7 answers
Chloe
Student
Lumberton, North Carolina
3
Questions
Asked
1802 views
Artists what are your tips on how to do commissions of your work?
I'm currently a high school senior and I'm wondering more about how do to commissions properly(Ex:Doing pricing right,How to sent the work to the buyer Etc.) and some tips and tricks as well as your personal experiences with working on commissions since I would like to possibly do these someday in the future.
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7 answers
Paul Hultman
Freelance Illustrations
15
Answers
Torrington, Connecticut
Updated
Paul’s Answer
Hi Chloe, it's exciting to see you on your artistic journey! Explore what truly inspires you as an artist. If you already have a unique style, try using it in different ways. Share your best work with your art teacher, other artists, friends, or family, and ask for their feedback. Learn what makes your art appealing and what can be improved. Share your favorite pieces on social media and let people know you're available for commissions. Create a group or business page on Facebook and use other platforms to spread the word. You might start by making prints of your top pieces; places like Staples can help with that. Consider hosting a fun contest where you give away a piece of art to engage your audience, and then offer the same piece for sale. This is a great way to begin getting commissions. Be fair to yourself with pricing, and keep learning about marketing. Remember, every artist faces ups and downs, but your passion will always guide you. Good luck, Chloe!
✨ Danuta Chapin, MFA
Designer and Art Director
17
Answers
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Updated
✨ Danuta’s Answer
Hello Chloe, it's very exciting to do art commissions.
To start, pricing is where we struggle: price based on time + skill + demand.
Many artists underprice because they compare themselves to others. Your price is about your time and talent, not someone else’s.
First, research competitions and brainstorm inspirations and ideas.
- Estimate how long it will take you.
- Set an hourly rate you’re comfortable with.
- Add complexity fees (materials, extras, backgrounds, props, commercial use).
Charge extra for: commercial rights, rush orders, revisions beyond the agreed amount, and complex designs.
Create a Commission Sheet to reduce misunderstandings, your menu (you can download online and tweak it to your needs):
- What you offer and what you don’t offer
- Prices
- Examples
- Terms of service (TOS)
- Your contact
Clients like organized and clear communication, steps:
1. Inquiry & interview— Client tells you what they want. Have a list of questions.
2. Quote & Agreement— You give the price and timeline. You both confirm details in writing. Even a simple message like “Just to confirm, you want X, Y, & Z for $_.
3. Payment — (usually upfront or 50/50). - 100% upfront for small commissions.
- 50% upfront / 50% after sketch for larger ones.
4. Round 1 — Client approves the rough sketch.
5. Rendering & revisions— You finish the piece.
- 2 free revisions during sketch phase
- 1 small revision after final
- Anything beyond that = extra fee, keeps clients from endlessly tweaking.
6. Final approval & Delivery — Small tweaks. You send the final files.
Digital:
- Send high-resolution PNG or JPG
- Include a low-res version for social
- Use Google Drive, Dropbox, or email
- Name files clearly (e.g., “ClientName_Final.png”) and file back up for you.
Traditional:
- Package securely (rigid mailers, bubble wrap)
- Offer tracking and charge for shipping
Always keep a backup of the final digital file. Take pictures to document.
Clients sometimes lose their copy months later, and you can resend.
Important:
- Have a Terms of Service (TOS).
- Keep all communication in one place.
- Don’t apologize for your prices.
- Say no when needed.
- Communicate clearly and early. Clients are usually understanding when you’re transparent.
-The more confident you are, the smoother the process becomes.
I started in high school by volunteering for local and special assignments. After I won a few competitions, I was brave enough to take on my own. Good luck and have fun. Mistakes happen; learn from them and move forward. Market yourself, share your work on social, and start an online portfolio. It will be very easy to make updates and pivot. You can have it public or private and share it as a link. Good luck to you!
To start, pricing is where we struggle: price based on time + skill + demand.
Many artists underprice because they compare themselves to others. Your price is about your time and talent, not someone else’s.
First, research competitions and brainstorm inspirations and ideas.
- Estimate how long it will take you.
- Set an hourly rate you’re comfortable with.
- Add complexity fees (materials, extras, backgrounds, props, commercial use).
Charge extra for: commercial rights, rush orders, revisions beyond the agreed amount, and complex designs.
Create a Commission Sheet to reduce misunderstandings, your menu (you can download online and tweak it to your needs):
- What you offer and what you don’t offer
- Prices
- Examples
- Terms of service (TOS)
- Your contact
Clients like organized and clear communication, steps:
1. Inquiry & interview— Client tells you what they want. Have a list of questions.
2. Quote & Agreement— You give the price and timeline. You both confirm details in writing. Even a simple message like “Just to confirm, you want X, Y, & Z for $_.
3. Payment — (usually upfront or 50/50). - 100% upfront for small commissions.
- 50% upfront / 50% after sketch for larger ones.
4. Round 1 — Client approves the rough sketch.
5. Rendering & revisions— You finish the piece.
- 2 free revisions during sketch phase
- 1 small revision after final
- Anything beyond that = extra fee, keeps clients from endlessly tweaking.
6. Final approval & Delivery — Small tweaks. You send the final files.
Digital:
- Send high-resolution PNG or JPG
- Include a low-res version for social
- Use Google Drive, Dropbox, or email
- Name files clearly (e.g., “ClientName_Final.png”) and file back up for you.
Traditional:
- Package securely (rigid mailers, bubble wrap)
- Offer tracking and charge for shipping
Always keep a backup of the final digital file. Take pictures to document.
Clients sometimes lose their copy months later, and you can resend.
Important:
- Have a Terms of Service (TOS).
- Keep all communication in one place.
- Don’t apologize for your prices.
- Say no when needed.
- Communicate clearly and early. Clients are usually understanding when you’re transparent.
-The more confident you are, the smoother the process becomes.
I started in high school by volunteering for local and special assignments. After I won a few competitions, I was brave enough to take on my own. Good luck and have fun. Mistakes happen; learn from them and move forward. Market yourself, share your work on social, and start an online portfolio. It will be very easy to make updates and pivot. You can have it public or private and share it as a link. Good luck to you!
Thomas Daniel
Write, act, edit video, and art
6
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
Hello there, hope all is fine.
I suggest reaching out to find a client.
Example: Someone writes a fanfiction you like, contact them to make art based on their work.
I suggest reaching out to find a client.
Example: Someone writes a fanfiction you like, contact them to make art based on their work.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Jamey leigh
Claudia Tieku
Illustration Major
1
Answer
Columbus, Ohio
Updated
Claudia’s Answer
Hello! Awesome that you're interested in doing art commissions. :) For pricing, there are a couple of ways you can go about pricing your client. Many do an hourly rate, like for example $15/hr, $20/hr, etc. It's primarily up to you regarding how much you'd like to price your work, but consider the amount of labor that will go into doing the commission, and that could either increase or decrease the price! For example, a drawing with a character might be priced less compared to a drawing with a character in an environment. I would also recommend seeing how other artists price their commissions, since that could give you an idea for your prices!
For sending the work, it depends on whether you're doing traditional or digital art! For digital, I recommend doing that through email to make sure the quality remains crisp, and .png files are often better to send unless they ask for another file type! Sending the work through platforms like Instagram tends to lower the resolution from my experience, so that might be something to consider. For traditional, utilizing sites such as Etsy might be beneficial because of the shipping option that is available.
For my personal experiences, I find it's important to ask questions such as the dimensions of the art piece, if they have a reference for what they're envisioning, and showing progress throughout every step to make sure everything's go smoothly. I'd especially make sure they're satisfied within the beginning stages so there's less to change moving forward. I know some require the client to pay a bit extra if they require major changes after the beginning stages, so that might be something to consider! Hopefully this helps! Feel free to ask if you have anymore questions or need further explanations for something. :)
For sending the work, it depends on whether you're doing traditional or digital art! For digital, I recommend doing that through email to make sure the quality remains crisp, and .png files are often better to send unless they ask for another file type! Sending the work through platforms like Instagram tends to lower the resolution from my experience, so that might be something to consider. For traditional, utilizing sites such as Etsy might be beneficial because of the shipping option that is available.
For my personal experiences, I find it's important to ask questions such as the dimensions of the art piece, if they have a reference for what they're envisioning, and showing progress throughout every step to make sure everything's go smoothly. I'd especially make sure they're satisfied within the beginning stages so there's less to change moving forward. I know some require the client to pay a bit extra if they require major changes after the beginning stages, so that might be something to consider! Hopefully this helps! Feel free to ask if you have anymore questions or need further explanations for something. :)
Aisha Taylor
Mortgage Closing Specialist
494
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Aisha’s Answer
Starting commissions as a high school artist is an exciting journey! Here's what you need to know: Pricing should reflect your time, materials, and skills. Look into what similar artists charge and value your work fairly. You can use hourly rates or set prices based on how complex the work is. Communication is key—use a simple contract to outline what you will deliver, any revisions, the timeline, and payment terms to avoid confusion. For Payment, it's smart to ask for half upfront and the rest when you finish to protect yourself. Delivery can be through email, cloud storage, or mail with tracking; always keep backups of your artwork. Tips: Set realistic deadlines, limit revisions, ask for reference images or clear descriptions, and keep a portfolio of your best work. Start with friends or on social media to gain experience and reviews, then gradually increase your prices as you get more demand. Most importantly, treat it professionally even as you learn—being clear and reliable will build your reputation and bring you repeat clients.
Sean Fannin
Illustrator
1
Answer
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Sean’s Answer
Hello! I am a freelance illustrator with about 10 years of career experience in design. That's a pretty broad question, but hopefully I can help with a couple points.
Pricing is confusing and uncertain for everyone in the arts. For reference, I currently charge $50/hr for my work (doing commercial illustration- think stationery, gift bags, cards, tote bags and such), as I've found the kinds of clients I have expect something in the $30-60 range. As someone starting out, you'd likely want to go much lower. Think about how long a project will take you and any cost of materials, and what you'd like to be paid for your time. Another thing you can do is to ask your client what their budget for the project is, and let them know you can tailor your approach to the project based on that.
As for how to send a client your work, the main things to think about are dimensions and color space. If the art will live digitally, you'll want to use a sRGB color space, and if it's print you will want to use CMYK. The dimensions in either case will depend on the project, so be sure to ask! But for print work make sure you are at at least 300dpi. I usually work a bit larger than the size they want in case they want to make it bigger later.
A general outline of how a project goes is like this: the client approaches me with a project, we discuss budget and I give them a pricing quote, we sign a contract. I then start the research phase where I ask them questions and start to look for inspiration and references on sites like Pinterest. Depending on the project, I might send them sketches. Then I do a first draft of the final work. Sometimes the first draft is a winner, but often it will need a round or 2 of tweaks. Once the art is approved, I send them the working files along with my invoice. Then, hopefully within 30 days, I get paid.
As for some general advice; make sure to ask as many questions as you need to to make sure you deliver the client exactly what they want. They'll appreciate your attention to detail rather than it making you seem inexperienced. It's best to have a simple contract that you both sign before you begin any work so that both of you are protected (samples of these can be found online). In my industry, it's standard to be paid after all work is complete and final files are sent, but in other industries it can be best to ask for a percentage up front first.
I hope there were some nuggets of useful info in there for you! Best of luck, it can be a great field to work in and the freelancer community is a friendly and helpful bunch.
Pricing is confusing and uncertain for everyone in the arts. For reference, I currently charge $50/hr for my work (doing commercial illustration- think stationery, gift bags, cards, tote bags and such), as I've found the kinds of clients I have expect something in the $30-60 range. As someone starting out, you'd likely want to go much lower. Think about how long a project will take you and any cost of materials, and what you'd like to be paid for your time. Another thing you can do is to ask your client what their budget for the project is, and let them know you can tailor your approach to the project based on that.
As for how to send a client your work, the main things to think about are dimensions and color space. If the art will live digitally, you'll want to use a sRGB color space, and if it's print you will want to use CMYK. The dimensions in either case will depend on the project, so be sure to ask! But for print work make sure you are at at least 300dpi. I usually work a bit larger than the size they want in case they want to make it bigger later.
A general outline of how a project goes is like this: the client approaches me with a project, we discuss budget and I give them a pricing quote, we sign a contract. I then start the research phase where I ask them questions and start to look for inspiration and references on sites like Pinterest. Depending on the project, I might send them sketches. Then I do a first draft of the final work. Sometimes the first draft is a winner, but often it will need a round or 2 of tweaks. Once the art is approved, I send them the working files along with my invoice. Then, hopefully within 30 days, I get paid.
As for some general advice; make sure to ask as many questions as you need to to make sure you deliver the client exactly what they want. They'll appreciate your attention to detail rather than it making you seem inexperienced. It's best to have a simple contract that you both sign before you begin any work so that both of you are protected (samples of these can be found online). In my industry, it's standard to be paid after all work is complete and final files are sent, but in other industries it can be best to ask for a percentage up front first.
I hope there were some nuggets of useful info in there for you! Best of luck, it can be a great field to work in and the freelancer community is a friendly and helpful bunch.
Douglas Cerzosimo
Professor
1
Answer
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Updated
Douglas’s Answer
Dear Chloe,
My best advice is to do what works for you in a natural sense. I know that seems odd now. In time, it will resonate and you will be more confident. Thus, clients or people interested in buying your artwork will have confidence in you as an artist.
However, there are multiple methods for selling Artwork. An artist can work with a gallery. Yet galleries all take a commission percentage of each artwork sold. Usually close to 50% and as much as 75%.
You can also advertise online. ETSI is a popular website that many artists use. And there is another Artist website called Artstore that helps you create an independent Artist platform to sell.
These are a few examples. Most of all be confident and always ask more than you think your art is worth. You can always lower your price or cite special deals for special clients. Perseverence is King.
My best advice is to do what works for you in a natural sense. I know that seems odd now. In time, it will resonate and you will be more confident. Thus, clients or people interested in buying your artwork will have confidence in you as an artist.
However, there are multiple methods for selling Artwork. An artist can work with a gallery. Yet galleries all take a commission percentage of each artwork sold. Usually close to 50% and as much as 75%.
You can also advertise online. ETSI is a popular website that many artists use. And there is another Artist website called Artstore that helps you create an independent Artist platform to sell.
These are a few examples. Most of all be confident and always ask more than you think your art is worth. You can always lower your price or cite special deals for special clients. Perseverence is King.