How to not be disappointed in your custom art

For many people considering commissioning a piece of art, they hold themselves back for fear that they won’t like the final painting, and will have wasted their payment.

I will walk you through XX things you can do to be sure that not only you will not be disappointed, but that you will adore your custom art piece. They include understanding the artist’s process, reviewing your expectations, and speaking up.

Understanding the artist’s process

When you are evaluating if an artist is a good fit for the custom art you would like to commission, it is important to know how they, in particular, do custom work. Artists have widely varying process.

Some artists do not take commissions. Some let you invest in commissioned work, but ask only for a few prompts and mail the surprise final painting to you. Others, like myself, work closely with you every step of the way to be sure the piece lives up to your expectations.

That brings me to…

Reviewing you expectations

Before you ask an artist to begin work on your piece, it is essential that you know what you are hoping for. I once had a client hire me to paint a large piece, but when I sent them a photo of the completed painting, they realized they wanted the piece from a different angle. Don’t do that to yourself. Be clear, from the beginning, what you are looking for.

The reference photo isn’t the only expectation that matters.

Don’t assume the artist will know to leave out wires and drain pipes, tell them so.

Don’t assume the artist will know you want grass painted instead of the snow that shows up in the photo, tell them so.

Don’t assume the artist knows what color the siding on the house is. I usually ask clients, but sometimes clients tell me from the get-go. You’d be surprised how often siding colors don’t show up “right” in photos, and then the whole painting feels off.

If there’s anything about your painting you’re assuming, don’t. Decide to talk about it with the artist so you’re all on the same page.

If there’s something you want extra attention drawn to, or a color you want to show up exactly right, or anything else, get clear on what you’re expecting in your painting so you can tell the artist.

This saves you both from unnecessary frustration.

Lastly,

Speaking up

Speaking up about your expectations from the beginning is best. I encourage you once again to spend some time thinking through all your expectations and hopes and assumptions.

However, sometimes clients don’t realize they have an expectation until the project is well underway. If that’s the case, say something to the artist right away!

The artist will likely offer you a couple of options. They may be able to make the adjustment and keep working with no problem. If it’s a large adjustment, they may ask you if you’d rather them continue anyway, or if the change is worth restarting. If you ask them to restart, the artist will likely ask you to pay for what they invested already, plus the “second” or “restart” painting (unless the mistake was made by the artist).

Client Satisfaction

I am committed to satisfied customers, so I have a system to make sure you adore your custom piece.

Once your deposit is made, we discuss your vision (over email, video call or phone call). This is your opportunity to share all your expectations, and where I try to draw out any unconscious assumptions you’re making about the final.

ask about what you’d like added to the piece, and what from the reference photo you want me to remove, and what you’d like me to adjust.

I will often clarify what colors we are looking for in the painting as well, if it does not seem clear from the photo.

I send rough sketches to my clients, then, to verify we are on the same page about the basics, and sometimes samples of important details so both the client and myself feel confident about where we’re going.

After drawing everything on the watercolor paper, I send a photo to the client. It is their job to meticulously look over it to be sure everything looks the way they’re hoping. Some adjustments are quite easy at this stage.

After I complete the painting, I send another photo to the client so they can 1) celebrate that their commissioned art is beautiful 2) dance with excitement and 3) meticulously check colors and details.

There is a small bit of wiggle room for adjustments at this stage, and often I refine a couple small things for clients. When that’s all said and done, we make plans for shipping or delivery, and they finally get to hang and display their very own custom piece of art in their space-- or give it as a gift.

Just imagine, your friends are visiting and a framed painting catches their eye. “Is that your old dog, Scout?” they ask. Or, “Oh my goodness! That’s your house!” Or, “That’s an amazing mountain view. Have you been there?”

And now you get to tell them about your pet, or about the favorite parts of your house, or a core memory on vacation with your family, AND how you got it made into a piece of custom art. They’re amazing, their eyes scanning and soaking in all the details, admiring that you found such a special way to honor that memory.

I am currently accepting queries for custom art. If you would like to talk about the piece you are considering (with no obligation), email me at Nicole@NicoleHansonArt.com. We can either talk about it over email or schedule a phone call.

If you’d like to check out more examples of my custom work, you will find them here.