Finding My Focus

The last few months I have been seriously thinking about how to make my career as an artist work. I'm reading two books that I feel will help. "I'd Rather Be In My Studio" by Allyson B Stanfield is helping me with a "no-excuses" way to promote myself as an artist and "Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business" by Joy Deangdeelert Cho and Meg Mateo Ilasco is helping me to develop a freelance business doing what I love. 

   So what do I love doing? I love drawing portraits of people, for people.

Drawing people includes a very wide range of subjects and themes. I need to find a focus for my portrait drawings. Over the last 2 years I have been getting an array of portrait commissions of couples, children, families and individuals for a variety of reasons such as gifts for friends or loved ones, memorials, weddings and sometimes just because the client wants a portrait. I don't mind doing a wide range of portraits, but I feel that in order to create an actual business out of what I love doing, I need to develop a specific focus to build off of. Basically creating a niche for myself that can later expand into other areas of portraiture. 

I found that I really enjoy drawing couples portraits, especially for weddings. The drawings I have done, including the two below, were very enjoyable for me to draw. I work hard to try and capture the feelings of love and excitement I see expressed by the couples. I have given this niche some thought and can envision it to be a unique inclusion to making weddings and events memorable for all people involved.
I would offer 3 different drawing possibilities.
   1) Before the Wedding: using photographs of a couple, such as an engagement photo, I would complete the drawing in order for it to be display during the wedding ceremony and/or reception.
   2) After the Wedding: using photos from the wedding, the couple would receive a portrait within the first year of being newlyweds.
   3) Wedding and Anniversary Gifts: family and friends would commission me for a drawing using a photo of their choice or through a gift certificate given to the couple.

Here are two drawings I have done. The first was a wedding gift to my brother and his wife and the second was commissioned by the couple shown.

Patrick and Stefanie 14" x 11"

Jesse and Chris 9" x 12"

To test the waters and see if there is a want or desire for something like this, I am trying to contact wedding & event coordinators to see if I can make connections with them and pitch my idea. Would they be willing to promote my hand drawn wedding portrait service to their clients as a unique artistic addition to their special day? All I can do is put myself out there, ask and pray for doors to open. It was also suggested to me to go to wedding expos and promote my services in that way as well.

This is a really big move for me. Finally nailing down what I want to draw and starting to figure out and unify my business. This is going to be a lot of work and I am nervous that I may be biting off a lot. I need to continually remind myself not to get discouraged. The reality is this wont succeed overnight and if I am lazy or dragging my feet to get started, it won't happen at all. Those realities come from the "no-excuse" topics from Allyson B. Stanfield's book, which will help to get my butt in gear. 

I am trying to get as much feedback and suggestions as possible, so I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this.