CUSTOM ART | COLLAGES
Custom art is an important piece of my art business. There are countless scenes and objects that I’d really enjoy painting or drawing, but in 33 years of earning a living with art, I have come to understand that people want what they want, not necessarily what I want.
Therefore, I make custom art, which is another way of saying that I accept commissions.
An acquaintance (friend of a friend) got in touch via my website to request an oil painting collage of many views of his garden.
I’ve done many pencil collages before, but never one in oil paint. This is going to stretch my design and painting abilities, for certain and for sure.
Here is a look at a pencil collage so you know what is meant by “collage”. It’s not actual cutting and gluing pieces together; instead it is combining multiple pictures into one larger piece.
CUSTOMER PHOTOS
The potential customer sent me these photos (actually more than this) of his garden. Although nothing stands out to me as a focal point, and I have no plan-view to understand how all the pieces work together, I do understand a person’s love of one’s own garden.
For once in my scattered approach to business, I had the presence of mind to ask for a deposit in order to begin the design phase. In custom art, it’s crucially important to communicate clearly with the customer. It takes several hours of emailing, thinking, studying the photos, and yes, even lying awake at night trying to figure it out. (Hmmm, do you get paid to lie awake at night?)
SKETCH | DESIGN
After the deposit check arrived, I procrastinated for half a day, trying to figure out how to begin. No need to show you all the mental wrangling. Instead, have a look at the sketch, which I started in pencil and then colored in with colored pencils. It looks like a scribbly mess, because it kind of is. However, it doesn’t make sense to perfect something when we are tiptoeing into new territory, unsure of the destination.
The actual sketch is 2-1/2 x 5”, a proportion of 1:2. This will translate into a 10 x 20” or 12 x 24” canvas. (Other sizes too, but I have canvases this size here on hand, ready to go.)
It may look like a mess to you, but I can assure you that the potential customer knows what each item is. He gave me a list of the things that matter to him. I hope this captures the feel and that I can execute this in oil paint.
P.S. The customer emailed yesterday to say he is pleased and to paint it 12×24”!
8 Comments
Love it! It’s going to be beautiful!
Thank you, Kathy! I’m trying to approach it confidently but I really want to procrastinate.
See? Don’t underestimate your talent as an artist who is flexible enough to be willing to create what the client loves! (Believe me, I know!)
Sharon, there needs to be a balance between what the customer wants and what the artist knows. It is a dance of interpretation (but not interpretive dance, teeheehee).
What is that white thing sitting on top of the bench? Too bad it isn’t a cat, that would be cuter!
Marjie, I wish it was a cat! It is a branding iron and I expect it will be a bugger to get just right.
I think your colored pencil sketch looks amazing! Seriously, I think it could be called final art in a loose style! I’m looking forward to seeing how your painting progresses.
I’m also looking forward to how the painting progresses, continually reminding myself that it is a process and will look very unsatisfactory for awhile. Today’s big task is getting out the canvas, wiring the back for hanging, and assigning an inventory number. I’m not being chicken—it’s an action packed day and these little tasks have to be fit in.
Thank you for thinking the sketch looks amazing because I thought it looked like a dog’s breakfast and would frighten the customer!