Evolution of a Commission
It can be quite a process.
First, there's the initial enquiry and if that goes well and we are all on the same page we can begin to look at what the client wants.
In this case it was a sister wanting a very special and unique wedding present for her sibling...No pressure then...!
I have known this family for about ten years so I also REALLY wanted to ensure I over-delivered...that was my contribution to the wedding gift.
We researched some photos and came up with a shortlist. I then explained the benefits and pitfalls of each until we were both agreed on which to use. I had also explained how I would change it to give it a more appropriate feel for the cllient's sister and soon to be husband.
The initial pencil work went quite smoothly with a few tiny adjustments before sending a phgoto to ensure I was on the right track. Thereafter I worked on it in stages on weekends and evenings after work until the light faded too much for me to be confident the colour mixing was in line with any previous glazes.
In the earliest stages of a painting it might not look like much, there's a worry that it might not come together. For me, it isn't an effortless process. I know that for some artists everything seems to flow from the very beginning. Is it me or do we all have inner struggles with our work that only we see and feel?
After time, I could begin to see that I had got the likeness I was after and then I knew that somehow it'd come together.
Slowly it built up, glaze after glaze until the dogs were finished and then it was onto building up the background to keep a loose and warm aesthetic.
I had to revisit my approach to creating a cohesive background, it took a lot of thought, to understand how I would ensure that the effect I was after could be translated onto the paper and still come across as loose and certainly not fiddly.Once I committed to my final approach for the background I knew that the painting would work. It took more time mentally than I had thought but the result was something that I wanted to keep on my own wall. At that point I knew that this work was valid, strong and complete.
I got a message from the recipient last night, she was over the moon with it and very emotional. It is such a privelege to be involved in expressions of love like this, it puts me under pressure but I like the challenge to rise to it.
'Primrose and Clover - Les Deux Saucissons' Watercolour, approx. 12" x 10" plus frame #Dachshunds #Watercolour #WeddingPainting #Commission #Art #Painting #GettingItDone
If you want to discuss a commission for a loved one, a corporate gift or for anything else, either in pencil, watercolour or oil, please get in touch.
(apologies for some variation in picture quality, all images were taken direct from a smartphone so vagaries of light affect their sensors much more than if using a professional camera set up. this method was employed to ensure quick referral to the client for approval throughout the process.)
(first published on my LinkedIn account 24th June 2016)
