Seascape Struggles: A Commission Story

I love commissions… but I also hate commissions.

There, I said it. ??

This painting was a spec commission for a gallery — which means someone was interested, but the sale wasn’t guaranteed. And it has taken me ages to complete. By the time the gallery gets it, the buyer may have already found something else. But I can’t let that stop me from putting out the best work I can do. My name goes on that canvas — and that matters.

I worked from multiple reference photos and a previously sold painting the collector loved.

Heron by the Sea  9 x 12  oil on canvas

Like most paintings, this one began in that magical honeymoon phase — excitement, momentum, the “this is going great!” stage. And then… the wheels wobbled.

It felt calm… but too calm.

More like, boring calm.

And here’s the problem:

I didn’t know why it wasn’t working — so I had no plan to fix it.

So, it sat.

And sat.

Eventually, I realized the issue: there was no visual direction. The viewer wasn’t being led into the scene. Most of the dark values were confined to the rocks and the birds’ wing tips, so the eye just drifted around aimlessly.

Once I finally saw the problem, I got brave and added darks — reminding myself the wonderful thing about oil paint is that it can always be changed.

Well… the good news?

It wasn’t boring anymore!

The bad news?

It now looked chaotic — not restful at all. I had dramatically overcorrected. ??
(Insert me going “overboard” in the other direction — pun absolutely intended.)

So the next step was dialing it back: adding mid-tones to control the movement through the water and sky, then carefully placing highlights to emphasize the focal area around the birds.

And that lonely single rock? It looked okay in the early version — but once the contrast changed, it felt awkward and isolated. In the final version, I extended the rocks off the canvas to anchor the composition.

The finished painting.

This piece took months — not because of the brushwork, but because it needed thinking time. Sometimes all I know is that I don’t like something, and it takes distance before I can see why.

Here are a few tools that help when the answer isn’t obvious:

• Convert progress photos to black & white to check the value structure

• 

• Turn the painting upside-down to break the mental attachment

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• Look at it in a mirror for a fresh perspective

• And yes… sometimes just walk away for a bit

Art doesn’t always cooperate. ??
But in the struggle, we learn.

And when I finally delivered the painting to the gallery last week, I knew every moment of frustration was worth it. The first reaction was:
“Wow… just WOW. I love it!”

Hearing those words? That’s the joy that keeps me painting — even through the messy middle.

If you’ve ever wrestled with a piece — whether you’re a painter or someone who loves art — just know: the struggle is normal, and the breakthrough is so much sweeter because of it.

Thanks for following along on this journey! I hope this seascape brings peace and joy to its future collector… whoever they end up being. ????

Until next time,
Lina

Lina Ferrara is an accomplished artist and educator with over 40 years of teaching experience. Known for her encouraging approach and deep artistic knowledge, she inspires students of all skill levels to grow and discover their creative potential. Her work has been featured in private collections and prestigious institutions worldwide.