Decorating With Original Artwork: How To Talk To The Artist To Get What You Want
When you contact an artist to complete a painting for you, you are asking them to make a commission piece of work. It’s unique to you, and requires a lot of effort on their part. The artist wants to make you happy by providing you with something that you’ll be proud to hang prominently in your house. Before you approach an artist about commissioning a work, understand how the artist works.
Understanding Pricing
Every artist is able to charge and price however they seem fit. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all algorithm to how artwork is priced. That’s why you can see a piece that you consider to be excellent work at $500, and another piece that looks basic and simplistic set at $10,000. For the most part, artists take into consideration that cost of the materials, the number of hours it took to complete the work, and accessories like frames and hanging wire. Keep in mind that the artist spends time buying the material, planning out the work, as well as actually completing the work. Most artists charge per hour of work. The larger the piece, the longer it will take, which means that it will cost more. Take this into consideration when you set a budget to buy the artwork.
Do Your Research
Before you commission an artist, make sure that you have a clear idea of what you are looking for. Know what style that you are after, what colors you want to see, and what the subject matter will be. Look up some things online that reflect the style that you are after. Respect that artists specialize in specific subject matters and styles of painting. If you have a photo of the subject matter, that will greatly help the artist.
Communicate
Be as open and honest with your artist as possible. Tell them who the painting is for, where it is going to go, and what your personal decor in the home looks like. Give them your description of what you are hoping to achieve with the piece, and give them an idea of the colors and size that you want it. Let the artist know the set budget that you are able to work with, so that they can direct you to the size and medium that would fit your price range. The more information that the artist has, the better the outcome will be. After the artist has a decent amount of information, they should be able to give you a general quote for the work. Be prepared to go over that quoted number by 10% just incase it takes more man hours.
Be Flexible
The artist has creative license to craft the image how they want to. They’ll follow your guidelines, but they’ll put their own personal touches on it. Art is as unique as handwriting. The message still gets across, but each person’s handwriting is different. Have a general idea of what you want the image to look like, but be excited to see how someone else interprets your vision.
It’s an emotional moment when you see your imagination come to life. Be thrilled to take home your new artwork after letting the artist put the final touches on the work. Find a frame that goes with the new painting and fits your home decor to pull everything together. Make sure to place it in a place that everyone will be able to see your new treasure.