Finished?

Until a customer is happy, I don’t consider commissioned art work to be finished. However, I took a chance on this painting and signed it before the customer replied. 

A lifelong friend helped me work out the finishing touches of this painting. We sat together with the latest photo of the painting, using her suggestions and my Photoshop (Junior version) skills to try some things. We were both very pleased. Look at this “map” we created; every place we made a change, I put in an arrow so I could follow it later. (Be ye not dismayed – this is a photo with blue arrows, not blue arrows on the actual painting.)

I set up my laptop by the easel and began. It is very incremental, and you may not be able to discern the changes. Just be polite, ‘K?

Basically, I added shadows to some lemons, added darker ones hidden in the leaves, and then took some of the hard clean edges off the furrows (that is the dirt/moss area between the rows, not the eleven between my eyebrows – thank you for your concern).

Sequoias for Sarah

A young woman named Sarah works at the Silver City Store. She told me that she loves my painting on display there titled “Big & Tall”.

Sequoia Trees, Big & Tall, 18×36″, oil on wrapped canvas, $1200

(In case you are wondering why anyone could “love” this painting, remember that it looks way better in person!)

I told her that I could paint one for her in a size that would fit her budget (and suitcase – I believe she lives a fairly peripatetic lifestyle – and “peripatetic” is a great word that you might want to look up and adopt).

She was excited, and chose 6×18″. We discussed the cropping that would be necessary since this is narrower proportionately compared to the 18×36″. Sarah said she trusted my judgement, so I began.

First I found the reference photo. Then I folded paper around it and experimented with the cropping until it looked right.

Then, I mixed the colors and began.

I am getting used to the mess of a beginning painting; it doesn’t make me feel visually assaulted any more. Does this mean I am finally accepting myself as an oil painter instead of just a pencil artist who paints?

Maybe so!

 

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. .

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!

Bucksnort

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.

This is the main view of the cabin, but I can’t see what is on the left or on the right.
I looked at multiple photos, asked some questions, and did this sketch to see if I was understanding the missing parts correctly.

The customer sent me more information.

This sketch was helpful in understanding the chimney placement on the right.
This photo helps me understand what is covering the chimney in case it needs to show.
This still doesn’t explain what is happening on the left.

I began the drawing, even though I didn’t have all the answers yet.

The customer explained the trees surrounding the cabin, and there are 2 large sycamores very close, but not appearing in any photos that she sent. They sounded important, so I dug through my enormous stacks of photos and found some sycamore branches and leaves. These are drawn in the upper left corner because I want the cabin to look nestled and surrounded.
I got a little nervous about putting in those sycamore leaves without first asking. For awhile, I procrastinated, just counting boards, measuring window panes, and growing ferns.

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.

So that’s what’s over there!

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?

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.

So there.

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.)