Commission Process: ‘Sunset Sailing’
More than just paint on a canvas, a commissioned painting is an artistic journey of exploration and collaboration. Here I explain a little bit about the commission process undertaken earlier in the summer for ‘Sunset Sailing’.
Brief and consultation
A great deal of planning goes into creating a bespoke piece of art, as usually it is specified to be hung in a specific place, and this one was no exception. The brief we discussed was to capture memories from a sailing holiday around the Canary Islands, with a colour palette that will sit well with the grey/green wall colour, and sized to fit the space on the hallway landing in their home. The client was able to supply images of the space, and a video walkthrough to see how the space is viewed from different areas of the house.
We needed a quick turnaround with the project as it was a gift for an upcoming birthday, but luckily I had a 70 x 113 cm canvas in stock that was the perfect size for the space, saving time on order and delivery of a new canvas.
My client had supplied me with a variety of images of the boat that they had spent their holiday sailing, along with some stunning views of sunsets from the water. I quickly decided that sunset should be included in the piece as golden hour is such a magical, fleeting and almost ethereal moment, enhancing the beauty of the surroundings.
Getting some base layers down
The initial step of the commission process involved mapping out the composition, which is a crucial stage to establish the structure of the piece. I used bold and strong base colours, which set the initial tone and mood of the artwork. These vibrant foundations serve as the backdrop, influencing the nuances of the subsequent layers. At this stage of a painting I tend not to focus on getting contrast and colours exactly right, instead I just want to maintain a play state, letting intuition guide brushstrokes, always embracing spontaneity and experimentation.
Developing the background
From here I systematically added more paint to build up the background, paying attention to each area of the painting (the sky, horizon line and sea). Using a more analytical approach, I use this part of the commission process to adjust composition, emphasise value contrast and optimise colour tone and distribution.
Developing the foreground
After I was satisfied with the progression of the background, I proceeded to outline the primary shapes of the boat that would become the foreground of the painting. Using charcoal for the preliminary sketch proved vital in determining the boat's placement. Given its dominant role in the painting, it was crucial to ensure that it was positioned effectively within the canvas's boundaries.
Having confirmed the appropriate positioning of the boat, I began to build up layers of paint to define its structure further. This part of the commission process moved to a more exploratory approach again, focusing on applying paint liberally without overly concentrating on achieving the perfect tone and contrast. This kind of approach allows for a more organic development, retaining spontaneity and fluidity in the creative process.
Optimising the composition
Once both the background and foreground had been developed, I needed to analyse the painting to see where improvements could be made and where elements could be refined and pushed further.
My objective was to emphasise the sky as the focal point of the painting; however, the boat was dominating the visual field. To rectify this, I implemented several modifications: I lowered the position of the horizon line to allocate greater space and focus to the sky, augmented the colour intensity and saturation in the sunset portion of the sky, made subtle refinements in this area specifically, and took the value contrast down in the boat to draw viewer attention away from this area. Through these technical adjustments, I sought to create a balanced yet striking visual hierarchy within the composition.
The finished painting
Undertaking a commissioned piece of art is a venture that embodies both exhilaration and responsibility for me as an artist. There's a sense of collaboration, a blend of visions where I strive to breathe life into another person's memory or vision. The commission process is both a creative challenge and a privilege, offering an opportunity to forge connections and deliver a piece of art that resonates with personal significance for the client, and holds a fragment of my soul and craftsmanship.
I hope that this gives you a little insight into the way that I approach the commission process. If you’d like to discuss a commissioned piece of art, get in touch.