Commission Work for Artists: Get, Price, and Manage It

Commissions can provide steady income and deepen relationships with collectors. But they also introduce complexity: client expectations, revision cycles, and the challenge of making personal work to someone else's specifications.

Here is how to find commission work, price it, and keep the process from going sideways.

This guide covers private and corporate commissions. Civic and percent-for-art projects run on a completely different track (competitive calls, selection panels, multi-year timelines), and are covered separately in public art commissions.

Finding Commission Clients

From Existing Collectors

Your best commission clients are people who already own your work. They have bought once, they know what they are getting, and they need no convincing about your prices. Follow up a few months after a sale, mention that you take commissions, and offer your existing collectors first access when slots open. A short, low-pressure email list is the most reliable channel most artists have for this; see email marketing for artists.

Portfolio Signals

Most commission inquiries never happen because the visitor could not tell whether you take them. Say so plainly: a commission page on your site, an inquiry form, a few examples of past commissions, and enough pricing information that people can self-select out. If you do not have a site yet, Artsume's portfolio gives you a shareable page with your work and contact route on it, and building an artist portfolio website covers the alternatives.

Social Media

• Post commission work (with permission)
• Share commission process content
• Mention open commission slots
• Respond to inquiries promptly

Process content does the heavy lifting here. Finished pieces get likes; the sketch-to-final sequence is what makes someone think "I could ask for one of those." Social media for artists covers what actually converts.

Referrals

Ask satisfied clients directly, and consider a referral incentive if that fits how you work. Interior designers and art consultants are worth cultivating separately, because a single relationship there can produce commissions for years without you doing any marketing at all.

Platforms

Some platforms handle commissions:

• Instagram DMs (most common)
• Your website inquiry form
• Etsy custom orders
• Thumbtack (for portraits)

Pricing Commissions

Commissions should cost MORE than finished work, not less. You are accommodating client preferences and giving up creative control.

Commission Pricing Formula

Base price (comparable finished work) + Commission premium (20-50%) = Commission price

Why charge more:

• Client meetings and communication time
• Revision cycles
• Creative constraints
• Rush potential
• Opportunity cost

Size-Based Pricing

Publish a small number of size tiers with a price range against each: something like up to 12x12, up to 24x24, up to 36x48, and custom quote above that. Fixed tiers stop every inquiry from becoming a negotiation, and they let a prospective client work out whether they can afford you before either of you spends an hour on email. Set the numbers from your own square-inch or hourly rate rather than copying another artist's; the pricing guide has the formulas.

Complexity Adjustments

Add fees for:

• Multiple subjects
• Complex backgrounds
• Reference photo quality (poor = more work)
• Rush delivery
• Special materials

Reference quality is the one that surprises people. A phone snapshot taken in a dark kitchen can add hours of guesswork to a portrait, so either charge for it or send the client shooting instructions. The basics in documenting artwork translate directly.

What NOT to Include

Framing, shipping, revisions past the agreed number, and any additional reference sessions are billed separately. Rolling them into a headline price makes you look expensive and leaves you absorbing costs you did not choose. Shipping artwork covers what crating and freight actually run.

The Commission Process

Step 1: Initial Inquiry

Collect information upfront:

• What they want (subject, size, style)
• Budget range
• Timeline needs
• How they found you
• Reference images

Use a form to standardize this.

Step 2: Quote and Proposal

Provide clear written quote including:

• Total price
• What is included
• Timeline
• Deposit requirement
• Revision policy
• Contract terms

Step 3: Deposit and Contract

Before starting any work:

• 50% deposit (non-refundable)
• Signed contract
• Approved reference materials

Never start without deposit. This filters out non-serious inquiries.

Step 4: Sketch/Concept Approval

Share initial concept before proceeding:

• Digital sketch or mockup
• Composition approval
• Color palette if relevant
• One round of major changes

Step 5: Work in Progress

Depending on project:

• Progress updates (photos)
• Midpoint check-in
• Approval before final details

Step 6: Final Approval and Payment

• Present finished work (photo first)
• Collect remaining 50%
• Ship or arrange pickup
• Request testimonial/photos in situ

Photograph the piece properly before it leaves the studio. It is the last chance you will get, and a commission you cannot show is a commission that generates no further work.

Managing Client Expectations

Clear Communication

Almost every commission that goes wrong went wrong in the first conversation. Be explicit about your style, because the client should want your work rather than a version of something else. Be explicit about the timeline you can actually hold, the number of revisions included, and the subjects you will not take on. None of this scares off good clients; it filters out the ones who were going to be a problem in week six.

The Right Clients

Good commission clients admire the work you already make, have a realistic budget, respect your process, and can say what they want. The warning signs run the other way: an ask to copy someone else's style, aggressive haggling before you have even quoted, a timeline that assumes you have no other commitments, and an inability to describe the piece beyond "something like the blue one but different."

Saying No

Not every inquiry should become a commission. Poor stylistic fit, unrealistic expectations, a bad feeling about the project, or a calendar already full are all sufficient reasons.

Polite decline: "Thank you for thinking of me for this project. After reviewing the details, I don't think I'm the right fit, but I wish you success finding the right artist."

Handling Revisions

Set Limits Upfront

Include in your contract:

• Number of revisions included (typically 1-2)
• What counts as a revision
• Cost for additional revisions

Types of Revisions

Minor (usually included):

• Small color adjustments
• Minor compositional tweaks

Major (may incur fees):

• Subject changes
• Complete composition redo
• Size changes

Beyond scope (requires new agreement):

• Changing subject entirely
• Adding elements not discussed
• Changing medium or style

When Client Is Never Satisfied

Sometimes projects do not work out:

• Return deposit minus work completed
• Release client from obligation
• Learn from the experience
• Consider what screening you could improve

Contracts and Deposits

Why Deposits Matter

A deposit proves the client is serious, covers your time if the project dies, and gives you working capital for materials. It also does quiet screening work: the people who balk at paying half up front are, reliably, the people who would have balked at the invoice too. Standard terms are 50% upfront and 50% on completion. Deposits are income in the year you receive them, which matters at tax time; see artist taxes and business structure.

Contract Essentials

See our contracts guide for detailed information. Key commission terms:

• Scope of work
• Price and payment schedule
• Timeline
• Revision policy
• Cancellation terms
• Rights and ownership
• Approval process

Kill Fees

If client cancels mid-project:

• Deposit is non-refundable
• Work completed beyond deposit = additional fee
• Typical: 25-50% of remaining balance

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Commissions can be rewarding income that deepens collector relationships, and the artists who sustain them are rarely the most talented ones in the room. They are the ones with published prices, a written contract, a deposit collected before the first mark, a timeline with slack in it, and the willingness to turn down the wrong client. Everything else is communication.

Selling finished work alongside commissions gives you somewhere to send the inquiries you decline. Selling art online covers that side of the business.

Ready to grow your commission business? Create your free Artsume profile to showcase your work and attract clients.

Related Guides:

• How to Price Your Artwork
• Artist Contracts and Legal Basics
• Selling Art Online