Starting on taking commissions

Running short of time to give a full response but on the question of a deposit I do ask for an initial non-refundable payment (usually about 20% of the full price) which will cover me for time researching the subject, travelling costs and time , costs of photography, and time for making preliminary sketches. In other words my initial out-of-pocket expenses. This will all be included in the agreed sale price and the balance due on completion. However I make it clear that the balance will only be payable if the client is happy with the finished work - if not the painting stays in my gallery . Other points to consider are copyright, certificate of authenticity, time scales etc. I have a standard letter I use for new clients and will be happy to forward a copy if you care to drop me an email at [email protected].

Hi Karen, I`ve been selling commissions on my etsy site for probably 2 years now, but i dont take a deposit, they pay me for the work up front, I hav`nt had to deal with anyone not wanting the commission I did for them. (touch wood!)., where can I see your work? I`m always a fan of animal art :) ! though most of my animal paintings are silhouettes of animals in the foreground, Stu my work online

I will do as Phil suggests and Google Alyson Stanfield, but before doing that - I have accepted several commissions over the years (and still would, roll up, roll up,bargains on every counter! - ahem) but have not asked for a deposit, and in none of these cases was my work returned as not up to snuff. Perhaps I've been lucky - indeed, the experience of a recently deceased friend of mine, who was a wonderful oil painter, suggests I have. One of his paintings was rejected by the purchaser until he put a bit of detail in the landscape - he specialized in sky paintings, and the spare treatment of the landscape was part of his vision. He made the alterations rather than bringing the canvas crashing down over the buyer's head, but he wasn't happy about it and all the pleasure went out of it for him, because he believed I think that he'd spoiled his own painting. If you took a deposit - I don't remember if he did or not - you could be faced with this dilemma; either return the money and keep your painting, or tweak it to fit in with the soft furnishings or whatever. In truth, I don't think that for most of us there's a lot of point until you're in the position of being able to turn away work - ie, you're so busy that you have to prioritize, and the deposit is then a means of stemming the flow, weeding out the not-serious, and helping you to keep going in the meantime. If commissions become a regular business for you, then yes - ask for a deposit as a percentage of the total value of the work: how much is up to you. If you're really not in that league, then why bother? You'll learn from the painting experience, you won't really have suffered any loss if the buyer then doesn't buy, other than a jolt to your self-esteem which you'd have anyway, and it's not really as if you'd have been doing anything else in the time it took .... or nothing that's worth serious money. I think in short that you have to have a good hard look at yourself and assess just where you are in your career. Asking for a deposit would be standard practice if you were up and running in business; in an essentially amateur-status painter, it just looks a bit nervous, as if it's insurance... ie, well if it all goes wrong, at least I'll have £XX.... Of course, the customer won't necessarily know your status when approaching you - and if you can carry off the harried professional look, ("well, I'll fit you in, but my dear, the WORK! Of course, you realize I just have to charge a small deposit - just sign here and here, and don't worry about the bit that says you forfeit your life even unto the third and fourth generation if you fail to complete: I'm sure we could come to some arrangement ....") then give it a go. But the question I would ask in your place is do I really NEED to ask for a deposit? If I don't, and these days I don't: I'm not besieged by frantic customers begging me to approach the canvas with loaded brush (strange, I know) then I won't. True, this approach could leave you with a portrait of Great Aunt Lettice that you can do nothing with, but that's the risk you've taken anyway - I wouldn't feel comfortable about taking any money, even a deposit, from customers who felt I'd not come up with the goods: if it were my only means of securing the bread and butter, I'd have to; but I don't think you're yet in that position and (happily) neither am I. http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk

thank you all ,, an excellent read Is the market filled for taking a small group around on the Isle of White Robert ,?,or is their guy doing it .and has an add//////"" if you are on holiday on the Isle of White ,,,,,,why not join me for an art day ,",

Well Alan, we have a little human dynamo on the island, named Murray Ince: he has what I lack - energy - and runs painting holidays here, and on the continent. He also manages to fit in time for his own painting, because he integrates it with his teaching. I have no idea how he does it, and the pace at which he has to work would kill me in 6 months: so even if there's a gap in the market, it won't be RJ who fills it! Shave 20 years off me and I might have a go - but even then, I'd need a partner who could drive, 'cause I can't. So while I'm open to opportunities, they have to be sedate ones.... http://www.isleofwightlandscapes.net http://www.wightpaint.blogspot.co.uk

Being kind here's the link... http://artbizcoach.com/

Commissions.... I break the cost down into three payments. Deposit secures commission, I then prepare sketches and ideas with references provided and researched. Upon the agreement of client I start and keep them updated with phots of progress. Once at the halfway stage and I estimate when the painting will be finished I get another payment and upon completion, based on feedback from client I receive the final payment and I send the painting off. Works for me and I haven't had a single issue yet.