Art Commission: Is It Right For Me?
Commissioning a painting can be a little intimidating to some people—What is it, exactly? How does it work?
I’m hoping that with some basic knowledge of what it is, along with a bit about how it usually works, you tell if you’re a good fit for the process. Who knows, you may just find that it’s an exciting and fun adventure for you. So let’s begin!
What is an art commission?
A commission is when you request an artist to make a piece just for you, as opposed to finding an already created piece and buying it.
Do all artists do commission work?
Some artists do not do commissions for various reasons:
their creative flow is such that commissions with specific expectations can feel confining
they may find having someone else’s wishes entering their creative process hard to fulfill
they may have other commitments at present that don’t allow them the time to work with commission clients
But many artists will take commissions. Some, only under certain conditions, while others enjoy them and do a lot of them. So if you are considering commissioning a painting from an artist, it is completely appropriate to simply ask them if they presently do commissions.
Will I have to sign a contract or give a down payment?
It is not uncommon for artists to ask for ½ payment upfront as well as draw up a contract describing the work, the time frame, the cost breakdown, payment and shipping information or how many revisions are allowed.
Personally, I do commissions if the client wants something that aligns with my creative path. I ensure they understand that whatever I paint for them will have the look and style of my present work. I don’t take down payments or use contracts simply because if I decide to do a commission, it’s because I feel very confident that I can fulfill the client’s wishes, and if not, I decline them.
I prefer to have a client 100% happy with the finished product or I’d rather release them from the obligation to purchase it and sell that painting to someone else at a later time. Taking payment at the end when they are completely satisfied is simply what I am most comfortable with, so the way the artist handles contracts and payment is always personal a preference and the way they feel they can work best.
Things to consider before entering into the commission process:
Is there a guarantee or way out if you don’t like it?
Make sure there is a clear agreement with the artist about what and what not to expect from the commission (for instance, some artists simply say “what I paint is what you get” and that’s the ‘agreement’—while other artists will guarantee that you don’t buy it if you don’t like it) but you should know what the ‘agreement’ is going in and really consider if that is suitable to you. If not, walk away because it won’t be worth it.
Is there a way for you to have input as it progresses in order to keep it aligned with your needs/wants?
Look for an artist that can tell you what their commission process is so you’re not left wondering, because in the end, the responsibility is on both you and the artist to be able to communicate clearly about expectations, how the communication will take place, and how to handle things if you’re unhappy.
Have you asked all of your questions and received answers that satisfy you?
In other words, don’t assume anything. Ask about every aspect and know what you’re getting (for instance, you may be expecting your artwork to be framed because the picture of the painting you wanted sized up or down had a frame--however framing is almost never included unless it is indicated that it is.) Other questions of value are:
Is it strung and ready to hang on the wall?
Will I have to have a framer stretch it?
How is it shipped?
What will shipping costs be?
How long will this process likely take?
Do you know your budget? I mean, your total budget?
Usually when an artist asks ‘what is your budget?’, they are asking what you want to spend on the painting itself. But there will be extra charges you need to take into account and budget for in addition to the price of the painting.
Here’s extra information about additional charges that may or may not be in the artist’s price quote for the painting:
Shipping charges + insurance for shipping + shipping materials
Materials (if they are in addition to the painting price)
Framing (if you’re planning to frame after you receive the painting)
Stretching (if the canvas painting is shipped rolled in a tube)
I always try to give my clients a good detailed break down of what their total cost is likely to be. I do the research for them on stretching (if needed), shipping, insurance, but never for framing because there are so many personal choices you will have to make for yourself. But I can certainly point you in the right direction of a suitable framing place for your artwork and budget.
Are you a good fit for the commissioning process?
There’s no right or wrong here--working with many buyers who have commissioned my work, I’ve noticed that whether or not people enjoy this process can largely depend on personality traits.
The truth is that many people like the idea of having a painting done just for them, but some may realize along the way that it’s more unpredictable than they like; perhaps they realize for the first time that, to some degree, the finished product is going to be something they’ve never seen before and that’s not how they like to buy things. No matter how detailed you are in your description of what you want, you are still asking for someone (the artist) to interpret that their own way. So you may find that you would be more happy shopping around for something already created that you can see and know you love before purchasing.
Typically, the commission process is more like a fun project of co-creating. You have the seed of the idea and you love a certain artist’s work, so you combine the two and give input as it progresses that maybe influences it one direction or the other, but the end product is something new, unknown and unique to your collaboration with the artist. Some people like this adventure, others don’t. Again, no right or wrong here, but the best thing is to know yourself and align yourself with the experience that is the most fun and rewarding for you.
Here’s what one of my clients said about the commission process:
“I watched the video of Marabeth creating the painting we commissioned for our anniversary and just laid there smiling and so thrilled with our decision. The fact that we got to go along for the ride of its creation is just crazy to me…crazy awesome. Our collaboration also helped us feel a part of the gift that we were giving each other. I love it.” Meribeth, Tennessee
So I hope this information was helpful to you! If you ever want to ask me more questions about doing a commission for you and see what that would look like, feel free to contact me. I’ve honed the process over the years and tried to make it as easy and painless as possible—and hopefully, FUN. So I’m happy to speak with you and tell you all about it.
