# If someone tore up a portrait sketch you did how would you feel?



## ninelives (Apr 21, 2013)

When I was angry I tore up a sketch that was done off a photo by some artist. He would have taken the photo for about a day and got the sketch done sometime within that time period. Now I feel guilty because it takes such training and skill to create something like that. I tried and tried to find the same artist so I could get another one done by him but couldn't find him. Instead I got another artist to sketch it again. Is it really such a big deal, or is my mind exaggerating it because of a guilt? How would you feel if one of your portrait sketches got destroyed? Thankyou.


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## George924 (Oct 8, 2012)

The bigger question is why would you do that and feel guilty about it later? The client has every right to do what they want with a commissioned piece of work. Now on the other hand if it is a creation of mine that was out of my own collection, I would sue the collector for destroying the piece of art if I found out about it.


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## corydulos (Apr 28, 2013)

This reminds me of one of my favorite idioms, "waiting for the other shoe to drop". Okay...Why did you do it? If you thought the artist did a good enough job where you recommision it from the same person, clearly the problem was not their work, their price or the likeness...you're not telling us everything. It's hard to give good feedback on a half story.


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## ninelives (Apr 21, 2013)

Thankyou all for your replies. 

@chanda95, yeah your right, finding the artist wouldn't have actually helped anyone. 

@corydulos, okay, more info. When I did it, it never occurred to me that this was an artists work till after. I was treating it as if it had been a photograph as it was who the sketch was of which it was about. I didn't know that the original photo of the sketch was based on still existed. um, full story.. I can't really explain my actions as it was irrational anger but I was being forced to take medication which made me feel like I was in a living hell basically. So I didn't feel the need to take it so I wasn't. I was betrayed by someone close who had gone through my stuff to show them evidence I wasn't taking the meds. Saying that I was unwell when I wasn't and so I was put in a position to be locked up in the psychiatric institution and having to be injected with the drugs. I feel terrible now for not respecting the artists work but in that moment I was only thinking about who it was of.


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## corydulos (Apr 28, 2013)

That additional info helped tremendously.

In my honest opinion, I don't believe the artist would be upset at all; in fact, possibly, the artist would be flattered: if an artist commits to creating a likeness and someone (person A) found the image so faithful, so provocatively reminiscent of someone else (person B) that they felt compelled to destroy the image, it would be a reflection of that artist's prowess, accuracy and effectiveness.

A completed work is exciting to an artist...but so is a blank canvas. Getting a 2nd chance to make a first impression is also a rare opportunity that can get the blood flowing.

Like George alluded to, once a work leaves an artist's hand to a client, it's left the nest, and any sensible artist will detach from emotional ownership. Our best work is always "yet to come", so if the artist truly considers his/her craft to be a labor of love, they (if the circumstances are made known) should be more than willing to go at it again!


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## ninelives (Apr 21, 2013)

Thankyou for your reply corydulos.

I've really come to appreciate an artist's love for their work and what it means to be an artist. Something that would have never happened if I had not made that mistake. I guess it was a wake up call to the respect and admiration that you guys deserve for the work you do.


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