Do You Do Commissions?

Do you do commissions? [t-h-i-n-k]

Watching this video of Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo receiving client feedback may have you reconsider doing commissions. . .

Commission Agreements [k-n-o-w]

Commission agreements should always be in writing. Create a document that both you and the collector sign with the details of what you’re creating, the size, medium, substrate, timeline and pricing, along with a deposit schedule, applicable sales tax and shipping.

[G-R-O-W]

Commissions can add to the bottom line for your year but also come with a cost. The cost is that you often have to recreate something you previously did, but this time in a different size or palette. Commissions less likely involve doing something brand new. If this doesn’t feel authentic to you and how you work, just say no to doing commissions. If this sounds like an exciting problem solving project that you’d love to dive into, then your answer will be yes.

Some artists do two versions of the commission and let the collector pick the one they prefer. This can remove some of the pressure felt during the creative process.