OK, here's my dilemma. A very lovely man called and asked if I could recreate a collage of mine he saw on a card. He wanted it "exactly the same" which, of course, is close to impossible. He said he had a special frame for it, an oval. I pictured a craft store frame. He brought it to a show I was doing in his town and it is a civil war era antique, the oval held together by tongue in groove carpentry. It is lovely. And large. I explained that the collage he saw was originally a 5X7 and I would have to re-do the work to make it the appropriate size (about 15 X 17) and composition yaddayadda. "I trust you" he says.
I brought the frame to my supplier and he said he could do the work for 50 bucks which is extremely inexpensive considering this is a mirror frame and it is going to be a bear for many reasons I won't bore you with. My customer said he wouldn't pay that, he wanted to pay $110. He says people should be paid what they are worth. He also doubled my price.
So what can be wrong, you ask? I hate the collage. It was one of the first ones I did and it is not good. He wanted the same colors and papers which I pretty much had and no matter what I do to this thing, I am not happy with it. It embarrasses me. I keep tinkering with the one I am doing for him and my husband goes up to "review" what I've done every night and I know he hates it too although he tries to be kind.
I am stressed to the max over this. What do I do? Since he liked it, do I put my hesitation aside and just do the dratted thing and assume it will be well? I told him I would email a photo of it before I took it to the framer. I'l reluctant to do even that. Oh Lordy. Advice?
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I like the idea of "bridesmaids". I have some pieces I have been carting around too long to shows. I have priced all my goods for the show this weekend and some of the "bridesmaids" are marked down 25% just to see if it'll get them moving. If someone asks why they are marked down, I'll just say, "We are trying to make room for new designs coming out early next year" or something like that. I always have new designs up my sleeve but having all these bridesmaids hanging around is bringing on the guilt of developing new designs when I still so many bridesmaids. Is that like feelling guilt over a very expensive wedding dress when the bridesmaids only get a $200 dress? LOL
I just went through something similar. I did a show last week and I put out an old piece that I hated, I made it when I was first starting several years ago. My girlfriend was with me at the show and I said when I put the piece out "watch, someone is going to buy this ugly thing and LOVE it!" sure enough a woman came by that had been there the day before (spent quite a bit of money) and she bought it and LOVED it. I do not like about 1/3 of the stuff I made when I first started anymore and I kind of cringe when I see people wearing it. But everybody's taste is different and that is one thing that makes life fun. Just like one man's junk is another;s treasure - very true!
I used to replace pieces that sold with a fresh piece so my trays were always full. Naturally, I would restock with pieces I liked. Creations that I didn't like or that were old and just hanging around in my display were affectionately dubbed "bridesmaids" (ala the ugly dress). Every time one sold, I would share with my sister "sold a bridesmaid!" and I would be happy to see it go because then I could fill the empty spot with a newer piece I actually liked. I knew I was in trouble when all I had left in my reserve was "bridesmaids". Strangely enough, those little buggers pulled me through one weekend and I had a decent show. I'm happy to say my "bridesmaid" collection is dwindling and my new stock makes me happy. I guess the moral of the story is you just never know what is going to catch someone's eye!
So, I made the thing, but I made it better as much as possible considering he wanted it "just like that". I emailed him a picture and he wondered if the quotation on it was large enough. I put quotes in a lot of my work as an element, not the focus necessarily so I balked a little but my husband reminded me I was making it for the guy, not me. And money is tight during app season :) Bottom line, he loved it, paid double for it and I am done. Funny thing? Just as I was basking in my relief, I got a call from a guy who bought a piece last year and wanted 2 more. He wanted it to match the wallpaper in his new room. I took a deep breath and said I was in the process of updating my website and I would let him know as soon as I had new work up. What I didn't say was " I am not going to make something to match your wallpaper" I had just finished another order from a previous customer whose only requirement was that I use more neutral colors than the one she had seen. That was easy and she jumped right on it. What did I learn? Yes, I need the money. Yes, I am willing to work with a customer up to a point. No, I am not going to match your couch or wallpaper because the thought of it paralyzes me. And I also felt that my decision to move more into this sort of work was a good one and I have a lot to learn about this art form. The happy is back. Thanks for all your wisdoms :)
I had a customer request a certain design and at first I thought it would be great. It turned out I hated the design she wanted. To me, it was just ugly. I put off working on it till very close to the deadline. There was no way in my mind that she was going to like it. However, when she picked up her order, she loved it. I still don't like the design and probably woudl not make it again. It was $$ in my pocket but i am an advocate of loving what I produce. It is even on my website ... that whatever I design is something I would have in my home or give as a gift. Her design was neither, and that is why I don't think I'd do it again.
I would not do it, but that's just me.
I have a wholesale customer that wanted more of what was a one-of-a-kind item, decent sized piece, I had to tell them no. I offered to make something similar, which is what I'm doing currently.
I admit that I have never received an answer from them about this! But, I'm still doing other work for them. And I am so relieved that I don't have to stress over those pieces!
I am thinking that in my case it was a one time deal. It was a gift from my customer to a friend. I don't this particular design as a repeat.
In a perfect world we can all make whatever we like and others would be completely nuts if they did not like it as much as we do...but is this a perfect world?
Bottom line..if you don't wanna' make it the say no...but if you want the money then make it...
If you made a list and gave the reasons to reproduce this image again there would only be one thing on the "reasons to do this" side. That is, it's hard to pass up the money. This reminds me of something Joni Mitchel said on her live 1974 album "Miles of Aisles":
A painter does a painting, and he paints it, and that's it, you know. He has the joy of creating it, it hangs on a wall, and somebody buys it, and maybe somebody buys it again, or maybe nobody buys it and it sits up in a loft somewhere until he dies. But he never, you know, nobody ever, nobody ever said to Van Gogh, 'Paint a Starry Night again, man!' You know? He painted it and that was it.
I would have told the guy that you are way better, as an artist, than the person who did that and that in no way could you do it again. On the other hand, you could make him something similar, maybe using the same color palette, that would far outshine what he wants. It seems that he wants something very specific, maybe too specific and I see a red flag. You are never going to duplicate the image exactly and he may be disappointed. You need to have at least a little wiggle room. Add to that is you admission that you don't like what you are doing. If you are a true artist, that is going to show up in the work. Good luck. I hope it works out.
Thank you, Barry, for the wonderful quote. I plan to use it.
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