A Paint Sketch and its Role During a Commission

Recently I shared an image on Facebook.  I had originally intended to only post it there, but I was surprised by the amount of interest it received.  For this post I wanted to share that image which I believe may be interesting to both collectors and fellow artists alike.

The image below is small 5” x 7” paint sketch. Very often for commissioned work before I start the actual painting I will complete a sketch like this and present it to the client. Ideally, I prefer to present the actual sketch, rather than a photo of it, since a photo can appear quite different from monitor to monitor. Of course the commissioned painting will be considerably more detailed and carefully executed. However, a sketch like this gives a feel for the composition and colors I intend to use and I want to make sure the client is happy with the direction of the project before investing any significant time into the actual painting. With respect to this study, the client has already shared their approval and so I am moving forward!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the image and thanks for taking a look!