The origins of Fabulous Noble

Fabulous Noble is a project conceived and developed by Pierre-Andre Ben Lassin, who is also the Creative Director of the agency Whatever Projects™. Mark Westall of FAD™, the founder and creative director of the London based contemporary art news website, is also involved as a media partner. Eleni Markopoulioti is our Communications Director; she has a background in artist management and press and holds a Masters in History of Art and a Masters in Art Business.

What we do

We are a boutique creative service that connects you and your friends to some of the world’s leading illustrators in order to create unique portraits. You could create a portrait to hang in your beautiful home, present one as a wedding gift or a birthday gift (for any type of occasion really), create a family portrait for a Christmas card, or use the digital portrait for your online profile.

What kind of portraits do Fabulous Noble artists do?

Fabulous Noble offers bespoke and imaginative illustration portraits from a selection of the most prolific and talented graphic artists. What we don’t do is a simple replica of your image. That’s certainly one way to do portraiture – but if that’s what you want, we are probably not the right people for you.

So what exactly is an illustration portrait?

An illustration portrait is an artistic interpretation of your image – definitely not a carbon copy. We think it’s a much more emotive and personal way to create a fun and arresting portrait. If that sounds like the kind of thing you’re after, we’d love to work with you.

How does Fabulous Noble select its artists?

We started Fabulous Noble because we’re passionate about the art of portraiture. Having worked within the art world for many years, we’ve followed the fast paced and exciting development of illustration in the past decade that has lead to its rise as an art form. We have invited established and emerging artists who have a distinct style and have been exposed both to the commercial world and the art world. Everyone we work with was selected for their unique talent and we offer a wide range of styles to ensure clients are spoilt for choice.

Remind me how it all works again?

> You pick an artist. (or we can help you with that)

> You get in contact.

> We send you a questionnaire covering all element of the portrait (format, colours, physical and personality elements) and discuss further what you want.

> You send us a photograph that we can retouch if necessary.

> We give you a quote and upon acceptance we move forward.

> We create a brief for the artist based on your specifications.

> We keep in touch with you every step of the way during the creative process.

> We print and mount the work.

> We ship the artwork safely and securely anywhere in the world.

> You receive a fabulous portrait.

How do I pick the right artist for me?

Art isn’t about being an expert, it’s about personal taste (and budget!) Have a look around the site, and see which artistic style appeals to you. If you’re really struggling, or can’t decide between two artists, we’re happy to give you a second opinion.

Do I need to sit for my portrait or can it be done from a photograph?

Fabulous Noble artists work exclusively from photographs. This way, we can offer you a choice of artists from all over the world, rather than a limited choice of the very few working in your area, who may not have the time for multiple sittings (we’re sure you don’t either.)

I don’t know much about art. How do I pick the best photograph for my portrait?

The best type of photograph is one that clearly captures the physical features of your face, and your personality. But don’t worry – part of our job is to help you select the perfect photograph. Initially, you’ll pick a selection of your favourites, and send them over to us.  We’ll examine them from a technical point, as well as taking into account your personal choice, and help you decide which one to pick.

In which format do I need to send the picture?

Any standard image format should be fine – these include .jpeg, .jpg and .png. If the quality isn’t quite right, we’ll let you know, and if needed we will retouch the image. We can also work from a hard copy format that you can scan, or you can post the picture and we will scan it in high definition.

How do I tell you what I want?

Firstly we will send you a form with some questions about your vision. We will then discuss visual elements you like, from colour palette to layered backgrounds, as well as elements of your personality that can shine through in your portrait. For example, you might want a pastel colour palette because you are a romantic at heart and fading mountains in the background because you enjoy skiing.

How long will my portrait take?

It depends entirely on the type of portrait you choose. Some techniques are less time-consuming, while others take more days to complete. Another factor is how busy your chosen artist is at the time; something you’ll find out when we start the process.

What format does my portrait come in?

It depends on which artist you’ve chosen – digital or fine artist.

> A fine artist is the more traditional type of artist, working with paints, pastels or any other type of physical materials – and they’ll produce a physical hard copy of your portrait. With this type of portrait, no digital copy will be provided.

> A digital artist produces art via computer software. With this type of portrait, you’ll always receive a digital file. You can then create a beautiful hard copy or choose to receive only the digital files.

Is the portrait signed?

That depends on each artist. If you would prefer not to have a signature at all, just let us know.

How do you work out the price?

Our portraits are completely bespoke and therefore every artwork will be priced differently. We will discuss pricing with you at the start of the process but you can get an indication from the artists’ section. Pricing is based on the notoriety of the artist, turnover deadline, and complexity of the portrait plus mounting and shipping. We have options for every budget.

But don’t worry – it’s a transparent process, so we’ll let you know exactly what final price you’re looking at, plus shipping costs, before you give us any money.  If you decide to go ahead, we ask for 50% deposit, and you’ll pay the balance just before we ship your final product.

Why are all the prices so different for each artist?

The pricing for every artist is dependent on three main factors:

> notoriety of the artist

> complexity of the artwork (for example a group portrait with a multi-layered background will take longer and cost more)

> deadline for the portrait

Some of our artists are up and coming, and their slightly lower pricing may reflect their experience (though not their quality!). Others have a vast wealth of experience, and a recognisable name, which means they charge a little more for their time.

How does the format affect the cost of the final product?

With a fine artist, the final product has a fixed price (which we’ll have discussed and finalised with you before we start the process) plus the cost of mounting and shipping. With a digital portrait, we will offer you a hard copy that can be executed in a variety of options: from a scale of 20 in x 20 in to 4 in x 4 in; from mounting it onto a canvas to printing it on metal. At Fabulous Noble we pride ourselves for the high quality production partners we use. Alternatively, if you’re planning on using your portrait exclusively digitally (and not hanging it on a wall) you could purchase only the digital files.

What if I don’t like the final product – do I get a refund?

With portraiture, refunds simply aren’t possible. However, the reason we’ve got such a meticulous step-by-step process in place is to avoid any situation in which you’re not happy with the end result. By keeping in constant touch with you and letting you know what’s happening with your portrait, we’re confident that you’ll absolutely love the final piece.

I don’t know anything about printing or mounting!

Don’t panic – we’re here to help!  We’ll send you examples of different types of printing and mounting and advise you on which style to go for, depending on the type of portrait you’ve commissioned. You can choose from many options: printing it on a canvas or a transparency, mounting it on to dibond, or anything you want. We are very proud of our printing partners and vouch for their exceptional quality.

Framing?

Many contemporary pieces don’t need to be framed if they are mounted. However, if you would like to, you are more than welcome to do that yourself. We wouldn’t dream of presuming to know what kind of frame you want, or what goes well with the decor of your house – so it’s best if we leave that part up to you.

Can I have my portrait sent anywhere in the world?
Of course you can – that way, if it’s a gift, you can have it delivered directly to the recipient’s doorstep. We’ll gift wrap it, and send the receipt to you. You can even include a message!

What shipping method do you use?
This will depend on which country it’s being delivered to, and also on the size of your portrait. But we’ll never use a shipping company we didn’t trust. We’ll be able to tell you exactly who will be shipping your portrait when we’ve worked out the details, so you can track it yourself.

Will my portrait be secure in transit?
We’ve taken every precaution to ensure that it arrives in pristine condition. But if it does arrive looking anything less than perfect, get in touch with us immediately and we’ll sort it out.

How long will it take to receive my portrait?
It depends on the artist and shipping method you select. It can take anywhere between 3-6 weeks depending on the artist you select, and of course, where we’re delivering to. We’ll be able to give you a better estimate over the phone when you make your order.