To refuse to pay for this commission?

OP I think you have a special talent for art yourself :)

The signature would drive me nuts and totally ruin the painting, and I wouldn't pay.

😆 I'd like a tabby cat @MikStone I can pay you in good vibes, blessings, internet hugs (((HUGS))) and air kisses. 😘 Thank you!

Can I have one of my gerbil??

Fab thread. The original artist is ridiculous, you OP are fabulous!

How big is it exactly, can you share a photo?

Edit: forget it, saw op’s updates. 😂

Here's one I did earlier!
I hope your sister comes to realise that she is being silly, OP - and also shooting herself in the foot!

Do you have any of your original messages with her? Any that say she won’t include the signature? If so then I would send them to her and explain that you won’t be accepting the painting as she agreed not to do the signature.
I do personalised pet paintings and only put watermarks on my artwork when putting for sale online so no one tries to steal or copy my work. When I provide the artwork I feel like I make my signature as inconspicuous as possible as to not impact the painting.
She clearly likes her style even when her customers have complained. I hope she declares that she puts her signature across the actual painting as I too would
be disappointed if I spent that much money on a painting to then be partly destroyed.

OP, I'm an artist, I used to do paintings of people's pets if they asked me (it is not my preferred thing to do and my heart falls every time someone asked me).

However, I also have a sister and I know how the relationships can be needed to kept afloat which needs to be considered. You only get one sister (or two, three, four, five etc depending but you know what I mean).

Sounds to me like your sister is a frustrated 'tagger' / graffiti artist and in this regard I recommend she take up spraycan work on the streets!

It is NOT reasonable to want to put your signature writ large across someone's commissioned piece. If she's making her own work for herself then it's nobody's business but she'd be wise to listen to feedback. Personally, I loathe signatures on work. If she must, then suggest to her to look at the work of someone like Renoir and see how subtly he included his signature.

Is her hope that other people will notice the painting and then commission her? In which case she should put a 'certificate of authenticity' together with her details on the rear of her paintings and make some little cards, either business cards or postcards and give a few to everyone who she does a painting for. That way, you can reassure her that if anyone admires your painting, you will give them her card and recommend her.

@MikStone

Have you told your sister? How has she responded?

She's ruined her own artwork. Why bother painting anything behind it? She should just sign her signature on the canvas and sell that.

OP, as a third party this looks to me as if your sister enveigled you into going with her under false pretences, drew you in with preview pictures of the work which you loved, then scrawled a giant "fuck off" signature across it as a final huzzah.

On reflection, would you say that's of a piece with her usual behaviour? I know what my money's on.

YANBU.

Big signature = big inflated ego.

i would just say that’s not what you asked for if you cannot frame it to hide the signature and refuse to accept it or any replacement.

I need to see the actual painting, based on the fact that it’s advertising for your sister anyway. If people like it, it might bring her more business.

But no, I’d you commission a piece of art, and the artist ignores your specifications, no matter what they are, then you are not obliged to pay for it.

If the signature forms part of her artwork then I find it strange people commision her and then request a change in style. Find an artist with a style you do like then!

However, in this instance as it was agreed to not do and then do it anyway YANBU.

Could you half shred the bottom and call it a banksy?

They are amazing!!!

If you don't like it don't have it and certainly don't pay her, she was very much aware thar you didn't want her signature on it..she has not done the artwork you asked for and has therefore negated any agreement you had, spend your money on something that you actually want. If more people actually refused to take stuff they didn't want she might actually listen

Tell her from me it looks fucking ridiculous and I wouldn't pay for it.

@ZorbaTheHoarder TONY! Love it!

I just came here to say I love your art OP, the daschund is awesome 😂❤

This please pretty please

"So I agreed for her to do it as long as she doesn’t put a massive signature on it."

It doesn't really matter, in this instance, that there's nothing in writing. Is she really going to deny that you told her 'no signature'? Really?

It's a power play on her part. 'I want to do this, you don't want me to do this, fuck you I've done it, I am more important than you.'

Even if it was a beautiful portait (as you say it is) I would be telling her to stuff it. In a 'You knew I didn't want it, you did it anyway as a 'Fuck You', so fuck you back, you can swivel for the money' kind of way.

Commission another artist and spend the money with them. That will really fuck her off.

How does she get any work at all?!

Verbal contracts do exist.

Indeed they do.

Don't accept it, don't pay, let her sue you if she wants to.

She has no written proof that the contract was what she now insists, and she has broken the verbal contract which did actually exist.

So I can't see that she has a leg to stand on.