Mark, there is so much I want to say here, I don’t know where to start!
Your work is truly stunning. I can’t imagine the level of happiness brides and grooms must feel to see their day captured like this.
I also love the way you write about what you do. I feel like I can really hear you, I can feel the emotional journey you went on here, from the non-payer to the joy of working in such a wonderful way.
I’m sorry about the irksome client. I too am freelance and am still trying to navigate various payment issues. I do think you would be perfectly in your rights to ask for a deposit on each and every commission.
Also, I LOVE, Love, LOVE the piece you say is currently on the drawing board, of the figure, on the path through the trees. Wow. Thank you for sharing it.
You are absolutely on the right path - keep moving forward. 💖
Thanks Penny. I really appreciate the kind words and I love what I do, and am so happy and lucky to have found this way of making a living, I do know that. I also realise I need to be a little more careful with some of the work I am taking on and ask for deposits when the time being put in is significant. Although rare it annoys me that some people think they can behave this way and it is up to the creative to decide whether to spend even more of their precious time chasing a payment that may never come or to cut their losses and move on. But then let them away with it - ahhh! Lesson learnt, focus on the good guys and get back to making my art!
Speaking of which thank you for your mention of my lone figure walking through the park piece. The trouble with that one is that I love it like it is although it is not finished. There is more ink work to be done and I had wanted to add colour as the sun was shining through the trees on a lovey spring morning when I took the photo. But I showed too many people who loved it and now I have the fear of messing it up!! #theartistlife :)
Hi Mark. So sorry to hear about your recent bad experience. It’s often the difficult people who do often stick in our minds rather than all the lovely ones, even though they are the majority. I have started taking commissions for house and wedding venue portraits. I do take a payment up front, partly because I’m bad at asking for money, and as soon as I start sketching I’m likely to forget. I say up front on the website what the deal is (www.lindagaskellillustration.co.uk). When folk contact me there’s usually a few emails where we discuss what they want and they send through photos for me to work from. Once I’m happy I’ve got something I can work with I send them the invoice. When that’s paid (usually really promptly) I start work on the sketch, which they will then see at different stages. Hope that helps. I’m full of admiration for how quickly you manage to capture a likeness. When I’ve tried figure drawing at speed my images are rarely flattering!
Thanks Linda, your work is beautiful. I know what you mean about the likeness, it is tricky and often for me not putting in too much detail is the key especially when working in dark ink. For speed I work in pen straight away so it can always be a nervy time - it keeps it interesting!
Mark, there is so much I want to say here, I don’t know where to start!
Your work is truly stunning. I can’t imagine the level of happiness brides and grooms must feel to see their day captured like this.
I also love the way you write about what you do. I feel like I can really hear you, I can feel the emotional journey you went on here, from the non-payer to the joy of working in such a wonderful way.
I’m sorry about the irksome client. I too am freelance and am still trying to navigate various payment issues. I do think you would be perfectly in your rights to ask for a deposit on each and every commission.
Also, I LOVE, Love, LOVE the piece you say is currently on the drawing board, of the figure, on the path through the trees. Wow. Thank you for sharing it.
You are absolutely on the right path - keep moving forward. 💖
Thanks Penny. I really appreciate the kind words and I love what I do, and am so happy and lucky to have found this way of making a living, I do know that. I also realise I need to be a little more careful with some of the work I am taking on and ask for deposits when the time being put in is significant. Although rare it annoys me that some people think they can behave this way and it is up to the creative to decide whether to spend even more of their precious time chasing a payment that may never come or to cut their losses and move on. But then let them away with it - ahhh! Lesson learnt, focus on the good guys and get back to making my art!
Speaking of which thank you for your mention of my lone figure walking through the park piece. The trouble with that one is that I love it like it is although it is not finished. There is more ink work to be done and I had wanted to add colour as the sun was shining through the trees on a lovey spring morning when I took the photo. But I showed too many people who loved it and now I have the fear of messing it up!! #theartistlife :)
Hi Mark. So sorry to hear about your recent bad experience. It’s often the difficult people who do often stick in our minds rather than all the lovely ones, even though they are the majority. I have started taking commissions for house and wedding venue portraits. I do take a payment up front, partly because I’m bad at asking for money, and as soon as I start sketching I’m likely to forget. I say up front on the website what the deal is (www.lindagaskellillustration.co.uk). When folk contact me there’s usually a few emails where we discuss what they want and they send through photos for me to work from. Once I’m happy I’ve got something I can work with I send them the invoice. When that’s paid (usually really promptly) I start work on the sketch, which they will then see at different stages. Hope that helps. I’m full of admiration for how quickly you manage to capture a likeness. When I’ve tried figure drawing at speed my images are rarely flattering!
Thanks Linda, your work is beautiful. I know what you mean about the likeness, it is tricky and often for me not putting in too much detail is the key especially when working in dark ink. For speed I work in pen straight away so it can always be a nervy time - it keeps it interesting!