need opinions

[Tink]

okay, so here's the situation. sorry, it's kinda long but there are pics at the bottom of the post to help.

my OH's mom has a portrait of one of her three dogs and always wishes she got the other two painted. i don't really know anyone in this town except one couple me and my OH go out with (i met the girl on the internet about two years ago and we met in person and hit it off since but we sometimes go a month or two without seeing each other though we always talk online..so i guess she's a pretty good friend). anyway, this girl paints....so for xmas, we wanted to get the portraits done of his mom's other two dogs...she does this as a side job for other people's pets (she works at our vet so she gets lots of business).
so at first when i asked her a few months ago, she said no problem and since we are good friends she'd do it for free. a few weeks ago she was telling me how stressed she was finishing everyone's requests for christmas. i told my OH and he said maybe we should buy her dinner...i told him let's give her something...a hundred dollars at least for her work and materials and he agreed he'd feel better about that too. so i mentioned to her we would give her some money since we felt guilty taking it for free but we would really like to have it for xmas.
so yesterday, she told me i could pick up the portraits this weekend as they were dry now. i asked her if she had decided on what would be an appropriate amount so we wouldn't feel guilty since she is so talented...she said she thought FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS was fair.
her work is rather good and i inquired how big they were and she made them 2 feet by 2 feet. i guess in a way it's our fault since we just sent her some pics of the dogs and said "oh do what you think as an artist will look cute, we're not picky" but we were expecting something much smaller and less expensive..especially since she had offered it free of charge first.
also, one of the portraits is gorgeous but the other is a bit rushed and doesn't really look like the dog and my OH doesn't like how it came out...yet she is our friend and how do i tell her that..or do i even bother?
i'm sure they are worth what she wants..especially since she told me she normally would charge seven hundred...but wow...we do not have this in our budget...but if we don't postdate a check or something we will have no gift

i want ur opinions so im attaching the real pic of the dog and then the portrait she did...i really like how the first came out but what do you think of the second? do you think each one is worth two hundred dollars? am i being cheap? is it my fault? how should i handle this? i am so non confrontational but i don't know how we can afford this either.

it is very good work, i know...

now look closely at this one...

does this look like the same dog to you? is it worth $200?

[Mags]

Hi Tink, I can see the predicament you're in but unfortunately I am no judge on art and how much a picture is worth It does seem a lot of money though if she originally offered to do them free for you.

I hope someone here will be along soon to give you some advice or suggestions..

[yola]

Tink - if you want my honest opinion (and I went to art school - although no artist myself), this is a con, especially as she is is friend and completely especially as she said she'd do them for no charge in the 1st place! I think they are both horrible pictures. The artist has no concept of perspective, there is no texture, no 3-dimensionality, and the pictures have no 'soul' at all.

However - the value of art is always whether it speaks volumes to the person paying for it, it is a most subjective topic that can divide opinions.

There's a girl on here, EmmaG who paints pet (mainly cat) portraits. There's a thread of hers here somewhere. I'd suggest that you maybe have a look at these, which are superb and compare them and then have a quiet word with your friend about what you believe the true monetary value of the paintings are to you.

[Tinker]

I have no idea what you'd expect to pay for such a painting. Maybe when working it out you need to find someone who paints who can give you some idea of how much the materials used cost and how many hours it takes.
If paying for a painting to be done on commission I would expect it to work out as a decent hourly wage for the artist - however since she said she'd do them for free it is a bit different......

Personally I don't like either painting but that is just my opinion and I know nothing about art.

[Jac]

Tink,
I'm so sorry your lovely idea has turned out badly for you.

Your not going to like this but, the first one looks more like a labrador pup than a spaniel and the second one looks like it's something out a haunting.

What a dilemma. I would be inclined to say to her you had no idea that they would cost so much as she had offered to do them for free.You just dont have that kind of money laying about.

Explain about the paintings to your OH Mother. Let her decide if she like's them or not. State that you want the truth not good manners. If she doesn't like them, try another artist.

Good luck

[dandysmom]

I'm certainly no expert on art, but I don't think either one is a good representation of the dogs; and certainly not worth that price; especially as she'd offered to do them free..... any transaction involving money and a friend is going to be tricky; you don't want to injure the relationship but you certainly don't want to bust your budget buying something you're not happy with...I'm a non confrontational person myself; not sure what I'd do in this situation. I think I'd have a discussion saying it was more that you had anticipated and truthfully can afford, and see how it goes from there.
Nasty little dilemma, isn't it? Let us know how it goes....

[tilly]

I personally don't like either of them and wouldn't pay $200 for them as she said they were free to start with. I am not sure how I would tell her though.
best of luck
Sally

[babycakes]

I think the pictures look like caricatures (sorry I have no idea how to spell that) than portraits and I don't think they are worth that amount either.
It's a hard one but she is disalousioned to think her work is worth that much and she is taking the mick to ask for that amount especially seeing as it was free in the first instance. I agree with Jac that you would be best to say you had no idea it would be that much and you don't have the money.