Want to commission a custom artwork?
Have you ever seen a painting and wanted to buy it only to discover that it had already sold? Have you ever wished that an artist would paint a picture of you, your loved, one, your pet, or favorite animal? Have you ever seen an artist's painting and thought to yourself, "That would be perfect if it were only a bit bigger/smaller/or in a different color palette?" Then commissioning a custom artwork might be for you! Many artists are open to commissions, so never hesitate to ask.
To commission your own custom piece from me, pick a painting with a similar subject matter and style from my shop or personal website, and send me a message describing what you would like. Then, I will contact you with a quote. If the job is too different from my current style or subject matter, I may decline the job as it would be out of my area of expertise and I cannot guarantee the quality. However, I also love a challenge, so go ahead and send me your ideas! Sometimes I will even cut a deal if the idea sounds fun or interesting to me.
Examples of commissions that I have done:
* Patron asked for a small elephant painting with gold leaf -- I asked if it would be okay to add butterfly wings and the patron said she liked that even better than just an elephant (http://www.aprilyounglove.com/a-tiny-treasury?lightbox=dataItem-iswpc1ur1)
* Patron requested a large double wedding portrait that would be highly original and in my style, so after several sketch ideas, patron selected a painting of himself with a Cthulu head and his bride as a panda (see inset picture on this post)
* Patron liked an already sold painting of a polar bear and wanted a picture of a polar bear for her son, so I created one for her (http://www.aprilyounglove.com/a-tiny-treasury?lightbox=dataItem-iswpc1tu)
Typically, I receive a request, and then I put together a proposal with a description of the piece I will make and a quote for how much the commission would cost. Generally, if the work is similar to one that already exists, the price will be about the same as the one that already exists. Note that I will never paint an exact duplicate of a painting I have already made, but I will work to create an original variation on an existing theme that you will love.
After the patron gives feedback, then I draw up a contract that outlines what work will be done and how much the person will pay. At the time of the contract, I usually also submit sketches of what the work will look like. Sometimes I make several sketches and let the patron choose the one that best suits their wishes. For very large or expensive commissions, the contract may state that part of the funds will be received up front as a guarantee of final payment later.
Depending upon how large the work is and how long it takes me, I usually also send photographs of the work in progress to ensure that it is proceeding as desired. To date, all my patrons have given me very positive feedback about their commissions. I am happy to supply references upon request.
As an artist, typically I paint what I like and then hope that someday someone will want to buy it. I love commissions though because a) they are guaranteed sales, and b) I know that a commissioned work will hold an extra special place in a buyer's heart since they had direct input upon its creation.
Questions about the commission process or want to commission a work of your own? Contact me!
