I recently did something I never usually do....a picture of a cottage. I was asked by a friend to paint a friends cottage from a photograph so they could give it to the owner as a 60th birthday gift. This is not the sort of thing I like to do least of all from a photo that I didn't take and from which it is hard to see the actual color or structure. The friend who commissioned the work wanted something fairly conservative and also showing the water and shore so it ended up being quite a lot in the small format of 12"x12". See the enclosed picture.
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Nova Scotia Cottage
Acrylic on Canvas 12 x 12 in |
In the past I have never done commissions because I prefer to paint what interests me and in the colors that I like with no reference to what someone else wants however this was an interesting diversion. I hope the new owners like it.
If you are an artist/crafts person, how do you feel about doing commissions?
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4 comments:
It looks great!
Your feelings on commissions are the same as my husband's. There is less freedom to create what you want.
I recently did a commission for someone without taking a deposit. The buyer wasn't clear as to what was most important to her in the picture. I didn't paint it with the colors she wanted and lost the sale. It was a lesson learned for me.
I would like to illustrate so I'm on the fence about commissions.
Thanks Lori. I have heard so many people say that they didn't take a deposit and then when the work was done there was something that the client wasn't happy with and so they were never paid. Yet for other artists it's a big part of their business.
I'm sure your client was please with this painting. You did good, but I never would have guessed you painted it, but that is because I am so familiar with your more graphic style.
I always disliked commissions, but rarely turned them down because I like a challenge. Usually hate myself for agreeing to do them and the work shows it.
Yes it really is a different style of work for me Eva. It was actually quite a fun exercise to do but not something I would seek out.
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