Painting a present

Ginger - 8 x 10 - oil on canvas

It's an honour to paint a request for something specific for someone.  In doing so, the artist enters a contract with the client.  

There are always expectations.    Expectations of the client are to what the outcome might be.  Rightly so...a client should discuss with the artist their vision if they have one, before the work commences (sometimes there are design decisions, that  trump the clients expected vision). The expectations of the artist are to paint with integrity.  An artist must follow their own instincts making their own judgements and decisions as the painting progresses.  Personally I get quite delighted to work with clients on any ideas they might have, but design decisions must be mine.

'Ginger'  is a recent commission.  She is a beloved pet who passed away; the client wanted to give a portrait of Ginger to her parents for Christmas.  We discussed size, price and a special request was to paint in Ginger's name on the painting. Well, why not, I thought...and so Ginger's name was included in the design as the painting progressed. I used a stencil to keep letters tidy, and glazed over it all afterwards with raw sienna to harmonize it with the other tones of the painting.  After the glaze dried i painted in some lighter areas and tweaked a few highlights.  It was a real pleasure to paint her for such a sweet client.

There is another part of this story.  The client went in to labour on Dec 23, and was delivered of a first born son on Christmas eve!  I think her parents got two presents for Christmas.  And I think 'Ginger' just might be playing second fiddle.  ...heh heh...thats just fine by me.  Congratulations to the proud parents.