Painting Outside the Lines

Artists Rebecca and Valerie talk through the rewards and challenges of commissioned work, drawing on Rebecca’s years of experience and Valerie’s first commission. They share practical ways to set expectations, protect your time and creative process, and build lasting relationships with collectors.

Key topics

• Valerie describes having creative freedom on her first commission, while Rebecca explains how commissions helped turn her art from a hobby into a business.
• Rebecca shares how she created six coordinated paintings for a doctor’s practice, balancing different moods and needs while keeping the collection cohesive.
• They discuss progress updates: share enough to keep collectors involved, but avoid sending images during stages when the work may look unfinished. Rebecca finds video calls especially helpful for showing texture and discussing changes.
• Rebecca recommends clarifying that clients are commissioning your style, not an exact copy of a Pinterest image or an earlier painting.
• A questionnaire or conversation can establish the brief: size, orientation, colors, location, atmosphere, timeline, and which of your existing works they like.
• Set the price early, confirm any changes in size or scope before proceeding, and collect 50% upfront. Rebecca collects the balance when the work is shipped or picked up.
• Mock-ups can help clients picture the finished work in their space. Rebecca uses them to check scale and placement before final approval.
• Staying in touch after a sale can lead to repeat business and referrals. Rebecca also shares how commissions have helped her develop as an artist.
• They compare sales channels, including Instagram, Facebook, and galleries, and discuss why a gallery’s reputation or location does not always translate into sales.

Timestamps

(00:00) Why commissions can be a rewarding way to sell art

(02:02) How commissions helped Rebecca build her business

(04:11) Creating six paintings for a doctor’s practice

(06:18) Sharing progress without alarming the client

(08:21) Why the artist’s own style needs to lead

(10:09) Questions that clarify a commission brief

(12:39) When a questionnaire works better than a long conversation

(14:40) Pricing commissioned work and managing revisions

(16:23) Using mock-ups to confirm the finished piece

(18:34) What can go wrong when changes come too late

(20:01) Why Rebecca takes a 50% deposit

(22:25) Artwork shipping: a topic for another conversation

(24:00) Confirming costs before a project grows

(26:18) Reducing anxiety with clear expectations

(28:03) Email newsletters and staying in touch with collectors

(30:14) Building trust through follow-up and client photos

(32:07) Helping a client repair a damaged canvas

(34:08) Commissions as revenue and creative development

(36:12) Where commission inquiries and original sales come from

(38:34) Why Facebook may need a different approach from Instagram

(40:15) Making commission details easy to find

(42:06) Weighing gallery fees against actual sales

(44:18) The value of choosing a gallery you can work with locally

(46:39) Setting boundaries around style, timing, and scope

(48:32) How unclear expectations can make a commission overwhelming

(50:31) Checking measurements and orientation before painting

(52:29) When a project is not the right fit for the artist

Faith, life-changing pivots and gold leaf… otherwise known as the devil’s dust. 😂✨

In Episode 9 of Painting Outside the Lines, we’re joined by artist Jennifer Dunlap for a conversation about how her son’s diabetes became the catalyst for the biggest pivot of her life.

We talk about faith, finding a new direction and the role creativity has played along the way. And, because it’s us, we also get into the joys—and absolute bloody chaos—of working with gold leaf.

An honest conversation with plenty of heart, humour and a little sparkle.

Subscribe for more conversations about art and the life happening around it, and tell us in the comments: what’s been the catalyst for YOUR biggest pivot?

#ExpectMiracles #JenniferDunlap #PaintingOutsideTheLines #ArtistPodcast #ArtAndFaith

In Episode 8, we continue our deep dive into the very real relationship between mental health and making art.

This time, we’re talking imposter syndrome, fear of failure, the pressure to keep producing and why rest is actually part of the creative process — not something we need to feel guilty about.

We chat about those inevitable moments of “Who am I to be doing this?”, what failure really looks like as an artist, and why sometimes stepping away from the studio is exactly what your creativity needs.

As always, it’s an honest, unfiltered conversation about the bits of being an artist that don’t always make it onto Instagram.

If you’ve ever doubted yourself, felt guilty for resting or wondered whether you’re actually good enough to call yourself an artist… this one’s for you. 🎨❤️

#MentalHealthAndArt #ArtistMentalHealth #ImposterSyndrome #CreativeBurnout #CreativeMentalHealth #ArtistLife #CreativeLife #ArtPodcast #ArtistsSupportingArtists #CreativeCommunity #ArtBusiness #WorkingArtist #EmergingArtist #CreativeProcess #PaintingOutsideTheLines

In the second episode of our deeper dive into mental health & art, we’re tackling two things that so many creatives know far too well: perfectionism and burnout.

When does wanting to do your best become a need for everything to be perfect? And when does the pressure to keep creating, posting, selling and showing up start sucking the joy out of the thing you love?

We chat about our own experiences with perfectionism, the pressure we put on ourselves, creative burnout, comparison, guilt around taking a break — and why sometimes good enough really is good enough.

An open, honest (and inevitably slightly chaotic 😂) conversation about protecting your creativity AND your mental health while still wanting to grow.

Instagram. Love it, hate it, delete it, reinstall it… repeat. 😂

In Episode 5 of Painting Outside the Lines, Valerie and Rebecca get stuck into the complicated relationship between artists and Instagram.

Do artists actually need it?

Is it still a good place to sell art?

Are we creating for ourselves — or accidentally creating for the algorithm?

And how much time should artists really be spending trying to keep Instagram happy?

We talk visibility, selling, community, comparison, algorithms, the pressure to constantly create content and whether having a big following actually means having a successful art business.

Plus, our own experiences of using Instagram to build our art businesses — the good, the bad and the why the bloody hell has that reel got 147 views? 😂

No algorithm hacks. No “post three times a day and use this trending audio” nonsense.

Just two artists having a very real conversation about where Instagram fits into an art business — and whether we actually need it at all.

🎨 Painting Outside the Lines — Episode 5

Instagram & Art: Do Artists Actually Need It?

Tell us what YOU think: Could you run your art business without Instagram?

Valerie @MessyArtbyValerie

Rebecca @rebeccaknoerr@gmail.com

Being an artist isn’t just about making art. 🎨

There’s a whole mental side to it that we don’t talk about enough — especially when you put your work on Instagram for everyone to see.

In this episode of Painting Outside the Lines, Rebecca and Valerie talk honestly about the mental side of being an artist: imposter syndrome, comparison, self-doubt, Instagram pressure, feeling like you’re not “good enough,” and the constant question of whether you’re actually making progress.

Why can we look at another artist’s work and think, “Wow, they’re amazing!” while looking at our own work and immediately finding everything that’s wrong with it?

And why does Instagram sometimes make us feel like everyone else is succeeding except us? 😅

We talk about the highs and lows, the pressure to grow, the fear of putting your work out there, and how much of being an artist is actually about mindset.

Rebecca Knoerr and Valerie van Kraaij are two artists figuring it out as they go — sharing the messy, imperfect and sometimes completely confusing reality of building an art life and showing your work online.

If you’ve ever thought “Who am I to call myself an artist?”, “Everyone else is better than me,” or “Why is nobody seeing my work?” — this one is for you. ❤️

🎨 MEET US

Valerie van Kraaij

Artist from the South of France

🇫🇷Instagram: @messyartbyvalerie

Rebecca Lee

Artist based in Germany

🇩🇪Instagram: @artbyrebeccaknoerr

🎨 JOIN VALERIE’S MESSY ART SQUAD

Want to stop creating alone?

The Messy Art Squad is a community for artists who want to create, share, experiment, connect and support each other — without the pressure of being perfect.

👉 https://www.skool.com/responsibly-messy-artists-8983

Come join us and make some art with us! ❤️

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave us a comment and tell us: do you struggle with imposter syndrome as an artist?

We’d love to know we’re not the only ones. 😂

#PaintingOutsideTheLines #ImposterSyndrome #ArtistMindset #ArtistsOnInstagram #ArtCommunity #ArtistLife #MentalHealthForArtists #InstagramForArtists #RebeccaLee #ValerievanKraaij #MessyArtbyValerie

🎨 Can you really find your art style… or is that the wrong question?

In this episode of Painting Outside the Lines, Valerie van Kraaij and Rebecca Lee dive into one of the biggest questions artists ask: How do I find my style?

What if the search for a unique style is actually what’s holding you back?

We talk about why so many artists get stuck chasing originality, how style develops naturally through making lots of art, and why letting go of perfection is often the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional artist, this conversation will help you create with more confidence, more freedom, and a lot less pressure.

✨ In this episode:

* Why you shouldn’t chase an art style

* How your style develops naturally

* Overcoming perfectionism

* Building confidence as an artist

* Creating more authentic work

* Practical advice for artists at every stage

🎙️ Painting Outside the Lines is a weekly podcast where artists Valerie van Kraaij and Rebecca Lee talk honestly about creativity, painting, building an art career, mindset, and everything in between.

If you enjoy the episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps other artists discover the podcast!

Summer holidays have a funny way of turning life upside down.

The routines disappear, the to-do list somehow gets longer, the kids are home, work doesn’t stop, and suddenly you’re trying to be everything to everyone. Sound familiar?

In this episode of Painting Outside the Lines, we’re talking honestly about surviving summer without losing yourself in the process. We chat about finding balance (or accepting that it sometimes doesn’t exist), letting go of perfection, working differently instead of harder, and why giving yourself a bit of grace might just be the most productive thing you do all summer.

If you’re feeling stretched, overwhelmed, or wondering how everyone else seems to have it all together… this one’s for you.

Expect honest conversations, plenty of laughs, and a reminder that you’re doing better than you think.

🎧 Grab a cuppa (it might need two teabags), press play, and let’s survive summer together.

We all start somewhere—and spoiler alert, none of us had it all figured out.

In this episode of Painting Outside the Lines, we’re talking honestly about what it really takes to get an art business off the ground. From finding your confidence and making your first sale to pricing your work, showing up online, and getting past the fear of being visible, we’re sharing the things we wish someone had told us at the beginning.

If you’ve been thinking, “I’d love to sell my art… but where on earth do I start?”—this episode is for you.

No gatekeeping.
No pretending it’s easy.
Just honest advice, a few laughs, and plenty of encouragement to help you take that first step.

🎨 Whether you’re still painting at the kitchen table or you’re ready to turn your passion into a business, grab a cuppa and join us.

Perfect for: aspiring artists, emerging artists, creative entrepreneurs, and anyone ready to stop waiting and start building.

Welcome to Painting Outside the Lines — the podcast for artists who want to build a creative life and business without pretending to have it all figured out.

We’re your hosts:

🎨 Rebecca Knörr – an abstract artist based in Germany, originally from England.

🎨 Valerie van Kraaij – an abstract figurative artist living in France, originally from the Netherlands.

We’re both building our art businesses while working other jobs. We’re learning, experimenting, making mistakes, celebrating wins, and sharing the whole journey with you.

No gatekeeping. No pretending. Just honest conversations about what it’s really like to build a life as an artist.

On this podcast, we talk about:

• ​ Building an art business
• ​ Growing on social media
• ​ Selling artwork
• ​ Finding collectors
• ​ Creativity and mindset
• ​ The ups and downs of being an artist
• ​ Productivity, marketing, and everything in between

If something works, we’ll tell you.

If something doesn’t, we’ll tell you that too.

Whether you’re just starting your creative journey or you’ve been making art for years, we hope you’ll feel inspired, encouraged, and reminded that you don’t have to figure it all out alone.

✨ New episodes every week (we hope 😅).

Follow us here:

Valerie van Kraaij

Instagram: @messyartbyvalerie

https://www.instagram.com/messyartbyvalerie

Rebecca knörr

Instagram: @artbyrebeccaknoerr

https://www.instagram.com/artbyrebeccaknoerr

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a comment, and share it with another artist. It really helps our channel grow and allows us to keep creating free content for artists around the world.

Thanks for being here, and welcome to Painting Outside the Lines.

Keywords:

Art podcast, podcast for artists, art business, artist life, creative business, selling art, art marketing, Instagram for artists, how to become a professional artist, contemporary art, abstract artist, figurative artist, creativity, entrepreneurship, artist mindset.