I get all kinds of requests for art commissions. The other week a lady got my number and had me come over to her house to look at her wallpaper. It was really ornate, but had some kind of corrosive stain on it that washed out the color in a small area. I came back with a set of acrylics and reproduced the design. I guess that would qualify as faux finishing or restoration. Either way, I was proud of the result. No one could ever tell.
Art commissions can range from painting a particular subject on a particular object, to portraits, paintings of people’s houses, pets, architectural renderings, art for publication, or just about anything. I recently did a map for a guy contesting a traffic ticket. I studied that map, and the guy was totally in the wrong, but that’s what he wanted, and that’s what he got. |
Some people have unique requests. Maybe they want a dream visualized, or a memory. One client asked me to do a group portrait of a group of his friends dressed as their Dungeons and Dragons characters. Everything was extremely specific, and it tooK dozens of preliminary drawings and required a small stack of snapshots to get all the figures and portraits right.
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Preliminary sketches are a must with any project with vague instructions. I try to gather as much information as I can before starting. Sometimes, if an idea is particularly obscure, the client may want to sit with me and explain what they are looking for as I draw.
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I love getting commissions to paint in a hyper-realistic manner. It’s particularly challenging and satisfying.
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One interesting assignment was from a development company that wanted to build a cemetery. I asked them what they were looking for, and they basically answered, “we don’t know. Can you come up with something?” So I did, and they went for it.
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It’s always easier to be able to work from photographs. If someone has a photograph they want reproduced in oil on canvas, all of the discussions are made before starting. The more it looks like the original image the more the client will be satisfied. It’s not uncommon for people to want some change, though. They might want a family member added from a different photo, or have some distracting object removed.
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Caricatures make a fun gift. I have a pretty traditional style, but I can adjust, depending on the needs of the client.
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Because I’ve been involved in revitalization efforts in the Birmingham area, I’ve done a number of architectural concept renderings. My place is usually at the very beginning, the pre-planning stage. My clients tend to have a good idea of what they want, but need it visualized so they can move forward with the nuts and bolts of the project.
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Once a toy company contacted me about designing a series of whimsical dolls.
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Portraits are always a challenge. It’s a lot easier to work with someone getting a portrait of someone else. That way I can paint them as they look. If someone commissions a portrait of themselves, it takes some time to capture their self-identity. There is usually a lot of back and forth, and since portraits tend to be oil, there is also the drying time to take into account. Finishing a portrait in a matter of days, rather than weeks or months involves everything being planned out right, and sensing the cleats needs before starting.
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Logos and corporate branding is usually more graphic design than illustration. But no matter the concept, the process is the same. Even if a logo is just text, I’ve found it is better to start out with a pencil and flesh out a few ideas before beginning with Creative Suite.
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If you have a request for any art project, no matter how ordinary or unusual, reach out and we can discuss it and see what might be the best way to satisfy your needs.
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