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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To refuse to pay for this commission?

328 replies

MikStone · 19/01/2024 08:28

My Sister is an artist and I asked her to paint a portrait of my dog.

Background - she started putting huge signatures across her work in red paint - So many people have told her that the signatures are OTT and distracting and actually ruin the painting - people on Facebook, people in her art group, family members … past customers have asked her not to do it on their portraits but she always does. One person argued with her that the portrait was amazing but was ruined by the signature, they wanted some money knocked off because of it. I asked her “why do you keep doing that when so many people have told you it ruins the pictures??” And she says “it doesn’t ruin them, that’s my style and most people like it” no they don’t!!

anyway when I asked her to do mine I was actually looking around for someone else to do it and when she asked why I hadn’t asked her I told her I don’t like the huge signatures she does. She laughed and said “I don’t have to do the signature!”

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

Weeks later, I’m getting a bit impatient as I really wanted it weeks ago and had I gone to someone else it would have been done by now. She sent me an update on it last week and it was looking amazing, I was so excited about it.

Last night she sent me the finished work - massive red signature across it. I replied saying “why have you ruined it with that stupid signature?! I can’t accept it like that”. She replied saying the signature was a lot smaller than she normally does them and she’s spent weeks on it and needs paying. I don’t want it :-( The agreement was so daft signature, she went against that. WIBU to not accept it?

OP posts:
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Snowydaysfaraway · 19/01/2024 10:30

Is your dsis a diva in other ways op?

cujo · 19/01/2024 10:34

i would probably take a different tactic. I'd pay her but tell her you don't actually want to the painting and she can keep it. That its not what you agreed to and wont enjoy having it with the signature on it in your house. but if she can paint over it you'd really appreciate it and would be delighted to take it...

imo this gets the point across, without too much conflict that could blow up your family.

AlltheFs · 19/01/2024 10:36

She’s a dickhead, don’t pay.

sockmuncher · 19/01/2024 10:36

cujo · 19/01/2024 10:34

i would probably take a different tactic. I'd pay her but tell her you don't actually want to the painting and she can keep it. That its not what you agreed to and wont enjoy having it with the signature on it in your house. but if she can paint over it you'd really appreciate it and would be delighted to take it...

imo this gets the point across, without too much conflict that could blow up your family.

Why on earth would OP pay out £200 to prove a point?

Snowydaysfaraway · 19/01/2024 10:39

She sounds like a petulant toddler...

AutumnFroglets · 19/01/2024 10:41

is she putting her signature over the actual painted part like a watermark, or just making it a large part of the painting like the one I've attached? If its the latter she could easily paint over it or you could get a large border for the frame. But either way, no dont pay. She needs to figure out how to do agreed commissions properly.

To refuse to pay for this commission?
cujo · 19/01/2024 10:42

I guess it’s a choice, but I’d rather do this than risk losing a sister personally

sometimes you don’t have to be confrontational and reactive but you can get your opinion ‘heard’

im assuming that money isn’t a huge issue btw, since 200 is a lot to pay for a nice to have picture

RadiatorHead · 19/01/2024 10:43

Don’t accept it. I once made the mistake of accepting a god awful picture of me and DH that my sister’s friend did of us. I looked like an alien and he looked like he’d had a stroke. It cost us £300 and I never spoke to her again as I was so fuming. Nowadays, I would have pulled up my big girl pants and just told her it wasn’t acceptable. It literally went to the tip.

Snowydaysfaraway · 19/01/2024 10:46

Op's dsis isn't bothered about causing relationship issues so why should op be?
Betting dsis is used to getting her own way.

Grimchmas · 19/01/2024 10:46

If it's a simple misunderstanding she will be happy to paint over it. You could always suggest she signs it on the back.

If it's more about her ego than giving you a painting that you love, stand firm and don't pay. You'll be doing her future clients a massive favour and she needs to learn the lesson - if you're being commissioned for something, you must produce something the client is happy with. If a big red signature is her SiGnAtUrE sTyLe and a non-negotiable, then she needs to contract that clearly with anybody who is commissioning her.

NotQuiteNorma · 19/01/2024 10:48

MikStone · 19/01/2024 08:35

Honestly the first thing you see when you look at any of her paintings is the signature. The subject matter is lost behind it. My mum has one of her paintings on the wall and the signature hits you as soon as you walk in the room.

Ok, photos or it didn't happen.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 19/01/2024 10:51

I think I might start my own business using my considerable entirely non-existent carpentry skills to make beautiful bespoke wardrobes, chests and other furniture - and then take a huge lumberjack's axe to every one just before the customer collects it, with my unmistakeable 'signature' proudly adorning it!

Homesweethome23 · 19/01/2024 10:53

Is this her job full time? If so by not listening to her customers she will quickly stop getting any orders.

Jaegerbum · 19/01/2024 10:53

How big an ego would you have to have before you made your NAME IN MASSIVE RED LETTERS the main feature of your art?

Even though people are literally telling you they don't want it?

Erdinger · 19/01/2024 10:53

She sounds like a nightmare

CharlotteMakepeace · 19/01/2024 10:54

Don't pay.

You specified no big signature. She hasn't fulfilled your expectation.

MrsMarzetti · 19/01/2024 10:55

The item is not what you commissioned therefore you don't pay.

Jaegerbum · 19/01/2024 10:58

I mean, that's not actually a picture of your dog. It's a picture of her ego.

DeeLusional · 19/01/2024 10:59

MikStone · 19/01/2024 08:33

Nothing in writing. £200 to pay.

I’ll ask if she can paint over the signature.

That would be the best solution (as long as it's oils or acrylics ... watercolour, not so much), because if you just don't pay her, in 20 years you'll be posting on MN "My sister hasn't spoken to me for 20 years".

diddl · 19/01/2024 11:01

past customers have asked her not to do it on their portraits but she always does

I wonder why you thought that she would respect your wishes when she hasn't theirs?

Do they all end up paying?

Onthebusallday · 19/01/2024 11:02

What an egotistical person she must be.

If she refuses to paint over the signature, I wonder if she will accept , say, £150 and you can use the money to have someone professionally paint over the signature?

In fact, sod that, just tell her she hasn't stuck to the verbal agreement and that you aren't paying until SHE paints over her signature.

DeeLusional · 19/01/2024 11:02

pelargoniums · 19/01/2024 09:49

I didn’t know I needed to see a terrible dog painting with a massive red signature on it, but now I know one exists I simply cannot rest until I do.

LOL

CatPancake · 19/01/2024 11:02

Pay her, take a high quality photograph of it and pay someone to photoshop out her signature. Hang the print up on your wall.

She will be VERY confused!

TempleOfBloom · 19/01/2024 11:04

I would tell her you love the painting and will pay once she paints over the signature as per the agreement when you commissioned her.

bombardelli · 19/01/2024 11:04

MikStone · 19/01/2024 08:35

Honestly the first thing you see when you look at any of her paintings is the signature. The subject matter is lost behind it. My mum has one of her paintings on the wall and the signature hits you as soon as you walk in the room.

Sounds like that's what she wants. She's running before she walks, unless she's Frida Pinto reincarnated.