SELL ART COMMISSIONS (THE RIGHT WAY)

The other day I was reading a blog post I wrote when I was just beginning to sell custom art commissions in my business. It was a venting article — one that got quite a bit of attention from artists who could relate with my inner turmoil about the stress of custom artwork. However, while reading it back to myself, I realized that I could no longer relate to it. Now, I know better. Now, I know how to reduce the stress by using systems, taking only jobs I like and following a set process. Read this article and you can know better too 🙂

ONLY CREATE CUSTOM WORK IF YOU WANT TO

Know that custom work is not scalable. In other words, you can’t do the work once and make money from it a thousand times. You do the work once and make money from it once. 

Commissions are one-of-a-kind pieces for people that you create based on what they request specifically. What I get requests for a lot are couple portraits, family portraits, or illustrations of places that are special to the customer. I can’t really sell a portrait of the customer and her boyfriend a hundred times over in my online shop — that would be awkward because it’s personal to them and feels unethical since that person likely paid a few hundred but someone else could buy a print for the print price, which is more like 30 bucks. 

You create it for one person, and sell it once.

So that means, unless it’s something you love and genuinely WANT to do, don’t create custom work. It’s not a smart business decision unless you enjoy it. You won’t likely become a millionaire from custom commissions unless you love it, focus on it, and charge a high-end price. 

If you want to be a full-time artist without having to create new custom work all the time or charge thousands for it, create work that’s scalable instead. Whether you produce prints or do single-piece originals, it can reduce your workload to make art that can be bought by more than just that one person. Better yet, create multiples of your work in the form of prints, or put your illustrations onto merchandise such as mugs or stickers. Then you can sell that one piece to anyone in your target market multiple times. If you aren’t sure who you’re selling to, check out my post on finding your target audience. 

COLLECT A DEPOSIT

I require each customer to pay a $50 deposit just to reserve a spot in my calendar. It’s non refundable. I collect this after discussing what they want done and agreeing that it’s a great fit for both of us.

Collecting a deposit before selling an art commission protects you. If they bail out on the project right before you begin and you don’t have enough time to fill that calendar slot anymore, you still keep that deposit. If they bail halfway through the project, you still keep that deposit for your time and material costs. 

Collecting a deposit also weeds out people who aren’t really serious about getting work from you. Have you ever heard those horror stories of people who request custom work only to be like, “Hmmm, I dunno I don’t really like it that much I don’t want it,” when you’re finished? They weren’t in love with your style. They weren’t dead set on getting a custom painting for their mom’s birthday. They weren’t serious enough for you to waste your time on them. With a deposit, only people who are willing to fork up the cash will approach you. You’ll repel that wishy-washy type of person and avoid the issue of non-payment.

HAVE A SYSTEM TO FOLLOW

Every client should go through the same process in order to work with you. 

My system goes like this: They contact me for a request and we chat about what they want and see if it’s a good fit. If yes, they pay me a non-refundable deposit of $50 to save their spot in my calendar. When their time comes, I message them to say I’m starting on their work to make sure they’re still interested. If no, I keep their deposit and carry on my way. If yes, I begin. After sketching, I show them the outline and allow them to make any changes they’d like. When this is approved, I add paint and finish the piece. They get a digital file of their piece. They pay me the remaining balance and then I send them their physical prints in the mail.

Every customer should have the same experience and follow the same rules. 

Create a FAQ page or a custom work page on your website so that when anyone asks, you can send them there or copy and paste your process to them. You can’t expect them to know your rules and process unless you tell them. 

For instance, I only allow changes to the commission piece at one stage of the process: sketching. They can make as many unlimited changes then as they’d like for free. After I add paint, no changes may be made. Not even for an extra fee. 

You may choose to handle corrections differently in your process if you don’t hate them as much as I do! You might allow unlimited changes whenever, as long as they pay you $10 extra each time. However you handle it, just make sure it’s a cemented part of your process.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Communication creates a happy customer. Setting expectations for what they’re going to get allows them to choose wisely if they really want to work with you or not. 

Inform customers of your entire process BEFORE they pay you. This eliminates the need for your customer to ask you 20 questions and makes it easier on them. It makes it easier on you, too, because you won’t have to tell them, “No, I don’t do it like that,” every time they want something extra. They’ll know what you offer them and for how much and in what time frame already.

Inform customers of your rules BEFORE the question or problem arises. If you charge $10 per image change during your process but you never tell them that, they likely will assume that it’s free. And when they ask you to tweak part of the painting, you’ll be annoyed and they’ll get a surprise fee they didn’t know about. Not a recipe for a happy customer.

Also make sure to tell them what YOU want from them. If you need them to send you three images of their dog at different angles before you draw him up, tell them that. If you want them to share it on their Instagram when they get their custom artwork in the mail, tell them that! Encourage them to share your work or ask them for a testimonial on working with you. But they might never do it if you don’t ask.

SAY NO TO WHOEVER YOU WANT

If you discuss a concept with a potential client and you aren’t a great fit, say no!

For instance, I’ve had people ask me to do work that was quite frankly not my style. I always tell them that I can’t make my work in someone else’s style. I don’t do realism, I don’t do warm colors, I don’t do overtly sexual stuff, I just don’t. I love that work when other people do it, but it’s not something I offer. 

When people want something completed by tomorrow but your process takes two weeks, say no. Saying yes means you’ll be lying, unable to complete it, you’ll feel bad, and they’ll be unsatisfied because you won’t follow through true to your word.

If you feel uncomfortable exchanging money or doing business with friends or family, say no. You can just tell them that “you don’t mix money and loved ones,” and call it a day. They’ll understand that you wouldn’t want any potential money dispute to come in between a relationship that means a lot to you. 

It’s perfectly acceptable to decline a client for any reason (as long as it’s not discriminatory or something). You can let them down softly by recommending another artist that might do work in the style they’re looking for or might be able to give them what they need. 

It should feel good to sell art commissions. If it feels bad, you’re doing something wrong.

Boundaries are important. Set them, keep them.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

You don’t have to write a haughty terms and conditions page that’s 100 pages long and send it to each client who wants to work with you to sign in golden pen. But you should at least have a terms page on your site and communicate in writing (DMs are usually cool) certain legal things before you make an art commission for someone. 

Protect yourself by letting the client know that your work is for personal use only. They do not own the rights to your intellectual work. They may not resell or recreate your art without explicit permission in writing. They may not use it for their own business or to make money from. 

This prevents them from taking your art that you thought would become a cute wall decoration and instead using it as their business logo and printing it on every product they ever make in their business. Ya know?

Make sure they know the basics too. The deposit is nonrefundable. They can or can’t get a refund if their grandma didn’t like your painting. 

Usually I include this in my FAQs page, which I send to every client. Or I copy and paste it into our chat along with the process guidelines. 

I’m not a lawyer, so don’t take my advice as personal legal advice, but just make sure you’re covered. 

ART COMMISSIONS CAN BE FUN

I used to be so stressed about them. Now, not so much. I take them when I feel inspired by a client’s vision or I want some extra income, but my business doesn’t rely on them. I love making that personal connection in collaborating with someone creatively but I rely on scalable things to make me money. You can take any approach you want to custom artwork, but keep this information in mind when choosing which clients, what type of work, and what attitude you approach the job with.