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Leslie, Leslie, Leslie!
I think the first lesson I ever had was that I have no idea what the client looks like. The old "are you going to believe me or your lying eyes!!!"
The client was young and beautiful (I really don't do beautiful as well as interesting) and was a good friend. I argued that it was perfect. I fixed and amended and did not want to lose her as a friend or the commission so I actually did another. She posed sitting on the bed, facing the wall. It was a really lovely figurative and she was thrilled! It was a gift for her husband. Yes, they are divorced.
Then my own mother thought my painting was "too detailed" which of course meant wrinkles. I repainted and smoothed and kept my favorite picture of her.... after all, I gave her most of those lines!
I digitize the heck out of all my reference. I don't even accept the job until they can SEE what I am trying to put on canvas. They get blurred and dodged and tweaked and compressed and when they can see themselves in the photo.... I get a deposit. I am in the middle of a painting that has been coming together for about 8 months in the digitizing, photo referencing stage. Two years ago I did three dogs and five humans. Three great kids, dad, the dogs - all were perfect, but I redid mom right down to the wire. We even printed a Christmas card from the third to last version.
I believe that the ONE thing we can do as artists is improve upon nature. Well, with all the recent discussions, lets say improve upon photography! My own observation has been that when I look in the mirror and when I take a photo of myself, I swear, they are not the same person. That is ME, a person who spends hours in the day LOOKING at people. We have to give a large amount of room to the client. I just try my best to back out of my own head and move into theirs.
Perhaps the next step is to digitize the painting so you can figure out what would please them. Costs much less in painting and drying and scraping.
NOW over to see what this is all about.
Yes, this is hitting a nerve at present, but I do believe I am a happier camper with few, but happier clients when I put myself in this mind set!
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