Fine Art Painting: A Walk Through The Commission Process

by Catherine Jeltes in Studio Bits
     
My most recent commission painting (ie. custom work) was based on this painting: 
 
This original blue abstract was 20″ x 20″ x 1.5″; my client wanted something similar in a much larger size, 30″ x 52″ x 1.5″   As this was not a standard size, I hand stretched and primed the canvas myself.
Once the raw canvas was stretched, I primed it with several coats of gesso, thinned with water.
  Now I was ready to paint.  Here is one of the early phases of the commission painting:
 
I took photos throughout the entire process, providing my client with updates and opportunities to suggest changes.  In this next one, I circled areas via PhotoShop to show my client the areas I was going to add further detail.
 
 
 
Here was the finished piece:
 
Keeping my client engaged throughout the entire process not only reduced the possibility of an unhappy client, but also allowed them to participate in the development/creation of their art–solidifying their emotional investment. Here is what my client had to say about their commission experience: 
 
“After seeing Catherine’s work online we commissioned her to create a similar work of art in a different shape and much larger scale.  In addition to being uber-talented, Catherine is a joy to work with.  She never rushed us in the process, gave us visual progress reports, and welcomed our thoughts and input.  The end result was a beautiful piece of art that is the focus of our room.  Every time I look at it I am so happy.  I would highly recommend Catherine and her work.” 
 
A testimonial like that speaks volumes for you, your work, and your business practices.
 
To learn more about commissioning a painting, please see this blog post:  “Commissioning A Painting–What To Expect.”
 
To discuss commissioning your own painting, please contact me.
 
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