Ready to dry: new seascape commission
Seascapes 52: week 27
Loved creating this seascape commission. I'm enjoying it in my living room while it dries before it surfs away to its forever home. Here's a preview of this peaceful creation. Plus some tips to consider when you're commissioning a bespoke artwork.
It's lovely when you get a brief that says something along the lines of: "I love your seascape paintings. I'm hoping for something with these colours and totally trust your judgement". The perfect balance between clear direction and creative freedom to interpret the brief.
1st tip for commissioning a painting: trust the artist.
Trust is essential. And it works in both directions. I build this through sharing rough sketches, colour palettes and in-process images. Feedback on these elements is important. It confirms whether your interpretation of the brief is aligned with the client expectations. I always build in agreed stages for feedback when agreeing to undertake a commission. You don't need too many, just enough to check in as a painting evolves.
2nd tip for commissioning a painting: colour is a really helpful cue.
For this project, the client wanted aqua, turquoise colours and some texture. My first step was testing out some swatches and rough sketches. I wanted to be sure that I mixed the right hues. It's all too easy to swing the balance if you introduce too many different colours or have one pigment that over-dominates when you're mixing it with the others. Here's an image so you can dip into this stage of my process. You can see a bit of preliminary exploration of mark-making too.
I also check colour again once I've built in some base layers. Colour can look different once juxtaposed within other colour zones within a composition. While the colours will evolve as the layers shape up, the base layers often define the range. So it's a good time to recheck that the dominant colours in the composition correspond with the client's expectations.
3rd tip for commissioning a painting: allow plenty of time.
Most people are surprised at how long commissions take. It's essential to factor in drying time before you commit to a deadline. This is particularly important with my textured creations. Each layer of texture needs time to dry before I can add on the next. Plus, an oil painting typically needs a good 6 months before it's dry enough to varnish. Some pigments take longer to dry than others. So you need to know your materials well.
Sign up to my newsletter so that you don't miss the next seascape, art tips and other creative posts.