How to get the in-come coming?

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Melanie,

Originally Posted by Melanie Peter

This has been a problem my entire creative life: I keep changing!!!

Oh, don't look at changing as a problem! This is the wonderful thing about being creative, exploring new and interesting things, whether they be subjects, medium or technique.

What about focusing more on painting older children? They're usually not so 'cutesy'. Teenagers don't usually want that cuteness, at least mine doesn't!

I think it's interesting that most people, from my experience anyway, would have a portrait commissioned of their child before they would commission one of themselves. I think there are a lot of reasons for this, but those are the facts, around here at least. Parents are more willing to spend money on commissioning a heirloom portrait of their children, children that grow up so fast they want to capture a certain time in their life. I'm not saying people don't commission other kinds of portraits, it's just what I see a lot of. Being a parent, it's easier to spend money on my kids than it is on myself. (Hmm, I'm sure there's some kind of psychoanalytic puzzle there .)

Linda had a very good point, clients will hire you to paint what you're already painting and what they see in your portfolio.

Linda, I'm curious about the things you do to advance your commissions. What other things do you do? Gosh, I wish I had an idea about how to make that stuff more fun.

Joan