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Heart on my sleeve
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Message
Posted
So, the lady who it is said she liked the picture, but it looks nothing like her. She doesn’t recognise herself!? Go figure? I mean she’s nice enough, but alas, for two hundred quid, it’s still not been worth it. It does look like her, I mean, I checked with others. Trouble is, she s fifty or there about and her photos are digitally softened. I gave an artists impression, almost identical. Oh, I know one eye might be slightly bigger than the other, her face a little thinner, but it’s still hard work to give a painting life. I categorically refuse to do exact stuff, like realism or hyper realism. There you go. Now for sale in the UK
Posted
The plight of the portrait artist. Graham Sutherland and his Churchill portrait comes to mind. It's a superb painting Martin.
I don't do many commissions but I've had some odd requests. I was asked if I could draw a young bride from a photograph on her wedding day but could I make her nose smaller! I refused the commission and doubted the longevity of their marriage. On another occasion I drew a 'middle aged' lady but was told it was too realistic in the 'neck area' and could I do something about it ie smooth it out, I refused to do that too. I guess come people don't like to confront the truth especially now when phones are equipped with filters that can do all sorts of tweaks to someone's face.
Posted
In future Martin, you must take a deposit ( says she who never did). I don’t do commissions now, too much stress - and portrait commissions are the worst! Though I successfully delivered one and all the family were very happy with it, but the time it took! So no more portrait commissions.
One early commission was for a leaving present for the master of the local hunt ( connected to the Percy family ). It was to be the gift from the grooms. Well, I’m very much against fox hunting and don’t know why I agreed ( it’s a long story!). They provided me with a very bad photo of a certain horse…and also wanted some hounds in the picture. We’re talking over 30 years ago when I hadn’t a clue….about anything. It all went pear- shaped when they refused to take it - it didn’t look like “ Dobbin”. It was a horrible experience, my worst. I learned a lot from that. So now, very few commissions . Anyway Martin, we all think this portrait of yours is excellent so, in future, work out a rate and ask for a non- returnable deposit - unless it’s for someone you know and trust. Let them know you value yourself.
Edited
by Marjorie Firth
Posted
I used to do sketched portraits of people on the spot at a shopping centre. A grandma asked to have her granddaughter drawn. After a few minutes grandmas stopped me and said that noise is too big. She was looking over my shoulder all the time . The problem was the girl looked quite much older than she actually was. I stared another sketch and told the grandma not to interrupt me of I would not do the job. She payed for the sketch when I finished. Another time a young father wheeled a 18month baby in front of me and said can you do this one. It was a real challenge but he was very pleased with the result. Marjorie is right you need to ask for a non returnable deposit. I was asked to do an oil painting of a woman’s horses. Half way through I think it was her mother said to me you will never get the money she is all up in dept. On the subject of animal portraits I’ve done quite a few. The problem has mostly been with the quality of the reference material say no more. But one stands out vividly. I was asked to paint a beloved deceased cat, the references I was handed were very poor. I later asked again and got this one decent picture. I gave it my all and was rewarded. The man was over the moon with it. Took the painting home to his family. They all cried their eyes out as they said it was a perfectly likeness of their pet. That was a real feather in my cap that one.
Posted
Martin, I think your portrait is extremely good. I never take commissions as I don't want the pressure and generally only like to paint people or animals that I know so I can add something of who they are into the painting if that makes sense . Generally I have had a good response but you never quite know when you're giving them for free! The one I did of someone's father who I didn't know and had to work from a really bad photo turned out really well because a) I loved doing it and his face was wonderful and b) it was a gift to the recipient from a friend and the handwritten response I got was amazing and she sent a photo of it on her wall. So, like John, it was a real feather in my cap and highly memorable for me. As a side note, I haven't posted for a while as I've done a couple of paintings that people have asked me not to post for personal reasons plus I'm at a standstill of who/what to do next, desperate to pick up my brushes but I have to want to paint my subjects ... I think I need a muse!