Not sure whether portrait is a joke or not

[CallMeAChopper]

My friend is a hobby artist and does portraits for £30 each. She’s good at what she does but a) admits that there are some people sfe just can’t draw and b) has a dark sense of humour and messes around sometimes

My daughter is 2 years old and when you ask her to smile she bares all teeth and looks angry, it’s very funny but as a result all of her photos look like she’s growling at the camera. I asked my friend if she would do a portrait of me and DD as a Christmas present to my mum. Obviously I’m paying her.

She kept sending me updates but only of “my” part, all the photos had DD either covered up or cut off the photo. Anyway she’s now sent me the finished full version and asked whether I’m happy with it. It’s bloody hideous! She’s done a spot on version of me but DD looks like the girl from the exorcist! I know she was doing her growl face on the photo but the drawing seems to have exaggerated it and made her look really grotesque - I mean it literally looks like the cover of a horror movie.

Problem is I don’t know whether she’s joking or not!! If I laugh and tell her “good joke” and she didn’t do it on purpose it’s going to really upset her! But I can’t accept it like it is. I literally gasped when I saw it and then burst out laughing.

How on earth do I find out whether she’s joking or not without upsetting her if she isn’t?

[Jumpingintochristmas]

I couldn’t be arsed using an artist who messes around and ‘jokes’. Definitely not my sense of humour.

[Olivegreenstrawberries]

I think it will be a joke

[MRex]

If I had a picture of DS growling, I'd think it was funny, in your DD's case a cute reminder of the time when a growl face was the smile pose. Ideally I'd want a pair with one of him having a cute smile and me the monster, then put them next to each other. The only reason not to see it as a joke is if the growl isn't exaggerated really but just a quirk.
It's £30, you aren't commissioning a piece of Fine Art, could you try to just see the humour in it and get another to pair up.

[dworky]

I would choose to see that as a joke.

[Lalliella]

Given her form, it’s got to be a joke. I hope! If not, can you cut it in two and just keep your part?

[category12]

I think she's having you on, as she was deliberately covering that part in the progress pictures.

Go back to her and say what a pp suggested about "now I see why you were hiding the other half in the progress pics!!"

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Could you trace it and post the traced version on here?

[Crinkle77]

This is why you should never ask friends to do jobs. However if you know she has form for dark humour perhaps you should have been more specific about what you wanted.

[Holskey]

I'd pay her again for another version and be clearer in your expectations. 60 is still very cheap if you're happy with the outcome.

[DoesHePlayTheFiddle]

She means it.
Pay her.
Destroy it.
Forget.
I'd forget her, too.

[2bazookas]

I think ypu have to say something like "I'm sorry, but DD's part is the exact look I didn't want and I just can't accept it."

Surely you talked to her about "not the growl-face" before she started?

[Enterifyoudare]

Why on earth did you get her to do the picture in the first place if you know she's admitted to painting them whilst drunk?

[LunaAndHerMoonDragons]

@Pedalpushers

I doubt she's done a portrait as a joke intending to redo it, so you'll just have to say the daughter growling wasn't what you were after and does she mind doing a more smiley one.

I think this is a good way to handle it.

[Marcipex]

As she covered up all the preview parts of your daughter, she’s definitely doing it to tease.
Why else would she have done that?

[ChargingBuck]

Is it this bad, OP?

[Chamomileteaplease]

Well personally I think the text you sent was awful! It was dishonest, unclear and indirect.

I would have been clear about my feelings and clear about what I wanted done ie

Thank you so much for the portrait Celia, but whilst I think you have captured my likeness beautifully, I would really rather Clara was smiling rather than doing her usual growl. Would it be possible for you to redo her face please? xxxxxxx

Not rude, just clear.

[TatianaBis]

Not sure what you were expecting for £30.

Just pay your friend if you don’t want to lose her and don’t ask her to paint your DH.

[secretbookcase]

@ChargingBuck

Is it this bad, OP?

But that looks exactly like them!

[MrsTulipTattsyrup]

@Chamomileteaplease

Well personally I think the text you sent was awful! It was dishonest, unclear and indirect.

I would have been clear about my feelings and clear about what I wanted done ie

Thank you so much for the portrait Celia, but whilst I think you have captured my likeness beautifully, I would really rather Clara was smiling rather than doing her usual growl. Would it be possible for you to redo her face please? xxxxxxx

Not rude, just clear.

As I’ve said above, she can only ‘redo the face’ if that’s what’s in the photos! You can’t just imagineer another expression onto the paper.

[CallMeAChopper]

@ChargingBuck

Is it this bad, OP?

Oh it’s much worse than that, she literally looks demonic, scowling eyes, pinpoint pupils, screwed up nose and gaping open mouth with all teeth bared and exaggerated. Funnily enough it’s well drawn, it doesn’t look like it’s just a shit artist, it looks like she’s drawn it deliberately like that to make it as scary as possible

[category12]

It sounds more and more like she's joking, OP.

She covered it, and it's exaggerated.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Maybe tell your friend that one will be perfect to keep for scaring off unsuitable boyfriends in the future but you'd really like one that won't have that effect too?

[Joystir59]

You can't commission a portrait for £30! So you can't comment on it.

[Joystir59]

You have paid for one hour's work

[SoupDragon]

@Joystir59

You can't commission a portrait for £30! So you can't comment on it.

She paid what the friend charges.