I am working on this painting of a pair of leopards for a client. At first I was intimidated by the project and had a slow start. I thought maybe it was the 48" x 48" size which was holding me back - but then, I do paint wall sized murals for a living so I don't think that was the problem. Maybe it was that leopards, or even animals are not my usual subject matter. But really what I am most inhibited by is painting for the client and wondering whether he will like the results.
I have made some good progress on the work so far. The rear leopard is almost finished. I still have some issues to work out on the front leopard. It is tricky when you don't have an actual leopard to model for you.
One of the best things I will take from this commission is all the research I have done to learn about this magnificent animal which is now a rare and endangered species.
If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website http://www.julieriker.com/
5 comments:
I know a lot of artists that won't do commissions because of the fact that there are people that you just can not please. I have being doing commissions a long time and never have been stuck with a painting. I have had some very difficult people to work with but in the end they were happy and I got my money. Some artists just do not want people to tell them what to paint but I took every commission on as a challenge and felt I grew with each one. The leopards look great-I am sure they will love it.
Thanks Charlotte. This is a long time decorative painting customer, so he is familiar with my work. I am confident that he will follow through with the purchase, but still have a self-imposed desire to exceed his expectations. I am with you in loving the challenge of painting a new subject.
Awesome post all the way around Julie. Hope you post the image when it is complete. See you soon!
Lovely, Julie! Looking forward to see the finished version, but so far so good.
Thanks Mary Beth! And Tatiana - I know you did an amazing and detailed close up of a leopard. It is difficult to find good photos of this elusive animal. I have a National Geographic DVD that I have been pausing and sketching from the TV.
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