As far as I was concerned the back door porch he built for me was perfect, exactly what I wanted, and worth every brush stroke on the canvas ... Phil felt like I did more because he didn't spend as much on building materials as would be equivalent to the actual cost of a painting this size had it been a straight commissioned portrait. Whatever.
Phil and Connie also have an issue with "reimbursing" me for my cat-sitting duties when they go out of town - as they did this past weekend. I've tried to tell them I have a blast going over and playing with their cats but they don't feel taking me out to dinner (which is usual payment) is sufficient repayment for services rendered ..... they have five cats who have particular habits and needs, twice a day. Crazy bunch of fur-muffins! So part of the check Phil insisted on giving me was also a bit of payment for cat duties. I understand his point in that they feel very fortunate to have someone like me who is willing to go over twice a day and take care of five cats. Not many neighbors would do it. But it gives them peace of mind their babies are taken care of - and - I get lots of good cat love and attention from some pretty darn sweet cats. It's a win-win situation. It honestly makes me feel bad that Connie and Phil feel they need to give me some form of reimbursement. Ah well, what do ya' do?
Back to the portrait ...
~ Connie and Nate ~
~ Connie and Nate, digital photo ~
Now, I'll admit I'm not yee-ha pleased with the final product (am I really ever???) but it was a difficult portrait to do. First, as I believe I've already yacked about in a previous post, the photo I had to work from was TINY, a mere 1.59" x 2.69". The canvas size is 16" x 20". Enlarging the digital photo made it pixelate horribly and the image became fuzzy and difficult to get detail and accurate color.
I also seem to have a much harder time painting faces when they are small on the canvas, as in this particular case. The faces aren't much bigger than the overall size of my hand. I guess it's got a lot to do with the way I paint, the whole blending thing, the whole need for detail thing. I have trouble just "roughing it in" as is what is typical in many oil portraits. I am inclined to refine edges and shapes as accurately as I can, not soft edges and blurred shapes to "create the illusion" of the eye or whatever. I find that very hard to do. I'm trying, but I still haven't mastered the technique. Some day.
I'm also not overly pleased with the quality of the photo of the finished portrait. I tried taking it in daylight, shadowed daylight and studio light but none turned out well. The colors are off, too much canvas texture shows, and a number of other nit-pick issues. I don't suppose it really matters in the grand scheme of things because this isn't a painting I'm going to sell prints of or anything. I do plan to post it on the website and a good image is best for that purpose, after all, it representative of my work as an artist, ya' know? I may try to take another photo of it before I take it up to the frame shop tomorrow.
Since this portrait is a surprise for Connie's birthday, and Phil wants to give it to her at a birthday party/dinner on Sept. 29th, I was in a sweat trying to get it finished quickly enough to give him time to get it framed. Glad I did. As I said, I'll be taking it to the frame shop for him and he'll go tomorrow afternoon on an "errand into town" to pick out the frame for it. He'll pay for that and I'll pick it up when it's done and take it with me to the dinner. That way, it won't accidentally be discovered by Connie if Phil tries to hide it somewhere until the night of her party.
I always like to see my work framed whenever possible. So many commissions I've done have gone away and been framed without my ever getting to see the final product. Framing makes such a difference it's amazing. I remember once, several years ago, I did a house-portrait commission for a woman. I delivered it to her, got payment, and didn't think much more of it. A couple of weeks later I was at the frame shop picking up something and I happened to glance over at a painting behind the counter. I mentioned to Ellen, the frame shop owner, that it was a nice painting and the framing really looked good. She looked at me real funny and said, "You should like it, you did it." I'm sure the look on my face was one of stupefied amazement. I had to go behind the counter and look at it again ... sure enough, it was the house portrait I had done. I couldn't believe the difference the matting and framing made in the end. Obviously, different enough that I didn't even recognize my own art work. Sheesh! So, given that, I'm anxious to see what Connie and Nate's portrait will look like framed. Mostly, I'm just hoping that Connie will like it.
Now it's time to get back to work on the other portrait commission. I got a really good head start on it before I had to stop and work on Phil's. If all goes well, I could be finished with it next week, or the week after. What's nice about it is it's only one face, nice size for my method of painting, and there is no definitive deadline other than having it done in time for Agnes to get it framed and under the Christmas tree as a gift to her husband. I do want to get it finished as quickly as possible because I have other things to work on. I also don't like having obligations of commissioned work hanging over my head.
I realize it's part of the job of being an artist unless you're really successful at selling nothing but original painting/prints/etc. and don't have to work by commission, it's still stressful. There's always that looming question of "Will the client be happy with it?" Agnes is a repeat client, and I'm sure she will be as pleased with this one as she has been with the previous work I've done for her. There's a certain amount of comfort in that, which I'm grateful for. But there's always the slight chance of mucking up somehow and not delivering what she's got pictured in her head. So, even though she's a repeat, I still feel that pressure to a small degree.
And I won't lie, I really want to move on to my own stuff. I want to have the freedom of working at my own pace, satisfying no one other than myself ...... which I'll be the first to admit is an, ummm, challenge. *hee hee* I'm most wanting to work on my 21st Century Kwan Yin. I think it will be a good piece when I'm finished. I don't know why, but I love things oriental/Asian, especially the faces of Asian women. They have such a delicacy and beauty to their eyes and facial bone structure, their skin tone, the contrast of their dark hair to a light complexion. They have a kind of natural grace and elegance which we Caucasian-American women lack. Even when they are advanced in years the wrinkles on their faces are still beautiful and full of wisdom and grace.
I also have a number of other projects both planned in my head and in the works. I have several paintings in progress and in mind. Paul's quilt is still not yet finished. My children's book is looking at me with impatience. I want to get started on making Christmas ornaments for my tree. I'm feeling the knitting bug nibbling at my butt to get busy on my sweater. I have a stack of books to read and a few new ones I ordered from Amazon coming in the mail soon. And there are some things around the house I want to do. I also received my first lesson packet from the Paramahansa Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship in the mail the other day and haven't even had time to sit and read it - much less put it into practice. It seems time is going by so fast and I just keep piling up more stuff to be done. But that's basically a good thing, that's being productive, that's filling my life with things I love and enjoy doing.
With that happy thought ....
Namaste, y'all ...
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