Commission a painting

Should you commission a painting online – and how do you do it?

Obviously if you know an artist who has exactly the right style for your project, you can just approach them directly. That’s great if you are involved in the art world, or engage in a wide community of artists. But most people will find they have a more limited choice. So choosing to commission a painting online can be a great option.

Choice

You can browse through the work of literally thousands of artists and illustrators. Your choice is huge. That’s one of the big benefits of commissioning online – you can take your time to make sure you have explored as many options as you like.

Once you’ve drawn up a short-list, you can approach the artists and ask all those questions which may be critical to your final decision.

Most artists are only too pleased to discuss their work and your project. It’s also a chance to get to know them and build a relationship. If you’re not both in tune, it’s unlikely the work will be.

Be prepared to be turned down – it may sound strange, but an artist may not want your particular commission.  For example, I know one excellent artist who refuses to do portraits. ‘It’s too subjective,’ she says. ‘Everyone has a view on what is a good likeness. They often can’t agree on what’s a good photograph. So portraits can be a thankless job for an artist.’

This art business

It’s very romantic to think of artists starving in garrets – but painters don’t want to starve – in garrets or elsewhere. When you commission a painting, online or off, you are entering into a business contract. Money needs to be discussed.

Buying commercial illustration is usually fairly straightforward. You can give the illustrator a very detailed brief – purpose, size, style, medium etc. You may even supply references. In short, it’s a pretty clear commercial transaction.

It’s often less clear and open to more subjective judgements if you want to commission a painting for non-commercial use – as decoration for home or workplace for example.

However, giving a full brief with as much supporting information as possible, is critical to your relationship with the artist and the success of your commission.

Remember, you are paying for the artist’s time as well as their talent and training. Expect to pay a proportion of the fee upfront. This covers a payment for the artist’s time and materials if, for whatever reason, the work is not completed or rejected.

You are entering into a contract with the artist so it’s vital to get the terms and conditions ironed out right at the start. The success of the project is as much down to you as the artist.