So what's involved in a commission?

This is the typical process.

Commission Sample

  1. You send me a request for a commission quote. This request can be as long or as short as you want. The more information you provide, the quicker I can work out a quote.
  2. I send you a quote, a rough timeframe for how long the work will take, and when I can likely start. Sometimes I have other commitments that will prevent me from starting straight away.
  3. Once the quote and any details have been agreed to, I send a contract which basically is a pdf file with all the details that we have discussed. I put this in place so that you know what you will be getting, how much it's going to cost, and when you are going to get it.
  4. You pay a deposit (or the full amount if under $100). By paying me, you are agreeing to all the terms and conditions in the contract.
  5. I start work. The first step is thumbnailing. I generally do a couple of quick scribbles to work out the rough composition. For some commissions, this step is skipped if the brief is really specific. Typically this takes a week or two. During this time I gather references, research related topics and work through how the commission will look when finished.
  6. Line art. Depending on the complexity of the commission and the medium, this may be a black and white Thumbnailingsketch, or be a nearly completely rendered greyscale painting. Again this takes between 1 and 2 weeks. After the lineart is approved, no major changes to the contents of the painting may be made.
  7. Colour concepts. Generally I do one or two colour sketches to work out details such as costumes, skies, folliage, general mood of the painting. These are never detailed, and often a quick paint over of the lineart. This is delivered, if required, at the same time as the lineart. Please note, only minor colour changes are allowed after this is approved.
  8. Final colour painting takes between 2 and 6 weeks. I try to give some updates along the way, but quite often things are built up over a long period. Because I do commission work primarily on the weekend, I tend to paint in large blocks only once a week.
  9. Final minor adjustments are made, the final payment is received, and the painting is sent to it's new home!

Lineart