Communication with Clients during Commissions- The Kookaburra Case Study

When I’m working on a commission, I like to involve the client in the decision making process at all opportunities . Firstly I will offer them a selection of images to work from... photos that are clear and sharp and that will match my painting style. I generally look for complementary colours in a photo, such as blue/orange and an image that speaks to me in some way.

Once the client has chosen an image, I will then mock up an image before I paint it. In the case of this kookaburra piece, the client had chosen the photo in image number 1.

I removed the background very roughly using Procreate on the Ipad and then played with the composition and added splashes digitally in a variety of ways. I sent these over to the client who went with photo number 2.

The resultant painting is shown in photo number 3 and the client was very happy. By working closely with the client, there are no hidden surprises and the client is kept in the loop every step of the way.