My nephew was getting married. I asked my sister to suggest what might be a good gift, and she said, He loves art—paint something for them. Nice idea! But immediately I began to get anxious about gifting a painting. What the heck was I supposed to paint that would be meaningful for them, that would make them happy?
They were married in France, and unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the wedding. (Read: really unfortunately!) But that’s life. As I looked through their wedding photos, I was struck by the beauty of the buildings, bathed in gorgeous late afternoon light. I knew then—whatever I painted, it would be connected to this place.
The Challenge of a Surprise Painting
Here’s the thing: gifting a painting isn’t the same as buying something off a registry. Art is personal. People have specific tastes, and what speaks to one person might not resonate with another. A surprise painting—one that isn’t a commission and that the recipient has no idea they’re getting—is actually quite nerve-wracking to create.
In many ways, gifting a painting feels like stepping into the unknown—will they love it, or will it end up tucked away in a closet?
I couldn’t second-guess the couple’s taste. Instead, I had to trust my instincts. I knew my nephew liked my work, so I took a leap of faith.
Choosing the Subject
I narrowed my choice down to four reference photos of the France venue and developed some thumbnails. Two of them really stood out. The deciding factor? One of them had a vineyard in the distance. To me, that felt undeniably French. Sure, vineyards exist all over the world, but this scene just had that je ne sais quoi of the French countryside. That sealed the deal.
And this is where the artist gets to take a few liberties! The vineyard in the photo was off to the right, but I moved it closer to the building. That way, it felt more connected to the scene, and I avoided painting unnecessary background detail. (And let’s be honest—unless you’re holding up the reference photo, who’s going to know?)
Bringing the Painting to Life
I settled on a 9×12 size—small enough to frame easily, big enough to enjoy painting. Working from my thumbnail, I started with a vine charcoal sketch to map out the composition.
Then, I needed to make a decision about the underpainting colours. To create vibrancy and depth, I used opposite temperature colours—warm tones under the cool shadows, cool choices under the sunlit areas.
(These photos of the progression were taken on my old ipad – my phone was busy recording a video of the process! – and seem rather dull but they give you the gist of the development!)
From there, I started to build the painting. As always, I needed to move through the ugly phase. 😝
I added more pastel and began building the painting.
I then refined and added details.
And then it was time to step away. Perhaps it was finished. Or was it?
Well, when I returned the next day, I realised that what was supposed to be a rock in the foreground, looked like not a rock! Instead of worrying about making it look more rock-like, I decided to change it into a grassy area instead. (I need to go and learn from Lyn Asselta’s marvellous Masterclass on Painting Rocks in the IGNITE! Membership.
I also felt I needed to push the trees and vineyard into the distance so I cooled, lightened, and dulled the background. I did this with a pale blue pastel stick followed by very lightly applied strokes of vine charcoal.
I also did some more defining of the ground area and cast shadows. Can you see all the changes I made?
It’s always a good idea to give your painting a break to then come back and see what needs to be done!
The Moment of Truth!
Handing over a painting is always a little nerve-wracking. Did I capture something meaningful for them? Would they love it? Would they have to pretend to love it?
Luckily, they did love it (or they’re excellent actors!). More importantly, I loved the process—taking what was a memory for them, interpreting it in my own way, and offering it back as something uniquely personal.
So, if you’ve ever thought about gifting a painting, my advice? Trust yourself and take the leap. Choose something that resonates with you first. And remember—it’s not just about the final piece; it’s about the thought, the care, and the story behind it.
Have you ever gifted a painting? I’d love to hear your story!
Until next time,
~ Gail
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