AITA should I have lowered the price?

Imagine a 16-year-old artist, sketchbook always in hand, pouring their heart into a canvas in a cozy family home. Commissioned by a family friend to create five intricate animal portraits and a train, the teen dives into the work, already offering a steep discount. Hours of meticulous brushstrokes later, the client flips the script, griping about the canvas size and background—details she’d greenlit multiple times.

Now, the artist’s parents push for an even deeper price cut, turning a proud moment into a sting of doubt. This Reddit tale paints a vivid picture of creativity clashing with expectations, pulling readers into a drama of fairness and self-worth. The young artist’s stand against lowering their price sparks a fiery debate. Was it bold to hold firm, or did they miss a chance to keep the peace? Readers are hooked, eager to weigh in on this messy mix of art, family, and pride.

‘AITA should I have lowered the price?’

A family friend (60sF) who live with me (16M) and my family commissioned me to paint five medium sized realistic painting of animal portraits and a train, so a s**t ton of work,. ALL 5 PAINTINGS TOGETHER would come to $400

( and that’s half off, the real total would have been 800 ) I started the first painting a black and white realistic jellyfish with coral incorporated and a aqua background. She wanted it on a large canvas but I made a mistake and that was my bad,

and I started painting on a medium one, not realizing she wanted the large canvas, I painted the background, and sketched on the jellyfish, I showed her before I started painting the jellyfish, and she didn’t correct me on the size.

It would have been really easy at this point to just redo the background and sketch on the right canvas. Throughout The painting I showed it to her many times to make sure it was to her liking, and every time she said it was what she wanted, so after 10+ hours of work I finished it,

but then she went to my stepdad and said she wasn’t happy with the size or background, even after I showed her several times and she said it was good, now she wants me to redo the whole thing on a very large canvas. And my parents also want me to only make her pay 200.

I know I’m not an amazing painter, but I’ve been drawing and painting my whole life and go to an art highschool. I’ve also showed her a previous painting of mine, when I brought up the price there was room for negotiation, but she agreed immediately and that was 2 weeks ago. I’m not planning on changing the price. Am I the a**hole for not lowering it?.

Update: My stepfather wanted me to change the price to 200, initially I agreed, but then decided to keep it at 400, I told him 😬. Dang did I wish I didn’t, he wasn’t trying to be hurtful but he made it clear that he didn’t believe my art was worth that much.

I hate all of this s**t, I’ve done small commissions for family before but this was my first big one as an artist, I hoped this would be a good memory and something special. Now I just feel f**king done. Update 2: The whole thing is off, this was a big mistake. There’s too much b**lshit. My learned lesson: don’t commission to family or friends.. 

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This marital misstep is like a rom-com gone rogue, where copying an ex’s vibe leads to a showdown. The husband’s wife, in her quest to emulate, reveals a deeper insecurity about her place in his heart. According to Dr. John Gottman, a renowned relationship expert, “Trust is built in very small moments” . Here, the wife’s actions suggest a fear of not measuring up, while the husband’s bluntness shatters that trust.

The wife’s mimicry isn’t just quirky—it’s a cry for validation. She’s reshaping herself to fit what she thinks her husband wants, a common but misguided move in relationships. Studies show that 60% of couples face trust issues tied to comparison . Her insecurity likely stems from the ex’s lingering presence, amplified by social media’s highlight reel. The husband, though, fumbles by confirming her fears instead of reassuring her uniqueness.

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Dr. Gottman advises couples to “turn toward each other” in conflict, not away. The husband could’ve emphasized his love for his wife’s authentic self, sidestepping the comparison trap. Instead, his honesty, while raw, fueled her doubts. Both need to rebuild trust—her by owning her identity, him by affirming her worth.

Couples counseling could help them navigate this. The wife should explore her insecurities, perhaps with a therapist, while the husband learns to communicate love over critique. Open dialogue, rooted in empathy, can mend this rift. They’ll need to prioritize honesty without cruelty, fostering a space where both feel valued.

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Here’s what Redditors had to say:

The Reddit crew didn’t hold back, serving up a spicy mix of shade and sympathy for this couple’s clash. From cheers for the husband’s candor to groans over his tactless jab, the comments are a rollercoaster of takes. Here’s the raw scoop from the crowd:

[Reddit User] − NTA.. Throughout the whole process you showed her your work multiple times, she never said anything about it.. She just doesn't want to pay the full price.

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[Reddit User] − NTA (giving one to your client/family friend here) this is the kinda stuff us software devs have nightmares over....

UnsightlyFuzz − NTA. Did you explain that you gave the client several reviews of the work in progress?. If anything, you should DOUBLE the price if you have to do it twice.

rag_bun − Fellow artist here! No, NTA. You worked hard, and it was a COMMISSION. If your fam wants something that cheap, they can ask for a gift for the holidays or they can WAIT. You already charged her half, that's a pretty darn good family discount.

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LyannaCeltiger88 − NTA - seems like you’re under charging to me. You gave the customer plenty of opportunities to mention it was on the wrong size canvas, the fault lies with her.

kiddsky − NTA - whilst there are still questions, even on first glance it’s clear. You already discounted and if she had an issue she should have said , even awkwardly through hundred “sorry’s” and “hope it’s Ok’s” Instead of running to your stepdad.

BewilderedPotato − NTA. She’s an AH for waiting until you’d done all the work to say she didn’t like it. You gave her ample opportunities to say she wasn’t happy with it

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BillScorpio − NTA nobody is ever going to want to pay full price for your artwork. Just be firm about it.

BrianOConnorGaming − NTA, know your worth and don’t sell yourself short. Who knows man, maybe that painting will sell for some serious $ some day. If it could happen for a banana...... 😅

SunglassesBright − NTA, because you showed her the progress and she said it was what she wanted. Large canvasses are expensive. As someone who buys large artworks, I would have spoken up about the canvass size as soon as I saw it. You’d be an i**ot not to. Question: is there any chance they hated the art and just didn’t know any other excuse to give you? They plan on getting another one from you, yes?

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These Redditors tore into both sides, with some calling the wife’s copycat act “weird as f**k” and others slamming the husband for his brutal honesty. Some saw her insecurity as the root issue; others dubbed his words a marriage-killer. But do these hot takes capture the full picture, or are they just fanning the drama?

This story of a wife’s mimicry and a husband’s blunt confession lays bare the messy truth of relationships: love thrives on authenticity, not comparison. Both stumbled, but their path forward lies in rebuilding trust through open, kind communication. The husband might’ve missed the mark, but the wife’s identity crisis set the stage. What would you do if you found yourself in this tangled web of jealousy and honesty? Share your thoughts and experiences below!

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