Commissioning a Painting: How It Works, Start to Finish

Commissioning means asking an artist to make something that does not exist yet, usually for a particular person, place or subject. It is less mysterious than it sounds, but it goes considerably better when both sides are clear from the start.

Start with the wall, not the subject

The most useful thing to bring to a first conversation is not a photograph, it is a measurement. How big is the wall, how far back can you stand from it, and what is the light like at the times of day you are actually in the room. A painting that is right for the subject and wrong for the space is a common and expensive mistake.

Bring the room into it too. If everything around it is quiet, a loud painting will fight. If the room is already busy, something restrained will hold its own better than you would expect.

What makes a good reference photograph

For portraits, and for pets especially, the photograph does most of the work. What an artist needs is sharp focus on the eyes, natural light rather than flash, and enough resolution to zoom in without everything turning to mush.

Send several, including ones you do not think are the best. A photograph that is technically poor but catches an expression is often far more useful than a perfect one that catches nothing.

Agreeing the brief

Worth settling before any paint moves: the size, the medium, whether it will be framed or supplied as a box canvas, the palette if you have strong feelings about it, the deadline and the price. Get it in writing, even if the writing is just an email.

Be honest about what you do not want. That is much easier to hear at the beginning than at the end.

Money and timescales

Commissions are normally staged. A deposit up front covers materials and secures the artist's time, with the balance due on completion and before delivery. The deposit is usually non refundable, because the work is being made for you specifically and cannot simply be sold to somebody else.

On timing, be realistic. Oil needs to dry between layers, and a painting that has been rushed will show it. Several weeks is normal for anything substantial and longer if it is large. If you need it for a particular date, say so at the very beginning rather than halfway through.

Revisions

A sensible commission includes a checkpoint, often a photograph at an early stage while changes are still cheap, and one round of adjustments near the end. What it does not include is unlimited changes of direction, and a clear brief is the thing that prevents them.

If something is not right, say so plainly and early. An artist would far rather fix it at the halfway stage than hand over something you are quietly unhappy with.

If it is a gift

Allow considerably more time than you think you need, and consider whether the recipient would rather choose for themselves. A commission is a lovely gift when the subject is obviously right, a portrait of a person or an animal they love, and a difficult one when it comes down to taste.