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Message
Posted
Thank you for your kind comment xThanks for share the story behind you, I wish it'll never happen again! I'm scared reading it... Mine wasn't as hard to me, but comparable... This is how I stopped oil painting... I've been asked to do portrait of two Thai sisters by my workmate. I did put my heart to it, (you can find it in my gallery), I believed if he'll share it, it might give me a boost. He refused to collect it instead. Things changed he said, and one of those sisters didn't like to have this painting. Hopefully not because it was badly painted, but she was supposed to be the main subject! It wasn't mentioned to me, so I did follow the photo reference as seen, where that sister was BEHIND! I'm not surprised she didn't like it... I still have this painting, lol... It broken my heart, because my effort was wasted, 6 weeks painting for nothing really... The second time it was a made up photo by other workmate, he used some app to mix few pictures into one. None of these were good quality, and he made them transparent too, to blend them into one... Details gone, flat looking mix of emotions - they did lost new born baby,.. and he wanted me to do a graphite drawing (it is also in my gallery). Again, I did my best, I knew how important it is for them... He did like it, he was aware of poor quality reference, but his wife was opposite, so her mum... They asked him to make me start correcting it the way they would like it to be? I tried at first, but they still were requesting more and more, so I refused to carry on. He eventually collected it, but it broken me in half again. What an atmosphere behind this drawing! I do artwork to make people happy, if they aren't, then my effort is pointless - this hit me hard, and as you, it made me questioning my skills... Sorry for long writing Collette, I tried make it short, lol ;) I don't do commissions anymore - that's the outcome.
Posted
I've been lucky with my commissions, by the look of it! No one told me they were awful, they all paid up the price agreed - I usually do/did charge, but have given stuff away too. Even so - they always made me nervous: no one can tell what was in the mind of the commissioner, and very often it's not going to be anything like what's in yours.... happens to the best of us though (well - I'm not the best of us, but so I'm told). It happened to the Scottish artist Ken Bushe: the recipient wanted extra details - he painted them, but had lost all interest in the painting after that.
Imagine going to John Constable and saying "Well it's nice: but I think your Hay Wain could do with a nice patch of shocking-pink begonias: they'd go LOVELY with my crushed moquette chaise longue...." - wouldn't have gone down well, would it.. or "Salisbury Cathedral eh? I dunno, it's a bit dull - how about a Jolly Roger at the top of the spire there? And I always say - don't I George?, I ALWAYS say - you can't do better than a nice nude, reclining there, look, by the cloisters: oh it'd be luv.... um, what are doing with that axe....?"
Posted
Folk are odd Pog/ I wont do any commissions for exactly these reasons. I have had similar responses. If people like a piece brilliant. though i am mote likely to give it to them/ Though fun when you sell in an exhibition.That's right Sylvia, people are strange (or it's me?). I'm naive they will be appreciated, it's not always a true as you know ;) Other day I did a portrait in pastels of my sister in law son, I kept it in secret until done... I wanted surprise him ;) But first I started a chat to his mum, just to find right time to visit them, then I did share the drawing to show her... Instead of expected compliment, she told me off share it on Facebook portfolio?! I went how come, what's wrong? She said - I made his face chubby, and he doesn't like himself like this, so he will be upset if I share it... I went - I did follow the photograph, and your son is chubby indeed, why would I make his face looking different? Lol ;) This did touch me, because I'm not drawing to keep my work locked up, but to share it within friends. If I spent few weeks drawing the portrait, then bin it - what's the point start it? I didn't say a word when told off... The other day we went to pay them a visit, I did hand the drawing to her son then... He was amazed! He did appreciate it a lot - I was shocked, expecting rather opposite as you know... The above made me wonder... It came to me, that it wasn't him, but his mum didn't like the drawing, making excuse as it was her son's bad mood... Well. This is how people are strange, even within family members ;) Thanks for reply Sylvia ;)
Edited
by PogArt MasSter
Posted
I think many of us have had a similar experience with a commission. The worst one for me…years ago.I was asked by the grandmother of a little boy who had died suddenly if I would do a painting of him from a snapshot. No fee was discussed, I didn’t even think of it. It took me 5 goes before I was satisfied ( imagine the time and the worry). When I gave it to her she burst into tears so I knew it was ok. Off I went…..this is the bad bit. A telephone call, a relative of this lady asked if I would paint a picture of a horse and hounds for the leader of the local hunt, who was retiring. (I hate hunting so it was difficult anyway) She and the other grooms wanted this as a present for him. Foolishly I agreed and asked a certain price ( very low because I was clueless). She gave me a really bad photo and I started. To cut a long story short, when they came to collect it she said it didn’t look like the horse in question and wouldn’t pay. I felt crushed, I thought “ who am I thinking I could be good enough to do this?” Can you imagine how I felt, standing there while they talked about it? After they left I became annoyed, rang her up and told her so. She ended up taking the painting and I vowed never to do another thing like that. I very rarely do commissions now, I prefer to have someone see my painting and then decide to buy it if they want to. You’re right Collette, those who don’t paint have no idea what goes into a painting. Salutary tales!!
P.s. of course, at the time, I had no idea how to go about it, ask for a deposit etc. I was just so pleased to be asked!😆
Edited
by Marjorie Firth
Posted
That the insult is personal, it is for me anyway. It's even worse when it's a friend delivering the blow. I feel better for getting that off my chest.What you share is so like me, lol ;) I sign it both hands, really! I'm a bus driver - lots of abuse from passengers, I got used to it, doing this job since 1997 ;) (am I this old?!) I'm ignoring, those people are strange to me, they can say whatever they like, I shake it off my sholders rather easily. But my artwork... It is different. I take it very personal, because I leave a part of me myself within those strokes... Yeah Collette ;) Same in here ;) Thank you for keen reply, and your thoughts ;)
Edited
by PogArt MasSter
Posted
P.s. of course, at the time, I had no idea how to go about it, ask for a deposit etc. I was just so pleased to be asked!😆Yeah, I can see it's more of us to share such things... I understand very well your story Marjorie. Thank you for share. We can't please everybody, as we all are different, having different expectations... What's amazing for one, is not even good enough for other! You know what did lift me up after the "newborn" baby drawing Marjorie? Everybody who did see it - complimented it, I've had no even one criticism... This positive feedback had helped me to stand up my feet, and get to drawing... I was like you when getting commissions, I've been asking for little money to cover my materials spending,or I was asking for £5 quid for varnishing drawing up ;) Funny story behind this one - I got paid £50 instead? I went - I didn't ask for this much! He said - you well deserved it, take it! Yeah... There are good moments too ;) Best regards Marjorie!
Posted
I do still do commissions, but of pets, not usually of people. Thankfully have not had any bad feedback as yet, but did have a lady make me change a painting several times (of a house). I was glad to see the back of it. People (particularly if they are close to the purchaser) are so much harder to do, as only they see their faces all the time, whereas I just have a few photos to go on.
I painted my brother for his 40th birthday (he plays guitar).. and because I think I know his face so well, I changed it many times before even I was happy with it.
Posted
I've been lucky with my commissions, by the look of it! No one told me they were awful, they all paid up the price agreed - I usually do/did charge, but have given stuff away too. Even so - they always made me nervous: no one can tell what was in the mind of the commissioner, and very often it's not going to be anything like what's in yours....Lovely story tale of you Robert, as usually ;) It reminds me an interview I've been watching on YouTube. There was an portraiture artist, and at some point of that interview they did touch commissioning matter... I still remember bit of it, as it was related to my doubts. So he's been through we just discussing now, ups and downs, as everyone else. He said something (I do understand it like) we don't do a photo copy of the face, we don't scan it and print it out, we have our own unique style of painting, our imagination, unique feel of an artistic nature, we have our experience behind, our own emotions, we as being artists - do represent it all, and locking it up into our artwork... It's never suppose to be a photocopy, it's opposite. It's a unique artwork, representing the person painted, but beyond that... Well, obviously the above is what I understood he was telling, but he got straight to my doubts regarding how good my painting should be to be appreciated. So if doing commission, there's always sort of unknown, some fear of not being appreciated, as we can not be 100% sure, what's commissioner's expectation ;) Thank you Robert ;)
Edited
by PogArt MasSter
Posted
I do still do commissions, but of pets, not usually of people. Thankfully have not had any bad feedback as yet, but did have a lady make me change a painting several times (of a house). I was glad to see the back of it. People (particularly if they are close to the purchaser) are so much harder to do, as only they see their faces all the time, whereas I just have a few photos to go on. I painted my brother for his 40th birthday (he plays guitar).. and because I think I know his face so well, I changed it many times before even I was happy with it.Good point Helen, we just have fewer photograps to deal with, to make the portrait, but they can see their faces for their lifespan, yeah, not easy to satisfy ;)