Career Book
A look into the Career of Rick Broome
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Monday, April 21, 2008 01:33:21 PM

COMMISSIONING YOUR OWN PERSONAL ORIGINAL PAINTING
OR COMMISSIONING AN STARLITE ORIGINAL

Click Here to See some of the Originals we have for SALE!

Rick’s first Aviation Art Commissions were received in 1962!

Rick Broome has been accepting private and commercial commissions for his original paintings for over forty-four years. His first sales were made as a fifteen year old teenager in Littleton, Colorado. He continued to take private commissions throughout his high school years in Colorado and most likely created over 150 privately commissioned oil paintings. Proceeds from those early commissions paid for his flying lessons in high school. Young Broome kept records of his early sales much the same as he does today. Each new painting was recorded in a special file that listed the specifications for the original art as well as detailed information about the commission as well as the name and address of the collector and financial terms for the commission. Whenever possible Broome would photograph the subject aircraft as most of the commissions came from pilots who owned or flew rental aircraft at Stapleton, Jeffco, Sky Ranch, Columbine and later Pueblo Memorial Airport. In addition he also created paintings for airline pilots as well as military pilots most of whom were veterans from World War II.

The first original paintings that Rick created also received consecutively numbered Serial Numbers. Some of those early files are still maintained in his original studio records. Upon completion of the painting photographs of the artwork and sometimes the collector were taken and recorded with copies of the photos inserted in Broome’s studio files. In addition to creating paintings or aircraft for pilots he also created commissioned paintings of automobiles and had a successful high school business where he hand made wild day glow Monster Car T-shirts. These were very popular with high school chums and Broome would purchase the T-shirts by the dozen.

Rick’s full time career as an aviation artist began in 1969 when he was an aircraft maintenance engineering student at Northrop Institute of Technology in Inglewood, California. He was also working as a flight line A&P mechanic for United Airlines at LAX. The Chief Pilot at LAX was Captain Russ Cottle who allowed Rick to set up an art display in the United Airlines Crew Lounge at LAX. Later his art displays were expanded to include paintings for sale as well as photo albums showing completed commissions that were in the United crew lounges at San Francisco and also in Chicago at ORD.

COMMISSIONING A PRIVATE OR CORPORATE ORIGINAL PAINTING

The process to commission an original painting has changed very little from the way he managed his aviation art business in high school. If you are interested in owning one of Rick Broome’s original paintings he will work with you directly. The first step is to identify the subject matter for the painting and parameters for what the collector wants to achieve with the commission. A person who owns their own aircraft may want to place a private commission of their favorite airplane or perhaps a series of paintings of all the different aircraft the person has owned. Often if the aircraft is used in business the commission qualifies as a legitimate business expense.

Airline pilots often commission their favorite airliner. A lot of airline Captains have commissioned private paintings of their retirement flight. There are not a lot of things an airline pilot can have to signify their life’s work flying behind a locked cockpit door. However an original painting created by Rick Broome is most likely the finest gift or item a pilot can acquire to display their feelings about flying. Copies of old wooden propellers with a clock in the prop hub sitting over the fireplace somehow does not capture the same emotions as a fine art Starlite painting hanging on the wall as the center of a display will do.

Military pilots will often commission Rick to create a painting of a certain mission or type of equipment they flew in service to our Nation. These paintings often require an extensive interview process between the collector and the artist.

Commissioned Art Prices and Schedules for completion

The basic outline of the commissioned price is based on square inch.  Price is then established depending on the complexity of the original.  Currently, the cost per square inch of an original painting with a basic background is $28.00 per square inch.  The current price for a more complex background is $42.00 per square inch.  Other factors may come into play depending on whether or not the painting is a current established work, or if the painting is to be done from conception to completion.  These factors include whether or not the painting has been published, which adds to the value of the artwork.

Basic Commission Details and Price Schedules

The first thing Rick will ask a prospective collector is to determine a budget for the original painting. Often a collector will have an idea what price he or she is willing to invest in the original painting and Rick will do everything he can to create the painting within the collectors budget and parameters. Obviously a painting of a corporate jet flying over company headquarters will cost more than the same aircraft flying over a more general area of geography. In fact the collector’s desire for the background details is the greatest challenge in meeting a budget.

For airliner paintings keeping the background more generalized will be far less expensive than if the collector desires to have the jet flying over New York City with the Statute of Liberty and Empire State Building predominate in the background. For general aviation paintings if the collector can furnish a selection of photographs of the region the pilot typically flies over Rick can select a scene that not only captures the hopes and aspirations of the collector but also at a budget price.

Price Schedules

All of Rick Broome’s original art paintings are created as Starlite paintings. An original painting created to the collector’s specifications could have a total cost of between $4500.00 and $150,000.00. For example the lowest commissioned price for an original painting might feature the collector’s private aircraft, military equipment, or even an airliner flying on initial or final approach during a fowl weather day. For an investment of about $4500.00 a collector could own an original commissioned painting featuring the aircraft of their choice created on about a 16 x 20 inch sized canvas. This price for the Starlite original painting would also include the cost of the Starlite frame. Obviously this will be far less expensive than creating a huge painting or a mural of a NASCAR driver’s personal jet flying over a specific race track with his race car positioned in the exact location on that track such as may have taken place in a historic NASCAR Championship victory.

Commissioning your Original Painting

Rick will work with you directly on determining the total cost of your investment in an original painting. We do not give blanket quotations over the telephone or by email because each commission requires great thought and concentration. To arrange a quotation, please call Rick at either 719-576-1995 or 576-1990 for further instructions.

Once a price is agreed upon a deposit is set for the commission and contract drawn up that lists the specifications and general parameters for the original painting. The price paid is for ownership of the original painting only. The ownership of all © Copyrights and Intellectual Property Rights are reserved by the artist, studio and artist’s family. The typical cost for general release of © Copyrights and rights for reproductions depend on the type of project and could cost between $50,000.00 to over one million dollars depending upon created subject matter and purpose for use of © Copyrights or Rights of Reproduction.

Payment Plans

The typical commissioned original painting on contract involves four equal payments. The first quarter is due at the time that the artist and collector agree on the price and general parameters of the original painting before the research details are began. The second quarter payment amount is due at the time final research and reference materials are collected and the painting is started. The third equal payment is due at the time that the original painting is three quarters completed. And the final balance is due upon completion of the original painting.

Reproductions of the Original Painting

Rick Broome Productions has the ability to self-publish all kinds or reproductions of the completed original painting. For Corporations looking for a wonderful way to share the joy of their company aircraft or a private individual who commissions a painting of a historic moment in aviation history we can provide reproductions. Reproductions of your completed original painting can include everything from small note card sized autographed fine art prints to signed and numbered Limited Edition Prints and even competed framed original Starlite original derivative paintings.
 

©2008 Rick Broome Productions
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED