Art is not what you see, but what you make others see…
Edgar Degas
We shape our homes and then our homes shape us.
Winston Churchill
Have you ever fallen in love with a piece of art and thought “if only it were a different size” or “the colours are a bit dark” or “it would be more personal with collaged elements from my trip to Hawaii”?
‘Bespoke’ or commissioned artwork may be exactly what you’re looking for. A painting that’s created just for you, based on your colour preferences, incorporating bits of your own story and in a size just right for that irregular wall in your home.
Many art collectors don’t realize that their favourite artists are all too happy to create personalized pieces. Not only does the collector get something uniquely special to them, the artist is thrilled to make art that connects so authentically with the buyer.
Once you’re clear on the type of art you love, use the list below to commission your favourite artist.
10 Tips for Commissioning Art
- Get to know the artist and their work. Spend time on their website and social media channels. Peruse their portfolio. Look at testimonials from previous collectors. Understand their preferred genre, medium and scale of work. If you’re looking for a large, oil-painting of your dog, an artist who paints small, abstract works in acrylic is unlikely to be a good fit.
- Take a good look at the pricing of the work they sell. Many artists charge more for commission work than pieces that arise out of their every day studio practice. If their price-point is higher than your budget, find another artist. Commissioning art is not like buying crafts at the local market; artist are unlikely to offer a discount on their work just to get a commission.
- Find out if they’re open to doing commission work. Not all artists enjoy painting commissions; it can be stressful to paint to please others or to work on a schedule. Search their website for information about previous commissions. Look for testimonials from commission collectors. If in doubt, reach out to them and ask. It’s possible that they are open to working on commission, but don’t want to loudly publicize it for fear of receiving too many inquires ;-).
- Know where you want to hang the work. This means that you’ll already have some idea of the general dimensions of the piece you want to commission. Because you’ve already looked at their prices (see #2 above), you’ll know that the size of painting you’re interested in commissioning is within your budget.
- Gather measurements and photos of the space. When deciding whether to accept a commission, most artists will want to know where the work will be displayed. We want to insure that the painting we create will look fabulous in your space. Visuals help us to help you determine whether the painting size, substrate and colour palette is appropriate to the place you’d like to display it. They also give us a better sense of your personal style and home decor.
- Have a colour palette in mind. You may have been drawn to a particular artist because of the colours they use in their work. Colour is powerful and very personal. If there’s a painting of theirs whose colours are what you’re looking for, draw their attention to it as a place to start the conversation. Similarly, if there’s a colour you have a strong negative response to, make sure you share that as well.
- Be open to the artist’s input. At this early stage in the commission process, the artist may make suggestions to you about other sizes, dimensions and colours that might work in your space. For example, you might have your heart set on a single, large rectangular painting for the wall above your couch. The artist might suggest a smaller pair or trio of paintings for the space because of the way your table lamps frame the couch. There will usually be a bit of back-and-forth at this point in the commission process. You and the artist are getting to know one another and ensuring that the work produced will be loved
- Understand the artist’s process and timeline. Most artists will provide you with a document outlining how they treat commissions. This document should include information about how long the work might take, when payment is required, whether and when you’ll have an opportunity to view the work in process, how the work will be shipped, what their refund policy is and any other details particular to their commission process. If you have a firm deadline (e.g., anniversary present), make sure to include this in the discussions.
- Respond to queries and payment requests promptly. Commission work may represent only a small portion of your artist’s business. They will likely be scheduling your creation around their usual studio practice, website updates, photographing art work, submitting pieces to shows and galleries, taking online courses and participating in artist mentorship groups. Help them keep to the schedule you’ve agree upon by answering any communication from them in a timely fashion. They will certainly respond to yours in kind.
- Enjoy your bespoke art! Take photos and share them with your friends and on your social media platforms. Word of mouth is how many artists find commissioners. Let the artist know how seeing the work made you feel. Testimonials not only give artists that all-important feeling of a successful commission, they also help alleviate any worries future collectors might have about the commission process.