Commissioning a piece of Art: How to and Do’s and Don’ts
After a bit of a break in October it has been great to get on with some work. I have been focusing on getting ready for my first Christmas Market on the 16th of December and then exhibiting my work at The Limping Fox 2 days later - there has been lots of decoration and card making as well as label printing and cutting! Now that I am pretty much ready for these upcoming events I have just started my next commission.
Since starting this ol’ art business of mine I have been very lucky to have completed several commissions, all of which have been very different for a variety of reasons. So, I thought this would be a good subject to write a blog on.
Signage Commissions for Fishponds Park, Surbiton.
I guess the first question is what is a commission? When you commission an artist you are asking them to create a piece of work for you. It is not an existing piece of work or a print, it is a bespoke piece of art made from scratch that will be one of a kind. The piece of art can be for a personal collection, a special event, or a corporate collection, but it is an original.
So, how do you go about commissioning an artist to create this bespoke piece of art? Well, once you have decided you want to do this and you have the funds to pay for it, you need to find an artist whose style you love and who offers commissions and contact them. It is advisable to look at the artists website to check out previous commissions as well as any information available about commissioning them. For example, many artists will only offer a fixed number of commission slots per year and these might already be booked up. Alternatively, they may not offer commissions.
‘The Bond’, surprise birthday gift.
Once you have found an artist and they have accepted your commission, it is very important that you are clear on what you would like. Commissioning a piece of art takes time, money and honesty and it should be a positive experience and the only way for this to be achieved is by valuing the professional relationship you are trying to establish with the artist. You need to be clear with the artist about what you want the art to be like; such as the subject matter, size and materials. Sharing with the artist reference images is a good visual way to give them an idea about what you are looking for.
If the piece of art will be hung or positioned in a specific part of your home, it will be beneficial to either show the artist or provide photos of where it will be placed. This way the artist can see the style of the room, the amount of light, the colours, furniture etc so they can consider this when planning your piece. It is so important to be specific and not vague on what you would like; you will be investing money and the artist their time and creativity so it is essential both parties are happy with the end result.
At this point both the collector and the commissioned artist need to establish the expectations of the project such as timeline, cost, expenses, copyright and delivery. It is recommended that a contract is completed and signed to ensure everyone is on the same page. The contract should be completed before the artist begins work on the piece and normally a 50% deposit is expected by a commissioning artist to ‘book them’. This protects both parties and ensures they hold up their end of the contract. As well as the money side of this arrangement the contract should also include a timeline so that the artist has deadlines to keep the work on track and the client will know when to check in on the progress of the work. Although a contract feels cold it ensures professionalism, clear expectations, and covers what happens if you don’t absolutely love the piece; will the artist make changes, and how many rounds of changes will they agree to before the collector will be expected to pay extra. By discussing, agreeing and signing on these areas at the start it will help to avoid conflicts such as these and maintain a positive relationship.
Once everything is agreed and the deposit is paid then the artist can begin the project. Communication is key and it is important both for the artist to keep you up to date on the progress of the work and for you to check in. This way any issues or concerns can be raised and dealt with swiftly and both parties feel supported and involved.
The relationship between artist and collector should be a positive one as you are both on this journey. The artist will expect and should encourage this.
‘Rolo’, Christmas gift
The penultimate stage of the process is the final view where you can check you are happy with it before it is delivered and installed. It is so important that you are honest at this stage; you will want a piece of original art that you enjoy and the artist will want you to be happy with it. If communication has been on going then any issues will have been rectified as they arose and the final view will be a time for you to feel excited and the artist to feel proud.
Pet Portrait Bunting, Pets on the Parade, Surbiton.
The final part of this journey is to show the artist how much you love the commissioned piece by leaving them a review on their website for potential collectors, show off your commission to friends and family, and give them permission to display it on social media. It will be very much appreciated!
Commissioning a piece of art is a lovely experience both for the customer and the artist. It is a personal journey for both parties and when successful it can build relationships. I have thoroughly enjoyed each commission that I have created partly because I love what I do but also because I value the act of making a bespoke piece of art for someone. It is a huge compliment when someone likes your work so much that they want you to create a piece just for them. I have been very lucky with my collectors and the relationships I have built when working on commissions, it’s one of the best parts of what I do!
Hope you enjoyed this months blog, only one more left for 2023!