Who is right? 52 yr old v 16 yr old daughter

[Jazjoke]

Can you lovely people help?

My 16 yr old daughter has recently finished her gcse's and loves art as well as being academic

She draws in a modern style and is interested in gender neutral, same sex, modern styles/ tattoos

I have suggested that she set up an Etsy shop having some of her art printed on greeting cards as there seems to be a real gap in the market

She has a lack of belief anybody would purchase

I have merged some quick snaps taken on phone ( so not best quality) so you can see

A quick opinion would be much appreciated

I would love her to follow her dreams, but if I am way off happy to be told and will direct her to more traditional sat job ( she will be doing Alevels in Sept)

Any opinions welcome - thanks

I also think she's very talented i like thr two faces together and rhe girl kissing the boy.

I'm not sure I'd buy it on a card, but I'd consider buying it and framing. So sell as prints.

I'd pick a theme though, love hurts or something. Have pictures of kissing, hugging, but like she has there, serious faces. She could be onto something.

She's very talented.

I probably wouldn't buy these on Etsy -- it's just not something I do, and I suspect there's a somewhat limited market for original art. But if I saw them in a magazine or book, I'd be very impressed. Or postcards / greeting cards at an art fair or convention?

You have all been so encouraging and your advice is much more informed than my limited Mum advice
So many avenues for her to think about
Fully appreciate the point about being 16 / confidence - she would be the first to say this
I didn't share initially she has complex medical issues which limit the type of active work she could do. Tonight she is a little flat as can see peers working long hrs in shops/ cafes etc- something she is not able to do, hence my comment about her art and she replied she wasn't good enough/ nobody would be interested.
So I posted for all honest opinions - all welcome and you have been most helpful

I agree she has talent.
I also agree she should continue studying Art and concentrate on that.

It’s very average and I doubt anyone would pay for it.

Excellent pictures, I like them as they are but I don't think she has fully found her style yet. I think she could sell as they are but would recommend further study as in my opinion she has a lot of talent.

She will be doing Alevels - this was instead of a part time job with some volunteering too

I also think she is great and has a real talent. She can develop it doing a-level art. I think that selling online is a bit hit and miss but maybe local restaurants or cafes might be prepared to hang some of her paintings so that they get more exposure. Also, she might like to do some form of intensive course or weekend course to develop more confidence in the future.

Even if it doesn't provide her with much of an income, she should continue doing it, definitely.

She is predicted a 8/9 at gcse and is hoping to do A levels in Art, Graphics, engineering and Politics

With that set of A levels I doubt she would have time to produce enough work to sell. A level art is SO time consuming.

As others have said, she might get £2 for a card and if you work out time / per hour ate it's not worth it.

It might be better to offer portraits if she is any good at that but TBH there are loads and loads of kids who are good at art but making a living at it is different altogether.

The poster talking about GCSEs was just being spiteful. Ignore her.

Thanks.

I see a lot of GCSE art! I also see a lot of foundation, graduate and post grad art. This is GCSE level. She will improve but at the moment it is GCSE art level.

She dose have talent but I don't think this format would sell. It's not at the level I would want on my wall all though I'm sure in time that would change.

And it's not a design I can see a market for in cards. I don't see an occasion I would pick to send them for.

My worry would be putting them out there too soon would further knock her confidence. Personally I would advice her to take time carry on perfecting her style and maybe research similar ventures to find out priceing what format sells best ect.

Its better than average I think, its very easy on the eye and I like them but I wouldnt buy those images because its not my thing. Its very teen.
Your daughter should do what she wants to so in life.

Her art is really good, maybe she should expand her work, to include other features, as not everybody likes faces, but go for it. There are people who would buy this.

Nothing ventured nothing gained!

She is talented, no doubt. I think her talent should be nurtured and she should try for art school. I would buy one of these because I like her style.

If she is going to get high grades is there a reason she's not doing a single decent facilitating subject which gives the most university ptions though? She is good at drawing compared with me - well done her but you don't make that much money in art so perhaps she should keep art as a hobby and could she do some of the more usual facilitating subjects in place of say two of these:
Art, Graphics, engineering and Politics

I'm sorry but I agree with the GCSE comment.

Having had two teens recently through secondary they have the high school art department "look " all over them.

They look quite average to me. Her technique needs a lot of development.

It's not to say her talent won't develop - especially is she is motivated and has enthusiasm, but I think encouraging her to sell on Etsy may backfire terrible at this stage.

By all means try- you can get cards cheaply printed at Vistaprint as a trial run, but if they don't sell her confidence may take a big knock and may impact her endeavours at school.

I think at this stage she should be developing her skills rather than thinking about becoming commercial.

She’s incredibly talented. I never normally comment on this sort of thing but truly, they’re great.

I like them, she has talent!

I think she is talented. Not my cup of tea, but I think her work would sell.

Look at Tracy Emin and her unmade bed, dreadful, but people liked it and it made her famous. Not that your dd is like that, but art is subjective, it depends on each individual person. I would sit down and talk to her about the reality, that her art may not sell, and prepare her for that, go for it.

I'm seeing these images printed on a shoulder bag- the rectangular type ones. It is a little bit gcse-ish but you can tell there's something a bit more to them.
Especially the missing one.
I would definitely encourage her to keep going and anyway art is a process, not every picture you make is going to be liked by everyone, or perfect.
It's great to have a talent like this. Lucky girl!

Does she have to do A Levels? If she loves the art side, couldn't she do an Arts course at level 3 (A Level equivalent) letting her do full time aspects of art. I work in a college and our FE Art students are preparing their end of year show - I've been walking past their exhibitions going up all week, and they're stunning! Fine arts, illustration, comic arts, textile arts, all sorts. The students are selling works and most are moving on to university to do art degrees.

100% has talent and potential- but I think it's too early to sell

I sold on Etsy for a few years, I started with art, it is a HARD market because most of what people buy are gifts, and art is personal. If you join some of the etsy communities on facebook you'll hear the same thing, even if you're exceptional you need to put a lot of time in to learn how to get found, and then to market yourself off etsy to drive sales in to your shop. It's very disheartening and maybe 5% of people who start a shop make enough to consider it even a hobby income.