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Commission tutorial
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Published: 2009-03-19 17:19:52 +0000 UTC; Views: 299036; Favourites: 10013; Downloads: 4492
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Yes it's true, new monthly tutorials are now available via my Patreon
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Over the past three years I've done loads of successful commissions, and have commissioned others successfully as well. I have never had an issue with my transactions because I did my research before I started, and asked others who were doing commissions themselves how they were managing. However, not everyone has the time to go and note everyone (or, if you're getting noted, you may not have time to answer inquiries constantly)! So for your perusal and reference, here are some helpful tips to help you get started with taking commissions on DA.
This tutorial is more for people who offer commissions, but I have a few words for those who take them as well:
- Do your research. Make sure you're getting art from a reliable artist!
- Art costs money. Don't haggle down, its insulting. Don't forget, you're also getting free advertising when they post it to their gallery (for example, who here doesn't know Audley 's Castor ;3 )
- Don't be afraid to pimp the artists who did good work for you! Here is my list!
Raraarrar you know the drill, feel free to comment w/ questions if you got em, thanks for reading etc
The pics in the icons are mostly from the LJ random image generator, they're (c) to the internet, I suppose XD Except for Kash, he's (c) Geico.
My other tutorials:
Pose tutorial
Expression tutorial
Hand tutorial
Foot tutorial
Ladies tutorial
Fellas tutorial
Face tutorial
Coloring Walkthrough
Related content
Comments: 1342
what if the commissioner never puts their commission up? have a friend who does commissions and i am worried they will remain rather unknown because while they accept commissions it only sounds like one person does and that person staunchly requests none of the art they commission be posted. is this ethical? it sounds like they want to hog someone's talent to themselves. they also never post the art to their own galleries or anything. is like buying a painting and instead of putting it up on your mantle or anything, you lock it in a basement and occasionally go down there to look at it.
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Well, legally the commissioner can't deny the person from posting the things in their gallery unless they had signed a legal contract. Unless you buy the rights to the piece, you don't get to determine how the piece is used. But just between two people the commissioned artist probably wants to do what the person who is paying them requests.
If you think this would be something you couldn't do, you should make sure to work that out with the commissioner beforehand. Like, you personally. If your friend is cool with it then I guess there isn't much you can do (except be curious about the commissions, haha)
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This will be very useful in the future. Thank you for all the information.
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Thank you so much for this! I don't usually draw for others, but I am wanting to gain more watchers, gain more experience, and add a little on the side. I found this very helpful :3
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Thank you! This helps a lot. I've been wondering around deviant art for a long time and only recently think that I'm capable of doing this, so this Tutorial really helped me out.
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I wonder why "Do you do furries" is in bold. Is that a hint that it's popular so be prepared to answer that a lot (typically in the negative), or that maybe it's a good idea to learn it? Anyways, it made me laugh. All of your tutorials are very helpful and inspiring-- and the fact that they have a lot of humor keeps it fresh, and not like reading a textbook for homework.
Thank you for your dedication to the dA community.
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It's in bold mostly because it made me laugh to imagine someone yelling it, haha. And glad you like my stuff!
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How to do send digital commissions you print them and ship them ? I never got that please tell me!
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You should work that out with the person who commissions you 
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Could you practice doing commissions with requests? Obviously you can't get someone to pay you, but would it be good to get familiar with people asking you to draw stuff for them?
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Absolutely. In fact I recommend it highly as a way to test your speed and any skills you plan on offering as a commission.
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Ok, thank you!
Whenever I'm ready for requests, I usually announce it through my journals. Some people respond, but I don't get enough people. Obviously, I can't force people, but I'd like to do more character designs for people.
Do you have any suggestions on how I can get more people? Are there any better ways to advertise it to people? I feel like I'm not doing it right.
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Honestly, I would just go for doing gift art. First advantage is you can choose what you find personally interesting or challenging. Second advantage is that people you make the gift for will often share it and create some free advertisement for your work, should you want to cultivate a larger request/ commission group. There's really no downside
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Ok, thanks.
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Thank you so much as well, this is very useful for me right now ^.^ Cheers~
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Thank you so much for creating this.
I could not figure out how to do this properly and you've given great guidelines here. I will be fixing my offer accordingly
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This is an interesting tutorial, but I'm confused about how both parties would sign a contract over the internet. Paying someone/receiving money through Paypal is secure enough, but I doubt anyone wants to do something like fax a signed document to a stranger from the internet. When you mentioned google-ing an artist contract, did you mean more like an informal agreement? I'm going to be getting someone to help me with flat colors and we will probably need some kind of agreement in place, but we will probably not meet each other in person.
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It's fairly typical for contracts to be signed online. You can send the artist a contract you pull from a template online, have them review and sign it, then you sign. Then provide them a copy of this signed contract and keep one for yourself. There are multiple ways to sign a form digitally (using Adobe Reader or whatever) but it's also ok to send it through the mail (though it takes longer).
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sir, what are you give to the commisioner? whether the master file, or JPEG (or similiar image file) or the other?
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You work that out with the commissioner beforehand!
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With commissions do you post them to there house or do you transfer it electronically
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That's up to you and your commissioner
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Ahhh this is so helpful thank you so much!
But I do have a question about delivery, if you wouldn't mind answering. Is that something that you should just offer when explaining your commissions? And is it something that should be charged extra for? Also, do they just give you an address to have the art delivered to? Because I know I wouldn't give my address out to someone on the internet but maybe that's just me.
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First of all, your icon is great. Secondly THANK YOU for this!
I once did commissions a while back on an older account, and though it was fun, it also was VERY unprofessional which is something I don't want! I had a fairly good idea about what I wanted to do but outside sources are never bad! So thank you so much for this!
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I still don't know how to value my artwork.
Is it ok to charge 10$ for a simple lineart like this ytegg99.deviantart.com/art/Fir… ? should I charge more?
Also thank you for a very helpful tutorial
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I still don't know how to value my artwork.
Is it ok to charge 10$ for a simple lineart like this :thumb455882079: ? should I charge more?
Also thank you for a very helpful tutorial
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When in doubt, check what minimum wage in your area is and evaluate how long it takes you to make what you're selling. If the cost/ time balance is too skewed, keep practicing on your own art, fanart, or giftart until it reaches a viable point. Good luck!
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this is really helpful! thanks for putting this together! I have a better idea for where to start if i ever want to open commisions!
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I think setting low prices is kind of a terrible idea if you're planning to hike them up later. It's better to charge what you intend from the get-go. Maybe you won't get as many initial sales but that gives you time to adjust to doing commissioned art, and build a relationship with the people who did hire you. It's better to gain visibility through satisfied customers than with low prices. Others will see that you do good hired work and work well with others, and will want your business through that.
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Well, it should depend on several factors. If you're an industry pro and don't rely on commissions for any major part of your income then sure. If you're starting out, I don't agree. I used to charge less than a third of what I do now, but my skills a few years ago aren't what they are now either. Someone would be foolish to pay me that much (unless the market would support it). And, in any industry, you work your way up the income ladder with experience and time. Obviously anyone can do whatever they want but from my experience it's a bit counterproductive to charge what a popular or well-known artist does from the outset until you are certain you're able to command and sustain that kind of pricing.
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Thanks for the tips! I think I followed pretty much everything in your tutorial, I looked at several commission sheets and journals as a reference for doing mine.
But getting known is so hard! I think I have good works, but I have low watch rates :/
I am trying to get looked by using groups.
Hopefully it will work soon.
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If you really want to fast-track it in a way that doesn't involve fanart of media stuff, its really nice to do fanart for artists you like who are on dA or Tumblr... not only is it great practice but people can share and see that kind of thing easily, and you'll tend to make stronger and more personal networks that way. I started messing around and posting art online back in like, 2006 or 2007 or something... the friends I made then (and since then) have helped me from everything from getting commissions to getting irl jobs. So it can really pay off in spades if you're willing to put in the time in effort to network and to improve your work and your artistic process.
Good luck!
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Thank you! I'll definitely do so! Thank you so much for the advice!
By the way, loved your art! Gonna watch you
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excuse me, can you please explain how using Paypal for commissions work?
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Sorry for bothering, but on my page it says I've earned 80 points but I haven't been notified of someone asking for a commission and I'm quite worried about people paying me and I'm not giving anything back. How do you see who is giving you points for commissions?
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Oh sorry my thing had a glitch I think. No one has paid me for commissions XD
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This is wonderful advice!! No wonder it's a daily deviation.
I'm having trouble advertising my commissions. I think my prices are reasonable, and people seem to look, but no one is buying.
Do you have any advice?
I tried facebook, tumblr, and DA on fourms and maaaany groups.
fav.me/d7avx4w
There is my "posted" information.
What should I do?
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There are only ever two answers to this question: time+effort, or money... money means buying ads for yourself. This one is tricky because on the one hand you can increase exposure, but on the other hand people may stay disinterested for the same reason they weren't interested in the first place (whatever that might be). Or it could work out well. But seeing as you probably want to make money and not spend it, that's not necessarily your best option.
I'd recc time+effort... that means just doing more work, putting it out there, and talking to people. If you truly have something worth buying, people will buy it. That's pretty much how I end up spending money on commissions... I'll see someone's stuff and if it's good enough I will kind of beg them to take my money, haha... but they might not have reached me if I hadn't heard about them from a friend, or stumbled across their work, etc. The more work you do is not only creating more buzz/ free advertisement for yourself, but is also an example of what you offer and shows off your personality and what you're great at doing. In the end, that is what gets you customers and helps you to retain them.
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Awesome. This is actually extraordinarily eye opening (and giggle enticing). Thanks for making it
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Hi, Thanks for the useful tips. This is what I'm looking for. I've been trying to make commision, but don't know how to do it.
I'd like to ask , what should I do to make people notices that I'm offering some commisions?
I'm kinda new to this whole things. eventhough it's been years I'm using dA.
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I have some tips in the tutorial, but there's no fast/ easy answer. One really just has to keep basic marketing principles in mind (network, continue to advertise for yourself over several sites and do good work) and make sure they are offering a product that people would really want.
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I see... I think I haven't tried to advertise myself in sites and only focus in one sites.
I'll try to do that from now on.
Thanks a lot
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I'm kind of a newbie too but i guess a Journal Post would work. There's also a Commision Widget you can add and it's for free members too.
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