Portrait, Landscape, and other Commissions

A Commission by April M Rimpo

I don't talk a lot about doing commissions since I have so many ideas for my own to painting, but I find when someone approaches me for a commission that it ends up being a great experience. If you have an idea for a commission let me know and we can see if I can create a great memory for you. Most commissions I've done have been given as gifts to a family member. Consider a gift of art.

I've done portraits of people, as you see above, and also portraits of favorite vacation spots which can be images of sunsets, cityscapes or landscapes.  I like trying to get a sense of the people or of the place before I start and it's important for me to understand what the person requesting the painting likes about my artwork (e.g., which are their favorite paintings of mine). This helps me understand what style they are looking for in the painting.  We also talk about color scheme. I evaluate the reference photographs provided by the customer to see if the image quality is sufficient for me to be able to see the details and colors well enough to produce a good painting. 

The portrait above is in watercolor. I figured if I could get the background right the rest would be fine.  I know some artists start with the faces because they find those the hardest part. I've painted enough people that I don't worry too much about getting the people right. The husband gave the painting as a gift to his wife and daughters, who are now in their late teens. Upon receipt the feedback from the husband was "fantastic", which was great to hear.  I'm looking forward to hearing his family's reaction.

Painting places excites me as much as painting people. Here you can see some of the commissions I've done of places and a portion of a commission of an old family truck. I enjoyed creating each of these.

Commissioned Paintings

At the top is a DC street scene, next a family at their favorite camping site, a family's '52 Chevy truck, view of San Francisco Bay. All were great projects. The three landscapes were for people that I didn't know before the commission.  Each allowed me to create a special place in their life. What an honor.

You can see the '52 Chevy Truck and learn more about that commission by following this link.

If you're interested in a portrait commission I can do these in a variety of styles. Samples of portraits I've done using different approaches can be seen here.

To read about my commission process take a look at this commission blog.

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her twice-monthly email. April segments her newsletter so you can select topics you'd like to hear about when you sign up. For those who Select the General Interest topic you will receive emails about twice-monthly. If you are only interested in classes, then the emails will be much less frequent discussing upcoming classes and how to register. Select as many topics as sound of interest. Thank you for your support of April M Rimpo Art. Oh, and please be sure to click on the link in a second email to verify your interest in joining my newsletter. Without the verification you will be left in a limbo state where you will not receive my emails and I can't complete the verification on your behalf. If you receive a response that you are already subscribed, email me to confirm and I can send you a different link to update your profile and get the verification email resent to you.

Contact April and see more of her art on her website  

Copyright April M Rimpo All Rights Reserved. You may share my work with attribution and a link to this source site, but all other uses are prohibited.

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'52 Chevy Truck Commission

 

"Wall of Wheels" with April Rimpo's Paintings

 I'm delighted to have three of my paintings hanging in this beautiful home in Arizona. These three paintings were collected starting in 2012 with the center painting titled Department Store. Cycles came along second and the latest addition is '52 Chevy Truck, a commission of their truck resurrected from old family photos.

"Wall of Wheels" in situ

The set is displayed in their dining room which is visible from the front door due to the open floor plan of their beautiful Arizona home. I love that they decided to name their display The Wall of Wheels.  

The new '52 Chevrolet Truck painting started when these friends asked if I would be interested in painting the old family truck. They had been inspired when they saw an image of my painting More Beautiful with Age, which is shown below.

Since I really love painting old rusted cars I thought this project would be right up my alley so I asked them to provide some images of the truck. I received several photos of the truck plus an image of the family brand for me to add to the truck. 

I like to create "sketches" by modifying the images in Photoshop® to create a plan for the painting. It also helps with communications when the client does not live near me, as was the case here.  

There were some features of the truck that were not quite as clear as I like when I am painting, so I searched for 1952 Chevrolet trucks on the Internet. I used the images I found to get a clearer image of the Chevrolet logo on the side, to see the headlights (since they were broken in the family's photos), and to research the mirror which was lying on the hood. I also located a 1952 Chevrolet Truck color chart and asked which was the original color and whether they would like a bit of that color added back into the painting. 

All this research resulted in a few more discussions and images from the family of the truck with the mirror in its upright position and other views that better showed the front grill. I created a sketch with the mirror in place, but the family felt it was distracting and I agreed. Additional adjustments were made to the surroundings; for example, one less silo and the removal of some farming equipment that they thought might also be distracting.

Wyoming license plates were the last thing I researched to see some of the details. Although I found the version of license plate shown in their photos, I also found a 1952 vintage Wyoming truck plate. I shared my discovery and the family liked the idea of using the vintage plate. So I integrated this longer and narrower plate on the truck using Photoshop to position it properly on the grill and change the numbers to match those in the original photograph. With these revisions the family was happy and I was authorized to proceed. 

More Beautiful with Age by April M Rimpo

With a completed design I could then relax and enjoy the painting. I did add back into the truck some of the original Cherry Red paint which really helped make the image pop. This commission was a real joy to create and I'm happy to report their reaction to the delivered painting could not have made me happier. And here's what they said about the commission process, "You made this process so easy for us and we knew we could trust you with the details. Perfect is the word that describes the whole process."

Contact April and see more of her art on her website  

Interested in learning more about April's art inspirations, tips about her painting process, or art business tidbits? Want to know when her art is in exhibits? Consider joining her friends and collectors by signing up for her bi-weekly email.

Having fun with portraits

A couple years ago I decided to do a book of family portraits as a surprise gift for my mother.  Since these were for my family I thought I should experiment with a variety of styles to help me learn and also to keep the project fun and exciting.  There is nothing like trying a new technique to keep you work fresh and challenging.  Many of these were based on black and white photos taken in the 40s and 50s.  In some ways that gave me to opportunity to play with color since there was no bias introduced by the photographs themselves.  

Here are some examples and a little bit about each approach and why I selected the style for each painting.  When doing commissions of portraits the customer and I discuss the color scheme to ensure I understand their goals.  These samples are to help with that discussion. Some of these are commissioned work.


We have all seen the ads from the '40s of the woman holding a coffee cup and of Rosie the Riveter.  These ads used bold colors, bright yellow backgrounds, and a graphic style.  This painting gave a nod to that style, where I simplified shapes using contours and exaggerated colors.  I didn't want the stark yellow background used in many of those ads, so I muted the yellow slightly and sprayed it with water to create spots and soft areas to contrast with the figure.






This painting was based on a photograph of my son when he was drawing.  Most of his drawings are line drawings in graphite, which he then scans and augments on the computer.  I wanted to bring in the feel of his line drawings, so I used watercolor pencil to add outlines to his features and to create his beard.  See the closeup at right to better see the approach.

Capturing the love between mother and daughters drove me to use warm colors in the background to wrapped this touching moment with the emotions they shared.









Since this painting was of my brother and I as children, I wanted a soft painting that portrayed young innocence. Using soft colors for our clothing and the shadows on the birch trees kept the painting light while the dark bark and grass at the base helped force the view back up into the center.  My brother always protected his little sister so his pose with his arm up, although likely unplanned, made me feel like he was providing a shield.  I strengthened the color in his arm to keep that gesture from being lost in the background.



When on vacation in Deep Creek, the innkeeper where we were staying asked whether I ever painted in sepia.  I couldn't recall if I ever had, but thought that would be a wonderful way to paint one of these portraits since sepia toned photographs were common in the era of some of the source photos.  I started this painting using a grisaille approach, using shades of gray, to capture shapes, their hair, and the patterns in their clothing.  Then I added pale washes of burnt orange reminiscent of old sepia tone photographs.

Similar to the approach used for the portrait of my son above, I used line-work in this painting.  However in this painting I used charcoal, instead of watercolor pencil, to achieve heavier lines.  I had used a bright background that I didn't want to become the focus of the painting and I felt the heavy lines added interest and kept the focus on the boys.








This painting is called Speed.  My brother was so happy in his new sports car that I wanted to paint it as though he was streaming down the road.  I abstracted some of the shapes of the interior of the car to keep the focus on my brother, then intentionally blurred the background as though the foliage along the side of the road was out of focus as he flew by.  I incorporated some of the red from the car in the background and formed it into flames to help emphasize a sense of speed.

Some portraits are more about the inner story of a person, capturing a bit of their spirit or perhaps something they love.  This piece was focused on the spirit of this person. The additional of graphic elements is something we could discuss if you are interested in this type of portrait.

I think it is important when doing portraits to include notes about the person or the times to create an interesting story and help communicate a bit about the person.  I think choosing the approach to the painting ended up being an important part of telling each story in a unique way.  The same is true when telling stories about places and things and hope my art succeeds to convey a place and time.

Let me know which of these paintings spoke most to you and why.  I'd love to hear whether the approach I used conveyed a bit of the story before you read my explanation.

You can read more about commissioning a painting here.

Contact April and see more of her art on her website.

© Commissioned paintings, like all of my other artwork, is an original design, concept, and creation of the artist, April M. Rimpo. The copyright is owned solely by the artist for the protection of her original work. Although you have purchased this painting for your pleasure, the right to reproduce or copy in any form is reserved solely for the artist and is forbidden by law. You may share my work with attribution to April M. Rimpo and a link to www.amrart.org, but all other uses are prohibited. Thank you for honoring this protection of creative work.

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her weekly email. April segments her newsletter so you can select topics you'd like to hear about when you sign up. For those who Select the General Interest topic you will receive emails about twice-monthly. If you are only interested in classes, then the emails will be much less frequent discussing upcoming classes and how to register. Select as many topics as sound of interest. Thank you for your support of April M Rimpo Art. Oh, and please be sure to click on the link in a second email to verify your interest in joining my newsletter. Without the verification you will be left in a limbo state where you will not receive my emails and I can't complete the verification on your behalf. If you receive a response that you are already subscribed, email me to confirm and I can send you a different link to update your profile and get the verification email resent to you.

Copyright April M Rimpo All Rights Reserved. You may share my work with attribution and a link to this source site, but all other uses are prohibited.

Commissions

Here is an explanation of my commission process. The description was developed when a family commissioned a painting of their favorite vacation spot.  It was a wonderful experience that I wanted to share.  The person making the request knew my work and wanted me to remain true to my muse. Commissioned work can truly be a joy when the customer understands how important an artist's style is to the success of the painting.  In fact if you are an artist my suggestion is to turn down a commission if the customer is not willing to let you incorporate your artist voice. Fortunately, I use several styles in my art, so it is unlikely that we can't find a style you like. Here is how commissions work best.

The buyer described to me the topic of the painting, suggested this was like some of my city scenes, and asked if I would be interested.  Her plan was to give the painting to her husband as a birthday gift. Here is the process we followed with a very successful result. (Since some places are very sensitive to their copyright I have not included an image of the entire painting, but only a few portions that I wanted to discuss.)

1. We spent a little time discussing what about the place her husband loved so much.  This helps me understand the focal point of the painting, what is important to them and where I can take some liberties.  She knows her husband well and warned me not to exaggerate the size of the focal point because he would notice that deviation from reality.
2. I told her I was interested in working with her on the commission and asked her to send me several photographs they had taken of the scene she described.  My first step is to create a "sketch" of the painting and provide it to her along with a quote with the value of the painting for approval.
3. I also asked her to answer three questions for me: a) which of my paintings she likes the best, b) what colors she associates with this place, and c) what is it about my work that draws her to it.  The purpose of these questions is to find out what about my style of painting she likes since I do use different approaches to capture different things.  I want to make sure I use the approach she enjoys the most.  The question about colors is to ensure I select a color scheme that is consistent with her impression of this spot and not necessarily in the photos.



Incorporating the family

4. She decided none of her photos really captured what she has in mind, but they were planning a trip there in a month so she would send me some shots after their return.  She discussed the project with her daughters and one asked if I could capture their family in the painting.  The intent was not detailed portraits but figures that represented the family in shape and size; so I agreed that was a nice addition since the location needs figures to make it believable anyway.  I gave her an estimate of the approximate value of the painting, but told her I needed to work up the design before I gave her a firm quote.
5. Upon return from their vacation she sent a dozen photographs that included a couple views down the main street, some closeups of the focal point, and some family photos to give me relative sizes of people. Since not all ten people were in a single photograph she gave me the heights of some of the people to allow me to understand relative sizes between different photos. She was the perfect customer knowing I needed this information to relate the pictures; I didn't even have to ask.  Yeah!
6. I use Photoshop® to compile various photos to create a composition.  Given the focal point, which is at the end of the street, I adjusted the perspective to help me emphasize this distant spot without distorting its size.  I inserted the family into the scene and I shifted colors to make it in the right direction for the colors she had suggested.  I use additional Photoshop filters to help me get a look to the scene that is similar to what I do when I paint.  The result is the digital "sketch" I sent to her for review along with the value of the painting, a schedule for completion, and a confirmation of how it will ship. 
7. Upon her approval she provided a 50% non-refundable down-payment and I started the painting.
8. Upon completion I had the painting scanned because she plans to get at least one print and I emailed her an image of the completed painting.  She sent the balance due and I shipped the painting along with framing instructions; she had decided to frame the painting herself.
9. Upon receipt I received a wonderful email about how much she loved the painting. I too had loved how it came out so I was delighted with her response.  The wait for his birthday to come around and hear what he thought felt endless.

The big day finally came and emails from her and her husband arrived shortly thereafter.  He loves it and has proceeded to show it to many friends and family.  Imagine how I felt when I got this response, 

"WOW! That painting is fantastic! I love it! It really captures the feel of (the location). And, I knew right away who the people were once I saw them! At first I thought it was a purchased picture until I saw the family, though I'd never seen one like it before. A wonderful surprise!"

At right is another segment of the painting that shows the selected color scheme of pinks and blues with some high contrast areas. This is about one third of the painting.

I forgot to mention this whole process was done by email since we live a few thousand miles from each other.  I think communication was key to our success.  By the end of the project I really wanted to keep in touch and grow our friendship.

You can read the customer's perspective on the commission check out her blog and enjoy the comments from her family about the painting. The husbands enthusiasm over the painting has resulted in further commissions for me.

I also do portraits of people. Learn more about portraits here.

If you are interested in commissioning a piece contact April and see more of her art on her website.

Photoshop is registered Trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

© Commissioned paintings, like all of my other artwork, is an original design, concept, and creation of the artist, April M. Rimpo. The copyright is owned solely by the artist for the protection of her original work. Although you have purchased this painting for your pleasure, the right to reproduce or copy in any form is reserved solely for the artist and is forbidden by law. You may share my work with attribution to April M. Rimpo and a link to www.amrart.org, but all other uses are prohibited. Thank you for honoring this protection of creative work.

Interested in April's artwork or taking one of her classes? Consider becoming a Studio Friend by signing up for her twice-monthly email. April segments her newsletter so you can select topics you'd like to hear about when you sign up. For those who Select the General Interest topic you will receive emails about twice-monthly. If you are only interested in classes, then the emails will be much less frequent discussing upcoming classes and how to register. Select as many topics as sound of interest. Thank you for your support of April M Rimpo Art. Oh, and please be sure to click on the link in a second email to verify your interest in joining my newsletter. Without the verification you will be left in a limbo state where you will not receive my emails and I can't complete the verification on your behalf. If you receive a response that you are already subscribed, email me to confirm and I can send you a different link to update your profile and get the verification email resent to you.

Interested in my other blog posts regarding the business of art?  You might want to check these.

• Planning for a solo exhibit
• Some basic things to know about watercolor
• A favorite color scheme demonstrated in His Dugout
• How to protect your art during shipping
• Color schemes
• Self-critique