After being approached a number of times on whether I would do commissions, on this last time, I decided to take the dive and it turned out to be a great experience.

There were a few elements that I realized and would recommend going forward to other artists:

1. Create a contract form. I realized that not everyone has the same expectations of how the process would work (many clients don’t apparently), so it’s important to be able to explain what to expect. A few elements I thought were important:
   • Explain what the subject specification was. It was helpful just to keep in mind what it would look like in the end, as if the complexity increased, the rate should also increase. Asking a few questions would help as well:
     • What kind of mood are you looking for?
     • Are there particular colours you would like to feature?
     • (if a portrait) Is there an expression of the subject matter that you would like to capture?
   • Ask for a deposit up front. I suspect that a lot of artists would have trouble asking for something up front, especially before starting the work. It did help to ensure to me that this was a serious request.
   • Create ample time for delivery of the product. I added in a timeframe I would complete the project, but gave myself a significant amount of time. Knowing this with certainty helped me accept the commission that I would not feel pressured to create.
   • Write in a sketch approval process. I had to think through what would happen with my preliminary sketches. The sketches allowed me to provide something of value after I received the deposit, which I think is important for the client. I think it was important to mention that there would only be one round of modifications, as I am sure that some other clients may request many changes, and you would then be stuck in a loop of trying to fix things.
2. Know that your style was chosen for a reason
   • I certainly face a lot of self-doubts. That said, if the person chose your work, that means they like what you can do and it is your style that is worth it.
   • I repeatedly reminded myself that if the client really wanted a photograph, they could have already obtained that. Instead, they want something of your style and that is precisely what makes the art valuable.
3. Feel free to study up your subject
   • I spent quite a bit of time practicing sketching of birds in this case, and that was all quite helpful as well and rather fun.
   • I also spent time finding new reference materials and found that to be helpful given the reference materials provided by the client appeared to vary significantly. That said, the reference material from the client helped give me an idea of what she was looking for.

All in all, I would consider doing it again, and would recommend it! It definitely helps given that art shows can be costly and this helps with the cash flow of the business.