Five Tips for Commissioning Art

 

Commissioning art can be a rich, meaningful experience. My patrons tell me their portraits bring joy to their lives. Some have said it would be the first thing they'd grab if the house was one fire (I'm assuming that's after the kids.)

But my years in business have taught me that there is a lot of confusion surrounding the commission process. Most people have no clue where to begin or what to expect.

So if you're considering commissioning art, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

1. Get a referral. You wouldn’t look for a doctor or a therapist in the yellow pages. That’s because you need someone trustworthy and dependable for personal matters. Look for an artist who has worked with your friends and ask them for guidance and insights.

2. Ask the right questions. Before you commit, make sure you have a clear understanding of the artist’s process, pricing, and timeline. In addition, ask less obvious questions such as:

• Do you work from photos or from life?
• Does the price include the frame?
• What happens if I don’t like it?

3. Get it in writing. I never, ever,  accept a commission without a written agreement, signed by me and my patron. Contracts give clarity and protection.

4. Trust your gut. A good artist is a good business person. They deliver on their promises, meet their deadlines, and provide great service. Their process is clear and simple. Only work with an artist you like and respect (this goes both ways).

5. Too many cooks. You wouldn’t go into the kitchen at Iris and tell Kelly English how to make his dishes, would you? No. You’d be escorted off the premises faster then you can say bread puddin.’ If you like an artist’s work, trust her creative vision.

Have you ever commissioned an artist before? If so, what was your experience like?

Celebrating the Individuality of a Child

I get to know the kids I paint. I talk to them, hang out with them, and play with them. I'm constantly making mental notes: What's his personality like? What's his favorite thing to do? Where does he like to hang out? This past weekend I took pictures of Tanner, Cannon and Walter Sherman. Triplet boys. I'm in the process of painting three full-length oil portraits of them. When I met with their mom Deede last fall, she showed me all of their baby pictures and told me how each boy was different from their brothers. She has a bumper sticker that says, "Support wildlife. Raise triplets." I found out what that meant on Saturday.

The boys and I had a blast. They took me to all their favorite play spots in the back yard, and ran around while I photographed them in their natural environment. I'm like a wildlife photographer. We went up to their play room, explored the giant magnolia tree, and climbed on the swing set.

Walter is more serious and reserved. The silent leader. Cannon is confident and friendly, with a goofy side, and Tanner is just a sweetheart, with this raspy voice that makes you want to melt. Every five seconds it was, Kate! Take a picture of me doing this. They especially loved the mid-air shots falling from trees. Perfect for a portrait, of course;)

I just loved getting to hang out with these precious boys and discovering their individual personalities. The interaction I have with the children I paint is so important to my work. Plus it's just fun.

Sweet Caroline

By Kate Bradley 15 August 2013, 9:14AM  

Yesterday Chris, Kristen, and their daughters Caroline and Gracie gathered in my studio to see Caroline's charcoal portrait for the first time. If you remember, Kristen was the client I wrote about here.

I have known Chris for many years, starting back when he was a leader in my church's youth group. I love Chris and it was really fun for me to get to work with him and his family. Yesterday he was running a little late, and made us promise not to look at the portrait until he got there. While we were waiting, I asked Caroline if she was excited. She said yes. I asked her how it made her feel to have her portrait drawn. Good, she said.

When I led them back to my studio, her parents were overjoyed. Kristen told me she wouldn't stop looking at it. She was sad that she couldn't take the portrait home now because it had to go to the framer's first.

There was a hilarious moment when Chris started talking to the portrait as if it were Caroline. Daddy, Daddy! I'm right here! Caroline would protest. Shhh, I'm talking to Caroline, Chris said.

Later Kristen sent me this picture. It's so sweet for me because I genuinely love her and had a great time creating her portrait. I kept thinking the whole time: she looks like an angel. I love her straight eyebrows and blond curls.

I know how much Caroline likes art, she even won a contest at school, so I invited her and a friend over for a play-date at my studio. Caroline and Kristen loved the idea. Play-dates are just another way I add value to my clients' lives and continue our friendships because I truly enjoy them and their children.

Cheers,

Kate

Studio Play-Date

By Kate Bradley 5 August 2013, 8:34 AM  

I'm always thinking of fun ways to continue my relationships with clients. It's my mission to celebrate them and their kids. I thought that it might be fun to have a play-date at my studio for a client and a couple of her friends to expose their children to the art-making process. I invited one of my favorite clients, Lauren, and she brought her twins and three of their friends.

It was such a neat experience for me to have all these cute girls in my studio and to teach them how to do what I do. We did self-portraits and I showed them how to draw the basic features of a face while encouraging them to draw their own hair, eyes and clothes. They ran with it, and made the cutest little paintings.

The moms and I chatted and laughed about their daily duties, handling all the craziness and trying to steal those precious few moments to have conversations with adults. One told me how her kids have a sixth-sense; the moment she gets on the phone and they come charging in demanding attention. Another told me how she knows you aren't supposed to talk and text while driving but that it's literally the only chance she has to get in touch with people. Too funny.

The different personalities of the girls were exposed while they painted: some were proud, some frustrated, and some were battling perfectionist tendencies, which I can totally relate to. It's hard being an artist:)

Until next time,

Kate

A Family Affair

By Kate Bradley 1 July 2013, 9:51AM  

My studio was crowded yesterday.  I’m working on two portraits of twin boys, John and Henry. Their mom, Katherine, her husband, her sister, her niece, and the boys came to my studio to see the proposals, which are small studies in oil that become the basis for the portrait. Before I begin work on the actual canvas, I want my clients to be happy and excited about where the portrait is going. I want them to be involved in the creative process.

I often ask clients to bring friends and family members to my studio. It’s such a fun moment because it’s when the client can really envision the portrait for the first time. Before that, it’s just talk.

This particular commission was really fun for me. I love doing individual portraits because I can really develop the personality of the child and use the background to reflect that. It's part of the value I offer to collectors: painting children engaged in their passions. John likes sports and outdoor activities; Henry likes to read and draw.

For John’s, I was really drawn to the beautiful light filtering through the trees and the relaxed pose. This one is going to be so fun to paint.

I am equally excited about Henry’s. He is holding one of his favorite books, which he told me all about during our time together. I used cools blues, purples and grays as my primary color palette with the contrasting pops of orange and red. I incorporated one of their existing art pieces to frame Henry’s head and make the composition more interesting.

Katherine told me that art means a lot to her family. In her words, she would rather keep driving her car for a few more years so she could buy meaningful art. It made me feel honored and privileged to help them add meaning and joy to their lives by painting their children.

And it's always great to have a little play time. Here are the kids comparing their "actual size" to their "portrait size!"