Why Every Artist Should Take Commissions
About this episode
This episode discusses the importance of taking commissions for artists and how it can lead to unexpected career opportunities.
The most influential poster in the history of art was an ad for a play. It was designed by a broke, unknown illustrator who only got the job because he was the one stuck working over the holidays. His name was Alphonse Mucha, and that single commission — a rush job nobody else wanted — turned him into the father of Art Nouveau. He didn't sit in a studio and find his direction. A customer handed it to him. Want to join Patrick for a live webinar? He hosts one every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Register here: asf.today/webinar That's the heart of this episode: a commission isn't a compromise. It's an idea-generation machine. A client drags you somewhere you'd never have chosen on your own — and every so often, that detour becomes your entire career. It happened to Mucha. It happened to a portrait painter named George Stubbs who took a few horse commissions and ended up the greatest equine painter who ever lived. It happened to a studio photographer named Dorothea Lange the day a government assignment sent her into the migrant camps. But before we get to the good news, we have to clear out the lies. The longer you spend in this business, the more you realize the "sacred truths" of…
People in this episode
Host: Patrick
Topics covered
- art commissions
- Art Nouveau
- career development
- creative process
- myths in art
More episodes of The Art Marketing Podcast
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- Should Artists List Prices on Their Website? The Gallery Test
- 1 Image. 45 Mediums. 10% More Every Year. This Is What Print On Demand Can Do To An Art Business
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