Commission disaster - what do I do?

Oh man! I'd like to post this here and get your opinions, not just on the painting, but on the fix I got myself into. Can some of the pros please give some insight?

I got a small commission - paint a beach, and stick 2 people on it. We did the drawings, she approved them, and I told her based on all the stuff she wanted in the painting, and the size of the people, and the pictures I had of the people, all I would be able to get was a general likeness. She approved initial drawings and the layout on the canvas. I told her general likeness meant you'd know it was a dark haired woman and a dark haired man of their general proportions kind of thing.

We went over that a bunch of times, and I sent her the work in progress too which I don't normally. Now she's very disappointed, doesn't want it, and I'm disappointed too.

This was a composite composition from a bunch of sources. Can I get some feedback on the likeness, painting in general, and overall situation? What would you do?

Thanks everybody. Here are the people:

The painting. Critique away - I really struggled with this.

Closeup

Closeup. I forgot to say the painting size was 24 x 30.

[Steven Sweeney]

I suppose that my first response in this particular Forum is that this isn

[John Zeissig]

Gloria

I agree with much of what Steven has said here. But given that you

[Michele Rushworth]

The whole task sounds like a monumental effort based on the fact that you said it was "a small commission". Putting two people on a beach without good reference for the people (none of the photos show them in the poses used in the painting) and unknown reference for the landscape sounds like a huge and possibly insurmountable job right from the beginning.

It's very difficult to create a good painting with excellent reference (either photos or the real thing) right in front of you. It's just about impossible to create a decent painting trying to mix and match references that don't go together in scale, color, lighting, angle, etc.

I agree with Steven. Sorry to say it: this is one that should have been refused from the start.

I've learned the hard way that my paintings succeed or fail before I ever touch brush to canvas. It's (almost) all in the preparation and in what you choose to paint.

Steven, John, and Michele -

Thanks so much for your words. Steven and Michele, I think you're right, I should have balked when I saw the references. I'll do better next time. It sounded like a fun challenge at the beginning.

John, I tried re-cropping it, and you're right, it's better, but man, I think this puppy needs to be recycled as guinea pig bedding.

Thanks!!

[Heidi Maiers]

Lisa, thank you for sharing this nightmare commission with the rest of us. Disappointing a client is a fate most of us fear and I hope you will just chalk this one up as experience as I'm sure you have learned a lot with this one.

I got a chuckle when you told me last week that this painting will be discreetly left from your portfolio. Though I too would not classify the painting as a portrait, the bland color scheme you have chosen is effective if you were trying to set the mood of the painting as an outing on a cool foggy beach.

Perhaps those clients were looking for something more vibrant and colorful and didn't specify this requirement to you adequately or inform you in the process. Sometimes a person will buy a painting based on how it makes them feel - which can either be warm or cold.

I am posting this sample (it is one of my mom's paintings) of a beach scene with people that is very warm and colorful. Of course, in this example it is a sunny day and the fog is off in the distance. I think a wide range of colors and values adds interest, but everyone develops their own style and palette preferences and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. (I actually think she got a little too carried away in this example.)

By the way - I am in the running for the Larry Flynt bust commission, so thanks for the tip!

[Heidi Maiers]

Whoops - the photo didn't stick the first try..