So now we've narrowed down the elements that I think will work well for a sketch and the eventual artwork. I just go by a gut feeling, whether I can see a flash of the piece in my mind, before I start the sketch. I've been doing this work for 35 plus years, and I have a good idea of what will work in advance.
A commission is a dance, between the artist and the person wanting a special piece of artwork, usually something of sentimental value (a birth, death, wedding, anniversary, geographic move) that they want to commemorate. The work has to please me and the customer both. I like to take the time the sketch requires so all are happy. Sometimes the person ordering the piece is nervous, and I need to reassure them as to why I think a certain idea will work more than another. We both have to be happy. If I'm not happy it won't be a good piece, one that stands alone and represents my vision and style. If the customer isn't happy then I'm not happy.
On the other hand, I like to ask the customer to give me some free rein. I have them look at the artwork that's on my American folk art website, to tell me which pieces appeal to them most and why. I let them know that I'm not a realist, so especially when people are the subject matter to not expect them to look anything like the real person looks.
A commission is a challenge for me. With a commission, sometimes I end up doing new subject matter that I never would have thought to tackle. (For instance, right now I'm in the middle of a beekeeping commission, for a beekeeper. I never would have thought to do this as subject matter, but it's working out really well. You'll see the making of this beekeeping piece later, once I've got it completed and can do all the pictures in my blog in sequence)
On the other hand, sometimes commissions take me away from the flow and energy of my own work, and so I like to keep balanced by keeping one quarter of my work as commissions and the rest my own work. Winter is when I most like to work on my folk art commission orders.
So, after this long explanation about commissions, here at last is the first sketch I drew for Mike:
As you see, I've got grandfather confidently posed by his model-T, with the olive oil bottles arranged somewhat symmetrically (I like balance and off balance) at the bottom of the piece. I used the round shape because I thought it worked with the 1920's time period. I like circles that puncture squares. I used to be a signmaker and made a few signs using this format. Mike had something to say after seeing this sketch, which led me on to a sketch 2 and a sketch 3. I'll show you sketch 2 with my next blog!
By the way, my art is featured for this month at the Artiscape website.
Comments