Is DD’s art work good enough to sell.

[themotherhoodproject]

NC for this as a regular user of MN and this is fairly outing but looking for peoples unbiased opinions.

DD is an A level Art student, it’s actually not where her love lies she is hoping to apply for BIMM’s university In Bristol to peruse music and she also does performing arts.

However she is very talented in her painting and blows me away weekly with her work, we have had a few extra special things from her (some of you might remember the snowman Christmas card, it seemed very popular) and lots of people on here saying that they would buy if able too.

Another few months have gone by and we just had another cracker of a card from her (a thank you card for a friend) and well I just think it’s wonderful and have said she should really think about taking on commissions.

We live in a very rural area so lots of horse and dog lovers and I honestly think she could make a bit of pocket money to put away for uni life or fritter away on gigs noodles and vinyl

Can I ask what people think, she is only a year into A level art and will have lots more of technique to learn but maybe £15 a painting she might have some takers?

The technical side is good. And for a painting of that standard I would happily pay £15/£20 or more depending on subject.
However, the proportions of the horses head and neck are not quite right. Ears are small, mouth is too high, browband is too high, headpiece doesn't go round the poll, looks to tuck in behind ear. These things are wrong and would grate on me so I wouldn't buy or display a picture of my horse with those errors although it may not bother other pet owners.
The previous linked paintings of horses that you didn't like are anatomically correct, that's why horse owners like them.
To me there is no value in a well painted portrait that isn't anatomically correct.
If you are targeting pet portraits you need to really know your subject to make it realistic and lifelike.

will you manage getting the commissions, payments, dealing with customers where the picture is not quite what they wanted.

Your daughter should be concentrating on her a levels rather than worrying about working 6 hours to earn £15.

The Xmas card is very different and much better! Although a bit dark for a festive celebration, (looks a little stormy or looming) I like the style. Looking at the horse again, the face is better than the neck, which looks u finished and an afterthought.
I think she should focus on designing cards, as these are easy to sell and post.

Tbh the way I think of it is she is going to be painting etc anyway, she might as well earn a little off it! To get to the point where she can charge properly (and no doubt she will, all she is missing is the technique which is gained through experience) she will have to practice anyway!
Where is she thinking of trying to sell? Is she doing Etsy?

And I completely agree with this. What happened to enterprising kids doing a bit of whatever for some pocket money?!? I used to spend all day mucking out stables so I could ride for half an hour, I should've got a job! 😂 and let's not think about £14 for a two hour paper round!!

And I completely agree with this. What happened to enterprising kids doing a bit of whatever for some pocket money?!? I used to spend all day mucking out stables so I could ride for half an hour, I should've got a job! 😂 and let's not think about £14 for a two hour paper round!!

It's great she's doing this OP.

Your daughter should be concentrating on her a levels rather than worrying about working 6 hours to earn £15.

I don't think she's worrying. Where did you get that? @lostoldname I think OP said shes really happy to get some commissions. It's extremely enterprising, no?

Some of the posts on here are incredible.

It looks like what it is, a nice picture by an A-level art student.

Animal portraiture is an incredibly crowded market with vast numbers of people doing them for rates that don't cover costs plus minimum wage. I wouldn't encourage someone to try and break in.

Don't push her into making her art a business. If she wants to then it is her choice. I would let her enjoy her art doing things as and when she wants to rather than for deadlines and to specification.

I thought @lostoldname's point about worrying was referring to the business side of taking commissions and dealing with demanding customers.

will you manage getting the commissions, payments, dealing with customers where the picture is not quite what they wanted.

If OP's DD is having to deal with all of the above, then it could be quite a stressful experience.

Right so practicing her sketching, improving her technique and working on her brush work isn’t concentrating on her art A level because…

Also who is worrying?

Just spotted that it took six hours, she can't sell for £15 if it took her 6 hours! That's awful! Why would you encourage her to undersell her time like that!?

If she can't sell it for £70 plus (minimum wage for 6 hours is £68.40 and she needs to cover her materials too) then she would be better off getting a job in a shop/restaurant.

She does want to and as of this morning has 7 orders…

thanks though.

OMG RTFT

She does have a part time waitressing job.

This is just a bit of pocket money to run alongside while working on her technique, building up a portfolio doing something she enjoys!!!

If OP's DD is having to deal with all of the above, then it could be quite a stressful experience.

Dear god. It could also be a great experience.

"School girl makes a bit of side money painting card size pics of local pets."

Well done her. Why on earth is MN so negative? She's got 7 commissions so far.

I'm pleased she has some orders, but that's a huge time commitment. It's great she's getting time to practice but aren't you worried it's a bit too much? Going from the occasional picture for a friend or family member, to having 7 paid for commissions to complete at the same time as studying is going to be incredibly difficult.

No I’m not worried, they are all from extensions of friends and family, they know DD and wish her well, they wouldn’t put pressure on her time wise as would I….

Believe it or not I’m quite a capable and good parent!

You don't breach another artist or photographer's copyright to do it. You take your own photographs or buy the right to use them.

I can’t draw for toffee, so that looks highly accomplished to me.
I’d second the ‘pet portraits’ idea, though, if she felt inclined. A friend paid around £400 for a painting of his beloved Flatcoat retriever, and it was all wrong - the head was too small for the body! He paid up, though.
I’m sure your dd could do infinitely better!

As a kid I drew or painted in every spare second I had. I loved it, and still do. Going by this image, your daughter is of a higher standard than I was at that age.

It paid off - I later got into art school, which led to a successful media career.

This post makes my point down thread. This is a market for pet facsimiles not for art. If she doesn't mind that, and the goal is to make a few quid, then go DD. But let's not pretend this is going to build a portfolio of anything other than pet facsimiles.

Apologies if you thought my comment was a slight on your parenting, I didn't mean to cause any offence.

When you said she had 7 commissions, I assumed she had started an Etsy account or advertised online, and these were strangers, rather than people you knew. I was just concerned 7 commissions at the same time was too many, especially when juggling school work as well.

If they're happy to wait then that's great.

I've been following the thread and looked at the links to professional artists. Inarguably their level of technical skill is much greater (as it should be) but I find something very appealing about the OPs daughters. The vibrant colour of the ear shield is unusual in an animal portrait and I think elevates the picture beyond "nice".

There's been some good advice given about maximising profit with cards and prints etc but I really think some posters have missed the point about making a bit of extra cash and are advising how she can become the next George Stubbs while simultaneously saying she isn't talented enough to sell her work.

This post makes my point down thread. This is a market for pet facsimiles not for art. If she doesn't mind that, and the goal is to make a few quid, then go DD. But let's not pretend this is going to build a portfolio of anything other than pet facsimiles.

Heaven forbid she thinks she's an actual artist.

This thread. 🤦‍♀️ 🤣

I really think some posters have missed the point about making a bit of extra cash and are advising how she can become the next George Stubbs while simultaneously saying she isn't talented enough to sell her work.

This

You have misunderstood. My point is the exact opposite of this; in the face of all these challenges about DDs skills, I am saying that that producing pet facsimiles doesn't really draw on her artistic sensibilities (and won't help with a portfolio of anything other than pet portraits). If she's up for spending her leisure time doing it, that's great. But let's separate that from her artistic potential which has zero to do with reproducing the exact length of Dobbin's nose or whatever else people are picking away at.