Here at Laasya Art, commissions run the gamut from simple re-sizing requests to fully customized designs. But no matter how complex, every commission is a collaborative effort between the gallerist, the client and the artist.

While commissioning a painting can be an incredible opportunity for collectors to have a personalized piece of art that perfectly suits their tastes, it is important to understand if the process is right for you. So, in this blog, we examine several recent commissions by Senaka Senanayake, Bharti Prajapati, Jagannath Paul, Ramesh Gorjala and Nishant Dange, detailing how we approached the entire process from the client’s initial vision to the final result.

Seeking a new, large-scale painting for their dining room, these clients did not have a particular artist or theme in mind from the outset. We tried out a few works by different artists to determine their preferences and ultimately decided to go with a commission by artist Senaka Senanayake, whose bright color palette would work well in this sunlit room. The clients found Senaka’s white lotuses to be the most appealing theme among the various subjects from his popular Rainforest series, so we commissioned a large painting with this theme. The final work simply exudes positive energy, and the lotus flowers feel pure and fresh.

The clients had a very minimalistic home and were drawn to a similarly sophisticated painting by artist Bharti Prajapati. However, they required a larger size canvas in order to make an impact on the double height walls of their entryway and stairwell. To add visual depth on an increased scale, while still maintaining an understated color palette, Bharti added design elements like sand dunes, earthen pots and goats in various shades of cream and grey.

From the beginning, the clients were drawn to artist Jagannath Paul’s bold aesthetic, with his vibrant colors and striking faces. Due to the lack of natural light in the room and dark wood paneling on the walls, however, we chose to emphasize bright colors and limit the use of charcoal in the painting. Inspired by another painting of Jagannath’s which incorporated words from a love poem by Rabindranath Tagore, the clients also requested to similarly use Tagore’s famous poem “Where the mind is without fear.” Once hung, the overall effect was stunning and brought a brighter, cheerful vibe to the previously dim space.

After admiring artist Ramesh Gorjala’s work for a long time, this client decided to commission a painting of Hanuman. The artist was given very specific measurements to follow, since the painting would ultimately hang in a narrow wooden panel above the fireplace, so Ramesh cleverly designed a composition that would best fit the vertical canvas.

The clients had a very modern house with high ceilings and an entire wall of glass windows, which filled their living room with bright natural light. They were seeking a large 5 x 5 foot commission and were immediately taken by the bold, striking style of artist Nishant Dange. We eventually settled on a golden yellow color, with scarlet details on the wings, to best complement the existing decor of the room.

It’s always a thrill to see our clients’ delight with their new painting, once displayed in their home at last! Each commission is a new adventure, and I am consistently impressed by the creativity and ambition of our artists, who always challenge themselves to exceed the client’s vision.

We hope these ​​examples of commissioning a painting have been helpful. If you would like to further explore commissioning your own custom painting by a leading Indian artist, please check out our online resources, or get in touch with us at +1 650-770-9088 or info@laasyaart.com.

— Sonia Nayyar Patwardhan