Painting Commissions

How I Create a Commissioned Painting

Every commission begins with a conversation. When someone reaches out with an idea, we discuss the size, subject matter, and the overall feeling they want the artwork to hold. When I understand the vision, I gather or request photographs to work from. If needed, I also create a customised reference image by combining or editing multiple photos with tools like Photoshop, which allows me to capture the exact mood, symbolism, or composition the client has in mind.

Materials & Technique

Before painting, I prime the canvas with a white water-based primer that gives me a smooth, responsive surface to work on. Once it’s dry, I sketch the composition directly onto the canvas using pencil crayons, because pencil crayon pigment doesn’t disappear easily with paint.

I work primarily in acrylic and oil paint, using each for its own unique strengths.

• Acrylics help me build the initial “roadmap” on the canvas. They dry quickly so that I can block in shapes, colours, and structure.
• Once I can see simplified shapes and colours on the canvas, I switch to oil paint for its depth, luminous colour, and soft, blendable texture. Oils let me refine details, create atmosphere, and achieve the qualities I want the painting to have.

Timeframe

Completion times vary depending on the size and level of detail (and how thick the paint is, because oils can take ages to dry).

• Small paintings: approximately three weeks
• Medium to large or highly detailed paintings: six to twelve weeks

If you have a specific deadline or special occasion in mind, I’m happy to discuss schedules and see what’s possible.