This is a painting I was commissioned for in 2011. Our conversation started with the client's desired location for the piece, where I took into consideration the "feel" of the room and whether or not this was meant to serve as a focal point. Then we discussed the size and how it would fit into the desired location. A greater part of the discussion revolved around the client's preference of imagery - in this case they chose very personal imagery which they wanted resolved in a subtle manner. They were looking for a "clean" finish that would serve as a conversation piece in their recently refurbished kitchen. The palette was important to them and we worked together to come up with the right combination to suit their tastes. I provided them with several digital thumbnail sketches, then small hand-painted colour studies done to scale to give the clients a real "feel" for the finished product. After several meetings, the clients agreed on the final composition and colour scheme which resulted in a 2' x 4' painting which they have proudly displayed in their new kitchen.