Nothing here is completed, just inching along, a few hours on one project, move on to the next, and finish up each day with some drawing time in the air-conditioned studio as opposed to the swamp-cooled painting workshop.
Baby steps.
Custom Art From Far Away Places
I had* a good customer who used to email me photos of places to draw that he would give as gifts. I don’t know where many of the houses were and just had to do my best with a single snapshot. He kept giving me work, so I guess my best was good enough for him.
Some friends have made several trips to Ireland and hired me draw memories for them of their trips. They haven’t yet invited me to go with them – they are regular friends, not Really Really Great Friends.
Some other friends have had several visits to this “cabin” in Colorado. They provided photos, but alas, no invitation to accompany them either.
Another cute house from a provided snapshot of an unidentified place by former* customer.
I am your Central California artist, using pencils to make art that people understand of places and things they love at prices that won’t scare them. (One who won’t turn down an offer to visit a beautiful location to take my own photos).
*He was a good customer, a joy to work with, but the last time we communicated, he said he couldn’t think of anyone else to give drawings to!
Custom Art From Old Blurry Photos
Custom art, also known as commissioned art, is a communication challenge.
If someone asks me in advance of taking photos, I instruct him to take many photos of the place from different angles, and then up close for all detail that might be hidden in shade or behind trees.
Often there are giant obstacles, such as old blurry photos of places that are no longer in existence, places that are far far away (Montana, South Africa, Cape Cod all come to mind from past experiences), or places that are only accessible in one season or not visible due to weird angles of land or too many trees. 
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Times have changed, and most people have lots of photos on their phones, so I get what I get and I don’t get upset. Basically, people do the best they can, so I’ve learned to work with whatever comes. The key is clear communication – someone who is responsive and can explain things that aren’t visible in the photos can make up for weak reference photos.
Today’s drawings are examples of having worked from blurry or old photos that could not be supplemented with more details. The customer had to fill in with memories, supplied to me in words rather than pictures.
Tomorrow I’ll show you drawings from places that are far away. Maybe we can discuss why it is that customers won’t fly me to Montana to take my own photos. . .
Sneering, smiling and snorting
I like having lots of work; thinking about the next step on multiple projects energizes me. Having many jobs boosts my confidence and calms down all the self-doubt for awhile.
Thinking about rude comments from old art teachers, snobbery in the Art World, or during times when work isn’t selling and jobs aren’t coming my way – these things cause doubt and insecurity in your Central California artist. (“When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad. . .”)
Happy customers, helping people learn to draw, sales, commissions – these things build my confidence. (“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. . .”)
Confidence is a good thing, but one must take care not to let it grow into arrogance. That might be why I often slip into self-deprecating humor here on the blog. I’ve heard it said that arrogance is a sneer and confidence is a smile, but haven’t heard what sort of facial expression comes with insecurity.
The painting of the ranch in rural Southern California is now in the hands of a happy customer. Join me in a smile or even a big laugh when you read the name of the place!
And let’s smile some more at the beauty in the desert.
I am struggling to find a good title for this piece. “Beauty in them thar hills” probably isn’t the best one, but that’s what is rumbling around in my brain.
Drawing a Cabin I’ve Never Seen
With much of the custom art that I do, I don’t get to actually see the places in person. This is less tricky than in the olden days of film cameras and waiting for pictures to get developed and then put in the mail.
Someone I’ve never met saw a copy of my book The Cabins of Wilsonia, went to my website, and used the contact button to ask me if I could draw her parents’ cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
(Obviously I needed my website redesigned to emphasize the fact that I make art people can understand of places and things they love at prices that won’t scare them – i.e. CUSTOM ART!)
As usual, I said I’d need to see the photos first. She sent me several.
The customer sent me more information.
I began the drawing, even though I didn’t have all the answers yet.
Finally, I took these photos and sent them to her. She was thrilled and I was relieved.
I asked again about the left end gable because it shows in the drawing, and I want it to be right. She responded immediately with this immensely helpful photo.
Doing custom art of places I’ve never been to requires many photos, conversations, and sketches. It is a mystery and a puzzle, and when I am on the right track, it is enormously satisfying to grant the customer’s wishes and exceed her expectations.
Meanwhile, may I interest you in a copy of The Cabins of Wilsonia?
New Projects in Oil Paint – Stay tuned
What is this mess? Stay tuned. . .
And this little mystery? Stay tuned.
Here is something you will recognize. I brought out the little stepstool and redid the sky. I think it might be finished now, along with the mountains and distant hills. The close lemons and branches, the orchard, and the ground will need many more layers. As I have said, I want this baby to be PERFECT.
Drowning Out the Rude Critic in My Head
The sunset painting was a big challenge: mixing colors that I don’t normally use, brightening colors from the provided photos, rearranging things from the photos, and because of the precision required, drawing with my paintbrush.
Someday I may finally accept that drawing with my paintbrush is My Style, in spite of the Art World looking down its nose at this way of painting. But I digress. The point is that a customer requested a certain painting from me because he likes my style, and I have done my best to deliver.
Where was I? Got caught up in that Artworld thing, feeling like a fake artist. Will that insecurity ever subside??
Drying now.
As usual, it will be better in a scan, but still not as good as real life. Disclaim, disclaim, disclaim.
I loved working on this painting! Commissioned work is very gratifying, and it helps balance out the rude critic in my head.
Completed Cabin Drawing
I learned that the cabin owner was going to be present in Mineral King, so I put the “pedal to the metal” and finished the drawing late one evening in the studio in order to deliver it in person. The customer was very pleased and surprised.
There is a great deal of satisfaction and relief when I have a chance to redraw something from my Primitive Era. (That’s what my dad told me to to call my earlier artwork.)
First Sunset
Are you familiar with those franchise businesses where people combine alcohol consumption with painting? I think the idea is that you get all happied up and can’t tell how horribly you are painting. (It is about the experience rather than the results.) People have shown me their paintings, and they often include a sunset.
I’ve been oil painting since March 8, 2006 and have never painted a single sunset. Now, I can’t say that anymore.
A friend of mine sells real estate in rural Southern California. Hard to imagine there are rural areas in Southern California, but I assure you that there are. He asked if I was willing and able to do custom paintings that he could give as gifts to his clients. This was on the same day, in the very same hour, that I had written him a note suggesting the idea. The note wasn’t yet mailed to him (a real note on real paper) when his email arrived with the very same idea.
That was weird. Exciting too.
His assistant sent me some photos, which I cropped into various shapes to show her some ideas.
His assistant was very responsive, excited to work with me, and full of helpful suggestions. After reading her instructions, Photoshop Junior and I did this.
Then, I began painting my very first sunset. (You may be relieved to know that it was done without “benefit” of alcohol, although it may have been useful to ameliorate the ugliness that is inevitable when I begin a painting.)
Stay tuned. It is bound to improve with time.
Like Lemon Meringue Pie
This painting will require many layers, and I fully intend to enjoy every minute of the process. It isn’t necessary to talk about turning lemons into lemonade – this painting is more like lemon meringue pie.
It was dry, so I relayered the mountains and hills, then moved into the lemons on the left, then the ground, then finally a bit of cleaning off my brushes by putting more green into the grove.
When this is dry again, I’ll relayer the sky before continuing on the lemons and the grove. I want this baby to be PERFECT.
P.S. I love lemon meringue pie, and that’s saying something, because as a former pie baker (it was just a job, not a career), pies do not excite me. Further, one of my life’s guiding principles is “If it isn’t chocolate, it isn’t worth the calories”.