Commissions
A Six-Step Breakdown of
The Commission Process
Featured Commission
~
Featured Commission ~
Veda in Starlight
Mixed media: watercolour, pencil crayon, faux gold foil.
20 hours. 9 x 12 inches. 2025.
Thank you for your interest in hiring me for a commission!
On this page, you will find a more step-by-step breakdown of my commissions process.
The Commission Process in Six Steps
To hire me for a commission, I have created this outline for what steps to expect in the commission hiring, creation and delivery process.
Step One:
First, consider what you would like your commission subject to be.
Would you like a reimagining of a special day, such as a wedding or engagement?
A portrait of a beloved family member to admire, like after a child's recent birth?
A memorial for a dear pet to cherish so they can be with you from across the rainbow bridge?
An epic scene of an original character brought to life, bursting with action?
Or perhaps there’s something else you want me to help you bring forth into existence…
Once you have decided on the subject, you can move on to step two.
Step Two:
Secondly, consider what media you want your commission to be created in.
Currently, I offer certain media only:
Option One:
Stylized realism utilizing watercolours and pencil crayons
Option Two:
Simple illustration utilizing mixed media, such as watercolour, gouache, pencil crayons, wax pastels and oil pastels
Option Three:
Stylized realism utilizing alcohol markers, fineliners and pencil crayons.
Certain media come with pros and cons.
I’ve made this simple table below to help you weigh your options.
Here is a more detailed explanation of the three options provided:
Option One:
Stylized realism utilizing watercolours and pencil crayons is excellent for making close-to-life pieces of art while still capitalizing on my authentic style.
When you provide me a reference photo of your chosen commission, such as a wedding day, your infant daughter, or your cherished senior pup, you can trust that in this medium, the outcome will come very close to your reference.
In my style, I do take artistic liberties. Still, I strive to ensure that when you see the final piece, you instantly know that your person, furbaby, or special memory was recreated with love and care and resembles them almost exactly as you remember them.
Watercolour is a versatile medium that can achieve remarkable realism when needed, or beautiful textured backgrounds that give your piece magnificent life. In combination with pencil crayons, I can achieve a high level of detail that you otherwise might not see in watercolour alone.
A major con of this option, however, is time. This option often involves intense focus and dedication to tedious replication. The trade-off with selecting this option is that you can expect the turnaround to be slower. However, good things take time, so you can rest assured the wait will be well worth it.
Option Two:
Simple illustration utilizing mixed media, such as watercolour, gouache, pencil crayons, wax pastels and oil pastels, avoids realist aesthetic while capitalizing on imaginative charm.
When you provide me a reference photo of your chosen commission, you can be sure that with these mediums, the essence of the subject is captured rather than a one-for-one recreation.
In illustration, I take great artistic liberties, utilizing the best parts of all the combined media to create a piece filled with texture, personality and often a sprinkling of humour.
Illustration is great for capturing how you felt in the moment, allowing you to look back in time in a different way than photos or even realism can capture.
Often our memories lose the crisp details, but we can always remember those emotions that affected us for life. With the mixed-media illustration used in this option, you can have a one-of-a-kind piece of art that helps you remember those cherished life moments in a way that reflects its spirit and soul.
The downside to option two is that when utilizing certain media, special picture frames must be purchased by the client. For instance, if you decide you want your piece to include wax or oil pastels, you must get a special frame where the protective glass cover does not touch the final piece of art. This is because wax or oil pastels may leave marks, smudges, or lift when being touched, even after sealing and even years down the road. This often means having to invest in custom framing, which takes time, consideration, and can be costly.
Option Three:
Art creation utilizing alcohol markers, fineliners, and pencil crayons, is a flexible medium that can create both more realistic aesthetics or lean into its roots to let graphic art shine.
Alcohol markers are part of the ink-based art supply family. Ink has been used in art for thousands of years. Still, more recently, in the late 20th century, alcohol markers were invented as a way to more easily create illustration, fashion and architectural design. Famously, alcohol markers are often used in the creation of manga, comics, and graphic novels. Because of this, alcohol markers frequently work best in a “cel-shading” style, which we can see depicted in cartoons or anime.
Since alcohol markers are versatile, I can create both stylized realism with them, more illustrative pieces, or create a piece of work that blends both realism and illustration.
I highly recommend this option for original character art you would like to give a tribute to in my authentic style. Another suggestion is a spin on realist work, such as portraits, in a way that lets the graphic style of this option stand out. Option three is both unique and contemporary, and can create a modern twist on your cherished memories or your fantastical worlds and characters.
The downside of this option is that, currently, no alcohol markers are of “archival quality.” This means that the mediums used are at risk of fading over time. I take measures to protect your art, such as UV protective sealing sprays and using high-quality papers. I also impress into my clients that special photo frames must be purchased that are UV protective if the client decides to display the original piece. It is also strongly encouraged not to display these pieces of work in direct sunlight or near artificial UV lights.
Once you have chosen your desired mediums, then you can proceed to step three.
Step Three:
Step three is all about communication.
Once you’ve emailed me with your interest in a commission, our partnership begins!
Over email, we can discuss your desires and needs for your commission. I will ask you clarifying questions, request references, give opinions, and describe options. Sometimes, I may request to schedule a video call with you if I think a face-to-face discussion may help me better understand your vision.
After that, I get to work on planning your digital mock-up. This mock-up may go through a series of back-and-forths until we both agree on the plan. Once the mock-up is finalized, the 50% “good faith” deposit will be expected for any work to proceed. Based on the digital mock-up, I can provide an estimate of the time required to create your commission and the associated costs.
While the consultation before the digital mock-up is 100% free, the time spent on the creation of your mock-up will be considered in the final cost of production.
Once step three is complete, physical production begins in the next step, step four.
Step Four:
Step four requires patience.
During this step, most communication is quiet while I focus on creating your one-of-a-kind commission.
Because art often goes through an “ugly phase” in its creation, I prefer to shield my clients from in-progress updates unless necessary. I will only show you progress photos if I need your opinion on something or wish to suggest a change to the plan.
During this step, enjoy the journey and look forward to the weeks ahead when your commission is completed.
Which leads us to step five…
Step Five:
Step five marks the point when the commission process is almost complete.
At this step, I will reach out to show you the finished piece via video call. From here, you may request changes, to which I will do my best to provide. All remediation is charged on the basis of a per-hour rate.
Once the client deemed the piece officially finished, I then proceeded with getting professional scans done.
At this point, final costs will be calculated, and you will receive your final invoice. Additionally, the final estimated 50% (+/-) cost will be requested. Only after the final payment has been processed will your commission be shipped. Tracking information on your shipped piece and an estimate of arrival will be given as soon as possible.
The next step is the final step, step six.
Step Six:
Step six brings us to the very end of the commission process.
All that remains is for you to receive your commissioned piece in the mail, and if you wish, to also leave me a review!
I also encourage all my clients to share their commission on social media, and if possible, to tag me in their posts.
