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There are many potential art buyers whose needs go
unfulfilled simply because they cannot find the right piece of artwork that
exactly meets their needs in terms of size, color and/or subject matter.
Which brings us to the somewhat contentious point of
privately commissioned works of art.
By “privately commissioned” I mean a work that has been created to
the specifications of a client. For
many artists, the whole idea of “creating” for the wishes of a buyer, seems
somehow distasteful and out of character for a “true” artist.
To become or not to become involved in private commissions
is, of course, a very personal choice that each artist must make alone.
It is generally held that an artist must relinquish his or her integrity
in order to meet the demands of a customer.
This point can be argued ad nauseam with no conclusive resolution
forthcoming. Personally, I think the idea of “compromising” one’s
principles is unmitigated flapdoodle. And
now it’s your turn to decide.
For those of you who are continuing on with me, let’s
start by examining why many artists choose to do commissioned work.
Firstly, it is a very good way to increase one’s income and to broaden
one’s clientele base which can further increase one’s income (are we
starting to get the picture?). Secondly, it is an ideal pursuit for those who enjoy working
with people and for those who look forward to sometimes surprising and
unexpected challenges.
The first question you may ask is: Exactly what is involved
in the execution of a commission? Simply
stated, a buyer will express his/her desires or needs (in a painting, for
example) and you will then proceed to fulfill those needs.
There are, of course, many details to be worked out along the way and
many variables with which one must deal.
Each buyer and each buyer’s needs are different.
Some customers are very specific about what they want while others can be
quiet vague. If a potential client
should mention a commissioned work to you (or vice versa), a good starting point
is size. It is wise to determine
first off the exact dimensions of the finished artwork.
This will give your customer some idea about price.
Of course, size can change somewhat as the deal moves along, but at least
you’ll be in the ballpark from the onset.
Ask your customer where the finished piece is going to be
placed. This can be an important
factor when it comes to size, format and, thereby, price. To digress a bit, size is quiet a commonsense way to price
your artwork (though not necessarily the only way).
It is a system that most people can understand.
If you nave not already done so, consider having a pricelist (based on
standard sizes, for instance) printed on your letterhead.
But however you determine your prices, it is imperative that all parties
agree on the bottom line before any work is started.
Once the format has been established, you may then move on
to subject matter. Most commissions
are simple and straightforward: a still life, a landscape, a portrait, etc.
It would be prudent to elicit as much information as possible from your
client concerning his or her needs. Let’s
take a landscape painting for example: What is the exact view (horizontally and
vertically) to include? What time
of the year and day is to be depicted? What
objects (house, trees, rocks, etc.) are to be included or deleted from the
scene? You can probably think of
other questions as well.
I have presented in this article only a few areas of
consideration, a basic drawing so to speak.
Next month I will delve into the actual process of creating a commission
from start to finish. I will address the concerns of both the artist and the
client and will lay out a process by which a commission can move smoothly from
inception to completion. Once this
simple process has been mastered, most artists find the private commission much
less daunting and, in many cases, even delightful and rewarding. |
ART
FACTS
