As you can imagine I was pretty excited last week when one of my collectors contacted me about buying another painting. What some people don't realise is all the different parts that go into a painting before it ends up on a patrons wall. A contemporary realistic painting might go something like this:
· first there is the idea
· Then there is the canvas to either buy or prepare
· Preliminary sketches may be done next
· Then the subject is drawn up onto the canvas
· If it is a portrait for example the whole thing might then be under painted as a tonal study in something like raw umber tonings.
· Then of course there is column mixing which actually can take a really long time if you're painting something that's quite subtle as these colours are often very hard to mix
· Then the colour would be applied and depending on the size and complexity of the work this could take anything from one day to many days
· The painting then needs time to dry which if you're working in oils can take quite a long time
· Once the painting itself is finished then it has to either be framed or the sides painted and a hanging string put on the back of the work
· After that the painting needs to be prepared for travelling to its new home
· this involves putting a protective layer of glassine paper over the front of the painting and I usually put an extra layer of card on top of that to give it extra support
· then at least two layers of bubble wrap are acquired followed by double sided corrugated cardboard in the form of a box
· I always include a certificate of authenticity and usually a small gift as well which could be a small print or cards my work
· Once all that is done and it's taped up and ready to go the next task is to get it to the post office
And this is what the packing part looks like.......
So as you can see from that long list, there is really a lot involved in the painting, preparation and sale of an artwork.
Sometimes people feel that paintings are too expensive but there are many hours that go into producing an artwork that one doesn't really receive renumeration for because if one was to charge an hourly rate the work would be ridiculously expensive.
When a collector purchases an artist's work, it serves as a form of validation and recognition and brings with it a sense of accomplishment. As artists we invest countless hours into our craft, often facing challenges such as self-doubt and the pressure to innovate. Successfully selling a piece to a collector who appreciates the nuances of your work can serve as a tangible reward for all that dedication and hard work.
While a sale is undoubtedly a positive experience, it can also introduce a new layer of pressure. Some collectors may have high expectations regarding the artist's future work. This can lead to a heightened sense of responsibility for the artist, who then might feel compelled to not just maintain but even exceed the quality that attracted the collector in the first place.
These pressures are often highlighted when the artist is working with a gallery. Galleries will often want their artists to keep to a particular style that has sold well. This can then in turn lead to a feeling on the part of the artist of having their creativity and inspiration stifled. which can get tricky.
The reason someone buys your work is that they have formed an attachment to it based on something within the work. It is probably fair to say that if they want to collect more of your work they will be looking for more of whatever it was that attracted them to your work in the first place.
However, that's not to say that an artist can't do different series of works. In fact many artists do. What is important is that there is a continuity, a thread so that when you look at that artist's work you can tell that it's been done by them. This thread may take different forms. For some artists it might be the colour palette they use, the type of brush strokes, or the subject matter, but there are many more variables that one might consider.
Balancing the desire to evolve artistically while meeting these expectations can be a delicate dance.
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