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What a quandary.
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Posted
Over Christmas, I did a portrait for a friend. On completion, I sent them a photo of it a couple of days before they came to visit. They came yesterday and had a big long list of people wanting portraits. The portrait had gone around their friends, work mates and such. They had looked at other work I had done. I have to say I was somewhat shocked. These would be paid portraits of course. Why it's a quandary for me, is because, I've never considered myself as a portrait artist. Do I want to be tied up for the next year doing portraits, when I'm still learning about so much other stuff about art. How much would I even charge. I work in all mediums. An A4 charcoal portrait to a 2ft by 3ft oil portrait built up with glaze or a portrait painted using a verdaccio technique that I'm trying to learn about at the moment, how are such things priced. If I decide to go ahead, how will it hamper my ability to continue to learn the way I have been merrily going along since I began. Do you think it would be a good thing home in, on a particular subject or is this going to close me off to other areas that interest me. What I'm really concerned about is, is it going to hinder or enhance my development as an artist. What I said to my friend is that I am far too busy to even consider it until the end of spring. They said, people have said, whenever I'm ready. Any words of advice or thoughts, I'm sure would be very helpful for me.
Posted
To many, it would be a great start to the new year, but I understand your concerns…
A word of advice here, and I’m going on my own experience… doing the occasional portrait for a friend or relative is something that many of us on here do, I know that I do and enjoy doing them.
Commissions for paid portraits for people you don’t know can be a whole different story!
They aren’t always so easy to please, in fact rarely easily pleased.
It can end up being stressful, it’s the nature of the beast… what you or I see as a realistic portrait may differ from that of the sitter, or in this case I’m presuming that you’re working from a photograph.
And that’s the issue here, with my work anyway. I don’t want or won’t copy photos in the general painstakingly laborious way that many artists do - but work in my own style which is impressionistic…
Saying that, if they’ve seen your style of work then this may not be such of an issue.
It need not necessarily take you away from your experimental work that you enjoy, but it will undoubtedly have an impact on it!
Only you can decide, I know what I would do…
Posted
Portraits seem to be selling when not much else is, but you don't want to be pressurized into taking on too much. How much you charge will depend on your medium and the size of the work, but obviously you need to have a realistic price if this is a field in which you'll be in demand: "mate's rates" are absolutely not applicable here; it's one thing doing a couple for old friends, but quite another if you're approaching it professionally.
Alan Bickley is probably more in touch with contemporary pricing structures than I am, but I'd be thinking in the hundreds of pounds for a portrait that looks like your subject (and many don't!). No one has asked me to take on a commission lately so I can't honestly say I wouldn't do them: but the last portrait I started was of a lady who unfortunately believed she was a thing of beauty deserving of commemoration, and however successful I was at painting her, I didn't think the world would see it quite that way. She died very suddenly, which, if nothing else, did resolve matters. I mention it though because I remember the sense of pressure to this day - you have to decide whether you could handle that; I'm assuming you're considerably younger than I am (though I know you have pain conditions), and I don't think that I could be doing with that degree of pressure in an area of art which really wasn't my chosen or preferred one in, um, my late middle age...
Questions to ask yourself: do I WANT to paint portraits more or less exclusively; do I WANT to become a professional artist; is it the case that continuing to learn, in a wide range of fields, is what I really want to do? Plus - whatever your relatives and friends think, do YOU believe you're ready to embark on this?- what would be awful, I think, is to be producing portraits that people were prepared to pay good money for but which you thought, or knew, weren't really your best work; you'd feel you were perpetually cheating yourself, and worse - you might even begin to think you were something of a fraud.
I put that fairly brutally, because this is important: you really need to be sure this is something you could do, and excel in above all else.
But - there are many painters out there, and probably a lot here on POL, who think they'd be besides themselves with glee if they could become professional artists: and if that IS what you want, yes, it would be a great thing. But it's also a great big step - professional artists need professional accountants; professional agents, who could keep the demand going after the first fine flush when you began to run out of would-be customers - sounds as if you're a long way from running out yet, but once you embark on this, you need to consider the long term. Some painters (and writers, and freelances generally) are able to be their own accountants, agents and publicists - but that's a lot of work; good health helps; enthusiasm in the face of pettifogging effort and paperwork helps even more. I don't want it any more - but then, I'm getting on a bit, I've had almost a multiplicity of (badly-paid!) careers: I'm winding down: if you're not, but are ready to spring at life with the Cat claws extended - go for it.
Posted
Well Denise, what a quandary indeed, but at least a very good one!
Reading between the lines, I wonder would you rather say no, at least at present, and continue your learning curve? Or maybe you could say you’d do a limited number per year to take the pressure off yourself, say four per year or whatever you feel comfortable with. I’m sure they won’t go away and your prices will only go up if you put them off.
Re pricing for portraits, I’m not sure, depends on size and medium, time taken, etc, whether you work from photos or want sittings, but someone on here will have a better idea.
I’m so impressed, having followed your progress on here and your portraits are very good.
You deserve success, so I’ll be interested to see what you decide. I guess you need to consider what your long term aims are and whether you want to make a living from your art?
Whatever you decide, I wish you luck, as I’m sure everyone on Painters Online will.
Posted
Everybody has said it, the pros and cons. Personally I try to steer clear of commissions. I’ve done a fair few and they take up more time than something you just like to paint. Plus there’s no doubt the pressure creeps in. You can end up losing the pleasure you get from your art because someone else is dictating what you paint. I much prefer to exhibit paintings in an exhibition when someone can decide whether or not to buy. Of course it’s up to you but I know what I’d decide - continue learning and enjoying.
Posted
I quite often do commissions of family pets, and (very) occasionally of people. Whilst I wouldn’t class my work as expensive, I’m also not cheap. If someone is not willing to pay the modest amount I charge, I am not going to paint for them.
You will find that as soon as you tell people how much something is going to cost, most of them will disappear.
I had a lady last month ask me about doing a painting for her son. She had seen some of my work at her friend’s house.
She wanted a bus, a tram, and a train all on the one picture, so I sent her some sketches of how they could fit on a canvas. All looked good until I sent her the price.
She replied ‘would it be cheaper if I just have one vehicle? I just wasn't’ expecting it to be that expensive..’
(It wasn’t expensive…)
Posted
Some good advice already given Denise , you must do what is best for you bearing in mind the stress etc that meeting deadlines set by others or self imposed. You have the skill to achieve and will develop them even more , the downside is your time won’t be fully yours anymore. I would only say don’t rush into agreeing just yet give yourself some time as flattering as being asked is it can influence use to much at first. I’m not surprised you have been approached as your artwork is excellent and always beautifully presented .
Posted
I left a long post and am reluctant to come back to it, but the mice are back in the house, I have taken counter-measures (reluctantly) and they're now up in the extension roof galloping about in hobnails - so I can't sleep, in short!
One thing, I said I've not been asked for a commission lately: not quite true, I'm painting a portrait - in reality, many efforts - for a presentation to a colleague: I'm not asking to be paid for it, but it has been an interesting learning experience on the one hand (I hadn't painted a portrait for some years) and a REAL pain in the wotsit in others, because, given the subject, I'm having to work from photographs - which is something I really hate to do, however good they are they're hopeless for portrait work.
If you're going to do portraits - insist your subjects sit for you: a) it will show them how much work is involved (not least by them!) and b) it's the only way to get a portrait painted in which you'll be able to take pride: painting from photos is an absolute mug's game, you might enjoy one or two, but once you start to take portraiture seriously, you'll find the photograph route desperately frustrating, ruinous on the eyesight - I'm sure it made my cataract worse last time I did it - and you never know, if they come off at all, how much that's down to you and how much down to the photographer - you don't need questions like that in your life!
Helen's point about pricing is not only entertaining but very sound - if you're going to do this, ask for proper money: some of those eager customers will then fade away, however good you are.
Posted
Very good points made Robert. A serious portrait painter (and why would you want to be any other type?) needs probably several sittings to get to know the subject rather than a quick photo taken by someone else. There have been some very good articles on PP in the Artist recently, including mention of agreeing a price and even having a contract beforehand.
Incidentally Robert, we’ve had a visiting mouse the last few days, in our lounge which presumably comes into a cupboard under the stairs where gas and tv aerial also enter! Hubby has set a trap several nights but he’s outwitted us so far. I just hope he doesn’t have a family in tow! 😩
Posted
Quite understandable why everyone's queuing up for your work Denise. I'd ask myself a) Why do I paint b) what do I enjoy painting. For me - I'd like to choose a subject for myself, something that moves or interests me.
For mice, I uses Jeyes fluid down drains, guttering & loo last thing at night. They don't like the smell, they cant navigate. Internally, perhaps some drops of Olbas oil. If you don't mind the smell of that yourself. The curse of an older house in my case.