Ongoing: painting commission

I logg this process to reflect, learn and reveal. The freedom of an open commission is terrifying. How to move from a blank canvas to something a friend can put on her wall, that both she and I are (genuinly) happy about?

“Every new piece of information addd another reason to keep thinking instead of doing. I was planning my way around a decision I was scared to actually make.” - Alex Mathers

“Kill your darling” is something I learnt at high-school. Ever since i painted Mia throwing her hair back, from my photo reference of her, something did not sit right with me. One rainy afternoon at work, I asked my colleague what she thought about the painting. She instantly saw a “koi” fish in the hair, as if it was a fish tale. I could see what she meant. After thinking hard about it I decided this was my moment to kill the darling. The darling being the theme of the head. I think this really changed the whole tension of the painting. Maybe because it being a fish, detached it from the bottom of the frame, where it felt a bit stuck? As if it stopped the flow around the shape. Now it can breathe.

More toned down, more details. But I feel stuck. Something doesn't feel right. Like there is a tension in the painting that shouldn't be there. I keep adding tiny changes.

Toning down the green, now a more harmonic color palette. Using the 80/20 rule, of calming down a large part of the canvas but leaving some untouched.

Changing the colors, adding more lines in the background.

Starting with an abstract background, adding the initial sketch on top. I got inspired by a Flora Bowley paint session, keeping it loose and non judgmental for the background. It is hard to start painting intentionally on top of the very expressive marks.

Learning from mistakes

I mixed water based block colour with my acrylics. I had a huge tub of white, I thought it would be economic, as i had a large canvas to cover. But, the white block color reacts to the moisture in the acrylics, inspite of being completely dry. When new layer of acrylic paint is added, it rehydrates with the painted layers and creates mud,

Start again

My canvas is covered in block paint, so i have to start from scratch. As my 17 year old nephew said, it’s done, learn from it and move on. This means that I have to get hold of a new canvas and start again, this time using a white that is acrylic.

Step 2 - Start doing:

Testing color mixes. I want to do this with primary colors for a harmonic color palette. Different opacity with different brands. Golden fluid has great coverage.

Testing backlit hair with acrylics. I hate it, it looks melodramatic. Perfectionism or true vibes? I might have to kill this darling. I like the plant though, overpainting with lighter over dark background.

Background, light and warm atmosphere. With a large brush and short dabbing strokes i create color variations.

I like the energetic lines inside the head shape here. Created with water color pencils

The "wind" feeling is good, the lines extend the head shape. Is it still mine? Is it still Mia?

Coincidental background vibe from my palette

24.02.26

Don’t try to think my way forward, paint, test, play.
Test with the material I want to use. What worked really well with color pencils might not work with acrylics. Every medium offers it’s own magic. Play with it to find it.

Kill my darlings. I might kill the hair idea. In acrylics I get these wolf in moonlight or moose in sunset vibes. So melodramatic! Great to use as a starting point, not necessary to hold on to.
Paint the canvas in a background color. I can change it if I don’t like it, this is the beauty of acrylics. Paint on canvas offers momentum to keep exploring.

To be continued: print Mias profile. Trace: try with new hairstyle. Caspar jade inspo, golden, dark, light green.

Step 1 - developing the idea:

Mias children, 2 of 3, Erik and Hile. Sigurd is missing

One of my previous paintings, Mia likes the back lighting

Previous commission, Mia likes the colors and plants

Personal project, Mia likes the florals and bold style

Inspiration: Image: unknown via pinterest

Inspiration from Caspar Jade. Inspiration isnecesarry, but needs to come from several sources, including myself for it to become mine.

Idea sketch. I like the nature pattern theme, natura naturans. Not sure about the hair.

19.02.26

Mia says she likes my style of painting, and want me to come up with something. This kind of commission is an open ended road, and the questions always lingers: will the client like it? Will I manage to be authentic or a slave to the clients imagined taste? Where do I start?

Ask client to send examples of my work that she likes
Ask about other preferences, like color, theme and size. Requests were a large painting, bright colors and nature.
Can I make it personal? I looked through some photos of us from last summer. In Mias balancing between her own wants and needs with motherhood, there will always be a tension. For me, that long, strong hair thrown back in this photo represents the energy I see in her. Could this be a place to start?
Manipulate photos with AI to test idea/create painting references.
Find inspiration online.
Sketch first idea based on the above.
Recognize my own intuition