use street view maps online to get a general sense of a property, but I’ll need proper photos at full resolution to work from.

A good tip is to stand in one spot, take a photo with the house in the centre, and then take a series of additional photos making a 3x3 grid of images, slightly overlapping at the edges, by tilting the camera away from the house in each direction. I can merge these digitally to help me see more of the property and create a dramatic sense of space.

What else should I tell you when I send an enquiry?

It helps me to know where you plan to display the final work, whether you want black & white or full colour, if you have a size limitation or goal in mind.

How long does it take?

Finding and preparing good reference photos is the slowest part, and is different for every project. It always takes me a little time to prepare the references I am sent to make them ready for me to draw from (adjusting colours, brightness, perhaps some creative license to move trees, cars and other requests). Once I start drawing, it almost always takes the same time: 1-2 weeks to finish a work.

Be aware that while painting the work is relatively quick, planning the work and scheduling it into my calendar is not always so fast. In busier times, I may need to schedule work several weeks ahead.

What if I have a deadline, like a birthday?

Depending on how busy I am, I may need a few days to a few weeks notice to block out time to work on a house portrait. If you are in a hurry and need the finished piece in your (or someone else’s) hands by a certain date, let me know. I’ll let you know if I can meet the deadline or not, and I generally reply the same day so you’ll know quickly whether I can help or not.

How much does shipping cost and how long does it take?

Postage is via Australia Post, and all work is sent registered and insured. Postage of unmatted, unframed works within Australia is included. Postage overseas will be extra. If I am to send a framed work, it will be by a courier and once I discuss it with them I can provide you a quote and an ETA.

If time is a factor, best to let me know before we lock the project in!

Will I be shown the drawing as you work on it?

If I have to make any collages of reference images to plan out the drawing, I will check them with you before I commence drawing. If the provided reference can be worked from directly, I’ll go straight to working on paper.

Once I have the work at completion, I will share a preview of it for approval before deeming the work complete.

Can I request changes once you show me a preview of the artwork?

Unlike commercial illustration, private commissions don’t include the capacity for revisions to be made, partly because watercolour and ink don’t have undo buttons! That being said, to ensure my clients are always happy, if anything is not quite right I will discuss it with you and see what I can do.

What size are the custom house portraits?

I make the artwork on A3 paper sheets, but then crop it down before sending.

I tape down A3 sheets of paper stock (29.7 x 42 cm or 11-3/4 x 16-1/2 in), and when the work is finished I cut the paper from the board. Taping it to the board keeps it from buckling, and is done with gummed paper tape that does not come off later on. So, when I cut the work from the board we lose around 1-2cm from each side. The final work on paper is 10 x 15 inches, and fits into a few common framing options. Other sizes are available on request - contact me to discuss.

You can also discuss custom size requests with me.

Does the artwork fit neatly into standard frame sizes?

Yes — you can choose to have me prepare it to fit directly into a 10x15 inch frame, to sit behind a mat in an A3 (or larger) frame, or to ‘float’ into an A3 frame. The first option you can easily do yourself.

Can I easily frame the work myself?

Absolutely, and I’ll prepare it to make it very easy for you.

Please note, that while the paper and ink are archival, the work is quite fragile - especially watercolour and pencil. The oils in your skin can affect the paper, and bright sunlight can fade watercolour paints over a decade or so unless properly framed and displayed with care. To minimise these risks, I include an info sheet with advice on framing and protecting your artwork for the long term.

To ‘float’ a work (a fancy way to frame it) you may need a framer to help you, but since it fits a stock frame size you won’t have to wait for them to make you a custom frame. The work will be packed in a way that makes it easy for you to take it to a framer, if you’d rather get a pro to frame it up for you.

Can you send the work framed?

It is much more cost effective to ship works unframed, avoids the risk of glass breaking and damaging the artwork, and lets the recipient choose framing to match their home too.

However, if you’d like me to arrange framing, drop me a line and we’ll discuss it before I start work on your project.

Do I need to sign or pay anything to get the job started?

Yes. I bill 50% as a non-refundable commencement fee, and won’t schedule work without it. In addition to the terms & conditions on the pricing page, I will provide you a contract to sign before I schedule or start work. This protects the buyer and the artist.

What if I don’t like the final artwork? What’s your refund policy?

I want you to be 100% satisfied with the final work, but due to the nature of watercolour, changes to the work are very difficult to make.

There are no refunds for change of mind, however, if you are not satisfied with the final work, you can cancel the agreement. I will retain the non-refundable 50% commencement, the artwork, and all rights to the artwork.

These terms will be clarified more fully in a draft agreement sent to you when you make an enquiry.

Can I share the artwork on my social media?

Absolutely! But, please use tag @postcardfacade and/or @simonocarrigan on Instagram, or include a link to this website if sharing on other sites.

Can I publish the artwork (in magazines / books / etc.) or use it for other business reasons?

I would love you to - but not without an additional license fee.

If the work would be, for example:

• used in a trade publication (a book or magazine sold for profit) or

• used in a corporate communication (internal reports, etc), or

• if you want me to draw the building that houses your business, and then use that drawing to promote your business

then it’s a different category of work to a private commission, and the usage terms and associated costs change slightly.

A custom drawing of your business, or handdrawn artwork within property magazines, internal communications, and other such uses, can really engage your audience.

I’d love to help, and will gladly write a custom quote for the project.

If you want to do that, get in touch.