Any professional artists able to tell me if IABU?

[Thistledew]

Nearly a year ago I commissioned an old school friend who is a professional artist to paint a portrait for me. She normally only paints from life but agreed on this occasion to do so from photographs as it is of a deceased relative. I was initially quite impatient for her to complete it but soon accepted that this was a project that had to happen at its own pace and amongst other gallery work that she was engaged in.

I recently sent her a friendly email to enquire as to progress as I hadn't heard anything for a while and also I am (hopefully) about to move house so didn't want to suddenly be without readily available cash just as she was finishing the picture.

She has said that she is making good progress but still has work to do and hopes to be finished by the end of the year. She has suggested that I pay half the cost now and half on completion. I have no objection to doing this as it is something that I initially suggested to her.

But as it has now been nearly a year since we agreed the commission, would IBU to ask for a photo of the work in progress? The naturally financially cautious side of me thinks this is a good idea, but I don't want to insult her or cause any bad feeling as she completes the project. I would appreciate a view from any professional artists.

A year? Is she painting the side of a mountain?

I don't think being an artist has anything to do with it. You pay on delivery or at agreed visible milestones for larger commitments. Anything else is asking for trouble.

I would certainly ask to see where she's up to. That's a very normal request.

I’m an artist, but not a painter. Half on signing, half on completion sounds normal to me.

I’d say if you’re asking to see work-in-progress for proof reasons then YABU. I’d be insulted and it’s hard to tell how “finished” something is unless it’s your own work - often things look nowhere near done until very close to the end, even though 80% of the work’s been done. These things have a habit of coming together at the last minute.

However, don’t blame you for wanting to pin her down. You could say something gentle and more chatty, however. Like, how about suggest a date in December (?) for a handover, and say “feel free to share any work in progress pics if you like, I’m excited to see how it’s coming on”. But don’t expect them and don’t be miffed if she doesn’t send them.

This is the problem when you ask a friend to undertake professional work for you - you don't want to upset the friendship for a business arrangement.
A commission usually attracts 50% of the full fee up front, so she has done you a bit of a favour in not asking for that sooner. As she usually works from life, where you could see progress at the sittings, she probably hasn't thought about this. It really is quite different to paint from photos, so she may be taking longer to get it right. You could ask if she could let you see the painting so far.
My longest time for a commission was nearly 2 years!!

That’s a long time to complete something I don’t blame you for feeling a bit hmm

We hadn't actually been in contact since school days until a reunion just over a year ago, so although she is not a true stranger to me, I don't really know her at all. I feel in a no-man's-land between the sort of requests you could make in a true professional stranger relationship and between being able to trust her as someone I know.

I feel reasonably comfortable with the slow progress as she is only working from photos as a special request and I know she has been busy this year with exhibitions.

I think if you're feeling unsure i wouldn't part with any cash before completion actually. Imagine how much more complicated this situation would feel if you'd payed her money at this point as well.

(I'm an artist who has done private commissions.)

I meant to add - it seems as if communication is a bit stilted between you. I'm wondering why it's only now she's suggesting taking you up on the half cash up front option?

I’d imagine it would look a bit odd half done and you probably won’t like it? I wouldn’t ask to see for that reason

I agree on the don't see it half done opinion.

A lot of pictures go through a 'looking like shite but will be fine in the end' stage. You don't want to see it at that point you'll fret even more!

She has suggested part payment now as I sent her a friendly message to say what I did in my OP about being about to move house and don't want a clash between emptying my bank account for that and her suddenly saying the work is finished and expecting immediate payment.

I think the advice above to send the part-payment and make a casual comment about being excited to see progress pictures if possible is reasonable. But if she doesn't send pictures don't assume the worst. Not everyone's process works like that and it doesn't mean she hasn't been working on it. I think it's also fair to ask if you can establish a completion date. Suggest something but say that if she needs to negotiate a later date, can she just let you know so that you can manage your finances and expectations?

How big is it and what media is she using? A year sounds like a really long time to me but l used to illustrate for magazines and the turnaround was weeks rather than months ... Maybe ask for an approximate completion date? Didn't you get a vague time frame when she started?

Could you say you are hoping for it by Christmas as it's a present, though dont go too heavy on that angle. Sometimes people respond well to deadlines!

The finished image will be about a foot and a half square- I'm not sure if she is doing just the head or head and shoulders. It is oil on a wood panel so it's not a run of the mill picture.

My son is a professional artist and says he would never take that long to finish a commission or he wouldn't have any clients.
He discusses it with the client and they agree a reasonable time frame. Normally 3 months.

I make it clear to clients that I do have a long time frame, due to my horrific health.

However, that does sound a long time....

Except that you haven't actually paid her anything at all yet.

If that were me, I wouldn't get started until you've paid a non refundable 50% deposit.

If she's anything like me, the freebies or the unpaid jobs get pushed to the back of the queue every time a job that pays a deposit comes up.

Until you have actually paid her, you haven't commissioned anything, you've just agreed in principle that she'd paint it.

It may be that she has felt disinclined to actively commit to the project before she has seen any payment at all.

So she may have been thinking and considering - but, quite frankly, half the fee on the table might be a tremendous creative spur.

(It’s vaguely possible that she’s not actually enjoying the prospect of working from a photo. If there’s a difficulty - money might provide clarity either way.)

No one wants to work for free ...

I did offer her part payment at the outset but she declined. Maybe it would have acted as a prompt if I had paid earlier on- and could act as a bit of a prod now? I'm not sure why she declined - she did say that she always works from life and was concerned about being able to give the picture 'life' when working from photos.

That is not an acceptable timeframe at all. You should agree a completion date or tell her you are finding someone else to do it, this may force her to produce something or not. But no way a year, it's not the Mona Lisa she is painting.

She declined the initial offer of payment because (consciously or otherwise) she wasn’t sure she wanted the commission.

Now ... It looks as if she has decided she’ll do it. Be quick before she goes off the idea.

Almost a year is a long time. It's understandable that other paid commissions and shows have been her focus, although I wonder why she didn't accept your offer of payment from the start.

I always send progress pics and give a time estimation before starting, just ask for a progress photo and a time estimate

Ask for a photo, I've both been commissioned and commissioned art from other artists before. It's pretty standard to show the sketch and offer production shots.

That is not an acceptable timeframe at all.

I have to disagree! Presumably the OP wants a portrait by this artist? So threatening her with finding someone else would be utterly pointless.

Unless, OP, you do just want an artefact and don’t care much who produces it?

It’s not as if it’s a favour or free, you’re a paying customer, does she take a year on other work?