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Arts and crafts pictures

Share your sewing and crochet pictures and get feedback on your art from other Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

Pet portraits - brutally honest opinions needed

174 replies

Brokkoli · 03/01/2023 18:21

I have little confidence and have been selling pet portraits for £35 each. Buyers always say they’re happy with them but my lack of confidence tells me they’re just being nice

Would love to do it as more of a business rather than a hobby.

im thick skinned, please be honest

Pet portraits - brutally honest opinions needed

OP posts:

Thread gallery

stationroads · 03/01/2023 21:39

Wow! If I was quoted £150 for this, I’d think that was cheap and I’m broke!

Excellent work!

Kanaloa · 03/01/2023 21:41

mm40 · 03/01/2023 21:28

You can call me what you like - had they been posted together it would have been easier to have given an option rather that traipsing through 4(?) pages to find the originals.

anyway - I’ve seen the pics and I think the OP is doing some excellent jobs - including mugging herself off completely - minimum of £250 a piece for an A4.

Show quote history

You don’t have to ‘traipse through’ four pages. Just press the button that says ‘see all’ and scroll through all the op’s posts before rushing in to give an opinion. Bit like how you’d never barge into a real life conversation and start holding court before you knew what people were talking about.

NoWrecksToday · 03/01/2023 21:57

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This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Original poster

Brokkoli · 03/01/2023 22:04

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Oh wow, that’s beautiful!
do you find coloured pencils take so much longer than charcoal? I started this one but I’m finding it’s taking forever - I am very new to coloured pencils though (in fact this is the first one I’ve done 😂)

OP posts:

TurquoiseBeach · 03/01/2023 22:13

They're really really good OP. You could def charge more.

NoWrecksToday · 03/01/2023 22:16

@Brokkoli yes I would say pencils do take longer. Yours is looking great too!

nzeire · 03/01/2023 22:20

You have huge talent!

SproutMoreNatterThanKnitter · 03/01/2023 22:20

MissPiggysPinkDress · 03/01/2023 20:10

These are brilliant! My one very small criticism is the feet on the sausage dog look a little off, I think you could have had it as just the head and chest.

But saying that, I can barely draw stick people!

you can defo ask for more than £35

@MissPiggysPinkDress did you compare them to the actual photo? It's just how the dogs paws are.

RambamThankyouMam · 03/01/2023 22:26

OP, I think you're being disingenuous and fishing for compliments. You must know that these are fucking EXCELLENT. Pull the other one.

MysteryBelle · 04/01/2023 00:11

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Gorgeous!

M103 · 04/01/2023 08:29

They're amazing!!

PurpleButterflyWings · 04/01/2023 11:44

daisyjgrey · 03/01/2023 20:45

I was taught at uni to charge - at the very minimum - £150 per 8 hours, plus materials and VAT.

You're undercharging by a considerable amount. Undercharging also makes the buyer devalue your work, there's a psychology to it.

This. ^ You do need to charge more OP. Not sure about the £250-£300 some people have suggested, not yet anyway, but £100 to £125 ish (for now.) NOT saying you're not worth it btw, just that you need to get 'known' first.

People with talents like you often get used/mugged off, and people expect you to do stuff for free. My BFF's husband is a really talented photographer, and does it as a hobby. His photos are very good, and some pics are as good as a professional. It is just a hobby though, and as everyone (probably) knows, photography is a very hard career to get into - professionally.

Anyway, I digress. So, one of my friend's work colleagues is getting married in June, and wants my friend's DH to do the wedding photography, because she is too tight too pay for a professional. 'Ooooh, your Tom takes FAB photos, we will have HIM for the wedding photographer!' Didn't ask, just assumed. So they want him to give up his free time for a DAY to do her wedding. Cheek!

He said 'no' by the way. Said he wasn't going to be responsible for someone's wedding photos, and just because he takes some decent pics of the sunsets and sunrises and the woodlands and the moon, that doesn't mean he can successfully do a wedding shoot.

Just be careful you're not used/mugged off @Brokkoli

LindyLou2020 · 04/01/2023 16:57

@NoWrecksToday

You are absolutely right in that it's very hard for artists to know where to pitch their prices.
Like you, and the OP, (@Brokkoli), I'm an artist too.
And as you have both been brave enough to share some of your pet portraits, I thought maybe I could do the same.
Here goes............

AlwaysGinPlease · 04/01/2023 20:27

Sigh. I'm so envious. So much talent in all these images. The only thing I can draw is a basic stick person and even that's a bit shit.

LindyLou2020 · 04/01/2023 22:04

AlwaysGinPlease · 04/01/2023 20:27

Sigh. I'm so envious. So much talent in all these images. The only thing I can draw is a basic stick person and even that's a bit shit.

@AlwaysGinPlease

I'm sure that's not true!

NCTDN · 04/01/2023 22:32

@AlwaysGinPlease me too

SoupDragon1066 · 20/02/2023 10:56

Hi OP, if it’s any help I charged £200 for this A3 including mount. It’s pastel. Coloured pencil takes forever, and my prices are 50% more to reflect this. Second image (with bridle) is coloured pencil A4 and that was a gift, but would have been charged at £250 as included bridle work which takes forever.

Some people may think this is expensive, however it works out at around £12 per hour plus materials.

Aquael · 20/02/2023 14:17

SoupDragon1066 · 20/02/2023 10:56

Some people may think this is expensive, however it works out at around £12 per hour plus materials.

My goodness! Those are incredible! Do you do other animals as well? Now wishing I owned a horse so I could have one of these on my wall 😂

SoupDragon1066 · 20/02/2023 14:21

Ahh thanks! Yes, I do all animals. Can’t draw people though (as I don’t like many! 🤣)

Here’s a zebra. I did limited edition prints of this one as the original is on my daughter’s bedroom wall. 😬😊

SoupDragon1066 · 20/02/2023 14:23

Ahh thanks! Yes, I do all animals. Can’t draw people though (as I don’t like many! 🤣)

Here’s a zebra. I did limited edition prints of this one as the original is on my daughter’s bedroom wall. 😬😊

ErinAoife · 20/02/2023 14:29

They are really good.

Rachaelrachael · 21/02/2023 17:27

@SoupDragon1066 These are absolutely stunning. What a talent you have!

heartsinvisiblefury · 01/11/2024 15:36

Absolutely beautiful

Jasmin71 · 04/11/2024 15:19

Brilliant

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