My First Professional Painting Job Is A Success!

3 months ago I was commissioned to paint my cousin's two cats.  She sent me two pictures of them and I chose one to paint.  I started thinking about colors and how to create the yellowish hue that is one of her cats.  Then I got sick.  I started having ear infections and then I came down with a violent Bronchitis.  So the painting was put off, of which I informed my client.  A few weeks ago, when I finally stopped hacking up a lung, I thought some more about colors, and then decided I was going to start.  I was incredibly anxious about it at this point.  I had let it build up inside my head, and I wanted it to turn out well.  I was completely doubting my ability.

My confidence started coming back when I started painting.  I got one cat almost done and my husband told me it looked like Jabba the Hut. So I made some alterations and he agreed it looked like a cat.  But my frustration had grown and I had to stop painting.  I cleaned my brushes, still thinking about the coloration of the remaining cat.

The next night I started again.  This time I had a higher level of confidence.  I painted the second cat and after a few hours showed my husband.  He said that it definitely looked like two cats.  I finished up the background and went to bed after cleaning up.  This was a mistake.  I should have wired the painting and wrapped it up to ship out the next day, a Saturday, the only day of the week I could get to the Post Office.  But I didn't.  The next day I overslept (see the post "A Saturday Undone") and didn't get it shipped out.

This past Saturday I made sure it was ready to go.  I took it to the Post Office and found to my delight that it fit in a large "If It Fits It Ships" box.  Now it probably would have been cheaper to send it without the large box, as It wasn't very heavy, but I wanted the security of the box and the fact it would get there Monday (today).  So it shipped.

My client told me when she received the box and that she was opening it.  Then she didn't respond back on Facebook.  I thought Oh no, she hates it!  But then she posted a really wonde3rful post about how much she loved it and she posted a picture.  She was so happy!

So that's it.  I have a happy customer for my first attempt.  Now if only my paintings on Etsy would sell.  They are listed at www.etsy.com/shop/ArtByJStorer .  I have to add more but I'm not sure the dimensions on them.  I have to measure the pictures before I can post them.

Here is the picture I did for my client.