Commissioning Original Art: What to Expect When You Hire an Artist
What is a painting commission?
A painting commission is when a collector or client approaches an artist directly and asks them to create a specific piece of artwork — often to a brief. It might be a portrait, a landscape of a meaningful place, or a piece made to match a particular interior. For many people, it feels like the ultimate way to own original art.
But the reality of commissioning a painting is more nuanced than it first appears — and it's worth understanding how different artists approach it before you pick up the phone.
Why many artists love commission work
For a lot of artists, commissions are the backbone of their income. They offer a reliable, predictable revenue stream in an otherwise unpredictable profession. There's also a real satisfaction in creating something deeply personal for a client — a portrait of a loved one, a scene from a family holiday, a piece made to fit a specific wall.
If you're looking to commission a painting, there are many talented artists who actively seek this kind of work and will thrive on the brief you give them. It can be a wonderful, collaborative experience.
Why I don't take prescriptive commissions
I'll be honest: I rarely take on prescriptive commissions — where a client has a very specific outcome in mind.
The reason is simple. When someone gives me a detailed brief, I spend the entire process second-guessing what's inside their head. Am I capturing the right mood? Is the colour palette what they imagined? That uncertainty gets in the way of the work itself — and I never produce my best painting under those conditions. That's not good for me, and it's certainly not good for the client.
My work is at its strongest when I'm painting what I feel compelled to paint. That's when the energy, the looseness, and the confidence come through — the qualities that make the piece worth owning in the first place.
The commissions I do take: open briefs
What I do welcome are open-brief commissions. You choose the subject and the size — a crowd at a place or event that matters to you, a landscape you know well, or a painting for a particular wall and colour scheme — and I paint it in one of the styles you already see on this site. You set the starting point; I keep the freedom that gives the painting its energy.
In practice it works like this:
- Agree the brief by email: subject, size, where it will hang, and any reference photos.
- 50% deposit before I start, with the balance due before shipping.
- 4–6 weeks to paint, with progress photos if you'd like them.
- Prices: £2,600 for a 61cm square deep-edged canvas and £3,600 for a 91cm square, unframed. Framing is quoted separately.
- Delivery: signed, dated and titled on the back, with a certificate of authenticity, shipped free worldwide.
Full details are on the Commission a Painting page.
Or choose a painting that already exists
If you'd rather see exactly what you're getting, every finished original I sell comes with a satisfaction guarantee: if you're not happy, we'll make it right. You can see how it feels and how it moves before you buy. There's no leap of faith required.
Prices range from £50 for miniatures to up to £3,600 for large 91cm square canvas paintings — all with free worldwide delivery included. Whether you're looking for something intimate for a bedside table or a statement piece for a living room wall, there's a painting ready to go.
There's also a practical advantage: paintings created freely, without a brief, tend to hold and grow their resale value better than commissioned pieces. They exist as complete artistic statements rather than bespoke objects tied to a specific request and client.
Tips if you are commissioning an artist
If a commission is what you're after, here's what to look for:
- Find an artist whose existing work you already love. Don't ask an artist to paint in a style that isn't theirs.
- Be clear, but leave room. The best commissions give the artist creative latitude within a loose framework.
- Agree on a process upfront — deposits, revision stages, timelines, and what happens if you're not satisfied.
- Trust the artist. Micromanaging a commission rarely ends well for either party.
Commission or browse
If you're drawn to my paintings, you can commission an open-brief painting or browse what's already available. Each finished piece is ready to ship, comes with full provenance, and is backed by my satisfaction guarantee.