Can't find the right painting - consider a commission

by Faryal Ahmad

8/21/20264 min read

Love an Artist’s Work but Can’t Find the Right Painting? Consider a Commission

Finding a piece of original art that you truly connect with is a very personal experience. Sometimes you discover an artist whose work immediately speaks to you, but the particular painting you love has already sold. Perhaps the available pieces aren't quite the right size for your wall, or you love the feeling of a particular collection but haven't yet found the one.

That doesn't necessarily mean your search has to end there.

Commissioning an original painting gives you the opportunity to own a completely unique piece of art created especially for you, while still retaining the character, emotion and artistic style that attracted you to the artist in the first place.

Start With the Artwork You Love

A commission will often begin with a painting or body of work that you already feel drawn to.

Perhaps you've seen a painting in my Obsession, Hope or Raw collections that you love. It may have already sold, or perhaps its dimensions simply don't work in the space you have in mind.

A sold painting can be a wonderful starting point for a new commission.

I won't reproduce an existing painting exactly. Every original painting should have its own identity. Instead, we can look at what it was about that particular work that connected with you. It might be the colours, movement, composition, energy or simply the feeling it created.

Those elements can then become the inspiration for something entirely new.

Creating Art for a Particular Space

One of the advantages of commissioning a painting is being able to consider where the finished artwork will eventually live.

You may have a large empty wall that needs a statement piece, a particular space above a sofa or fireplace, or an area where standard canvas sizes simply don't work.

We can discuss the dimensions of your space and decide on a canvas size that will feel properly proportioned within the room.

Photographs of the room can be extremely helpful. They allow me to understand the architecture, furnishings, natural light and colours surrounding the space where the painting will hang.

The intention isn't to create a painting that simply "matches the sofa." I want the artwork to have its own presence while also feeling as though it belongs within your home.

Colour Can Be Part of the Conversation

Colour is often one of the first things we respond to in abstract art.

When discussing your commission, you can show me colours you particularly love - or those you'd prefer me to avoid. Interior photographs, fabric samples and other visual references can all help communicate the atmosphere of your space.

But part of commissioning an artist is also allowing room for creativity.

Rather than prescribing exactly where every colour should appear, I use our conversations and references as a starting point and interpret them through my own painting style.

This balance is important. The finished painting should feel personal to you, but it should also remain unmistakably an original piece of my work.

Think About How You Want the Painting to Feel

Choosing art isn't only about colour and size.

It's also about emotion.

Do you want the painting to bring energy and drama into a room? Would you prefer something calmer and more contemplative? Are you drawn to strong contrasts and movement, or something softer and more subtle?

Sometimes it's easier to describe how you want a painting to feel than how you want it to look.

That emotional starting point can be one of the most interesting parts of creating a commission.

What If the Painting You Love Has Already Sold?

Don't be discouraged.

I deliberately keep many of my sold paintings visible within my portfolio because they remain an important part of each body of work and because they can provide inspiration for future commissions.

If there's a sold painting that you particularly love, tell me.

I won't make an exact copy - the original will always remain unique to its owner - but we can explore what attracted you to it and use that as the beginning of a new piece.

The painting you fell in love with may have sold, but it can begin a conversation about creating something new.

What Happens When You Commission a Painting?

The process begins with a conversation.

You can tell me which paintings or collections you're drawn to, where you intend to display the artwork and approximately what size you're looking for. We can discuss colour, atmosphere and anything else that is important to you.

From there, we agree on the direction for the commission before I begin painting.

Then comes the exciting part: allowing the painting to develop.

Abstract painting is an intuitive process and I believe it's important to leave space for unexpected marks, movement and decisions to emerge as I work. That freedom is part of what makes an original painting unique.

Your Painting, Created Especially for You

Commissioning original art can feel like a big decision, particularly if you've never done it before. It doesn't need to be intimidating.

You don't need to know exactly what you want before getting in touch. Sometimes all you need is a painting of mine that you love and a space you'd like to fill.

We can begin from there.

If there is a painting in my portfolio that speaks to you, but it has sold or isn't the right size for your space, I'd be delighted to discuss creating an original work especially for you.