Tranquillity: The story behind my latest commissioned artwork
Tranquillity
So, recently, one of my repeat collectors got in touch with me, they have been gradually renovating their home, and have previously acquired one of my larger Conformity pieces for their home. They have now completed their living space and had asked me to come up with something that would tie the space together.
So here is the story of what we did, and how Tranquillity was born….
The Planning stage …..
The first thing to establish, was what exactly the client wanted- how did they want the piece to look and feel, what colours, size etc.
After seeing an image of their completed room, and where the new artwork was to go, we agreed on a canvas size, and then a colour palette based on their new decor, and how they wanted to feel when viewing the artwork.
I used two smaller canvases and started to jot down a few ideas
And then….
I usually start with a block colour on the canvas, and then decide on what imagery and composition. The base colour is rarely seen in the final outcome, but always provides a good sense of depth to the finished work. In this case, the base colour has really added to the outcome, and helped guide me through the process.
As mentioned, I used these two 30 x 30cm canvases to help me experiment with colour and composition- the client had decided on a 30 x 60 cm canvas for the final artwork, and we agreed that this would best suit the space.
The client had a strong feature wall opposite the location of the artwork, so we decided that a more subdued colour palette would be in order, so as to compliment rather than compete with the other features of the room.
And then …
Once I had a firm grasp of what the client wanted, and a strong idea, of what I wanted the piece to look like, I started the two artworks opposite.
One was going for darker tones, and the other a much lighter and brighter ambience.
I decided to use the colours that would provide a relaxing and calming mood, and would also bring out the colours for the rest of the decor, whilst trying not to over-power.
After showing the client the two pieces, they decided to go with the brighter one, and I set about recreating something similar on the larger canvas we had agreed upon.
The final stages …
The final artwork was created in acrylic paint, on a 30 x 60cm stretched canvas. I used a lot more layers and some richer colours in this one, and added a bit more grey tones to add a touch of warmth to the piece.
I also carried on with the two smaller works, as I liked the direction they were headed.
After showing the final piece to the clients, they were more than happy with the outcome, and all that was left to do, was to tidy up the edges and sign the work.
This was a very successful commission, and I found that communication with the client was key to its success, I had a strong idea of what they wanted, and they provided me with very clear details of their space and where the artwork was to go.
Below are some examples of the finished artwork in a home setting.
If you enjoy my work, and would like to have an artwork created that is completely personal to you, then please get in touch, and let’s start a conversation about what we can create together.
Some other good news is, that after tweaking and finishing off the two smaller works, another repeat collector of mine, has since obtained both artworks, and I’m looking forward to seeing them in their new forever home!