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?

If you ask for honest feedback and then get it, it seems silly to criticise someone who knows what they're talking about because they didn't say it in a way you like. I'm sure the poster wouldn't have phrased it so bluntly if she was talking to your daughter as one of her students.

FWIW, my opinion is that the painting looks like a sweet attempt by a young person that as family you should be proud of, but not anything that I'd want to pay for.

I think she's done a great job there and why not give selling a shot? If my FB friend manages to sell her poorly sewn felt tat on Etsy then I'm sure someone with actual talent would do alright 😅

I, like others, felt her tone was off for someone who has such a responsibility as teaching and nurturing art students.

I know my daughter has thick skin and I have given thanks many times on this thread for all the feed back as I know she will find helpful however not every child has and many would be crushed to be spoken to like she apparently does to her students.

I agree with a PP who cautions against taking the joy out of her hobby by turning it into business before, IMO, she's really up to a standard to make it worth her while. I would suggest working on her skills for enjoyment first.

She's absolutely got potential, and I love how encouraging you are, but nurture her love of art in the first instance, not making a couple of quid. @ArseInTheCoOpWindow sounds a good art teacher to me! Plenty of targeted, constructive criticism is helpful!

I would love it if your DD would paint my dog. He is black...but I don't mind if she uses black paint!

I am sure she would have lots of lovely mumsnetters interested too.

I agree though that painting as a hobby is far more rewarding at this stage.

It is lovely but she is only at amateur level at this stage so unlikely to sell to anyone other than friends and family who won't be willing to pay a high price.

To clarify a few points DD does already have a part time job, she works in the local tea room and is also VERY keen to sell her work for extra practice and pocket money,

Extra practice is a lovely idea, but selling your art as commissions isn't just extra practice. Like others have said, buyers expect a certain result, even if they've paid a pittance. There will be constant revisions, and if the horse took her 6 hours a single commission could easily be 10 or more horus of work.

As lovely as it is, I really wouldn't recommend ruining a nice hobby. Keep encouraging her and let her draw what she wants when she wants without the pressure of selling and making money from it.

This is the standard that people will want to purchase

www.sarahspetportraits.co.uk/portfolio/horse-portraits/

Oh I am confused
' DD painted from a picture and that’s what friends horse was wearing in it. '

so this is not a drawing of a horse's head done by your daughter ?
but a copy of someone else's drawing / painting / photo of a horse's head ?

www.pet-portraitartist.com/horse-painting-oils.htm

While I would be delighted to get something like that from my DD I wouldnt pay for it - sorry

It's nice, but not really to the standard to sell. Be a proud parent and have her artwork on display in your house, she could paint as gifts to friends and family, which I would love as a recipient.

There's no harm in trying. I don't think it's quite there as a professional saleable portrait, but it's still good. The pet portraits thing could be quite a good idea. But she needs to charge for her time, she can't spend 4 hours on something, plus materials, for £15. She'll also spend time promoting her work online, on social, at events, fairs etc.

She is definitely a talented artist. I think getting the likeness is a more important consideration than how expertly it's painted. I would suggest that she keeps on practising with real subjects (or photos) for a while.

Well I think it's honestly amazing!! She's very talented!

I love the portrait. I would consider commissioning a portrait of my 2 hounds!

Thats how pet portraits work, yes. You don’t get commissioned to draw Generic Wonky Half-Blind Terrier, you get commissioned to draw Ruffles in whatever angle Ruffle’s proud owner wants. And so you need the image of Ruffles to work from.

Conversely I don’t like this at all, I find it quite oppressive and dark and wouldn’t buy it.

I'd imagine it's pretty usual to paint animals from photos rather than life. Probably more than one photo in combination to get the best idea of proportions, coat colour, features, character, form etc and develop a likeness. How else do you get dobbin to hold a pose for hours on end?

Wow, that's fantastic ! To me she looks super talented .

I would say ‘not quite yet’. She has a good sense of proportion and a talent.

Having said that, I live in a very arty area in the south west and am constantly surprised by the ‘art’ that is put up for sale - some of it is really poor quality.

Sorry to clarify, it’s a painting of a photograph (picture probably was confusing) nabbed from said friends FB page