I would like to talk with you today about how I do commissions.  Normally, I only take one commission per month.  There are several reasons for this: 1) I need to make sure my monthly focus can always have precedence.  I can slip one commission into the mix, but not several. 2) I need to maintain social media presence to stay viable.  With commissions, I respect the privacy of the art collector who has commissioned me, and don’t post their piece on social media (unless they have given me permission).  3) I like to have my own creative outlet.  When painting commissions, I give voice to the subject matter and composition of the person commissioning the piece.  While I enjoy the challenge of trying to achieve their vision, it doesn’t satisfy my own creative vision.

 

Commissions are very good for my business because it’s an almost guaranteed sale every month.  I’m finding that the art business has a seasonal ebb and flow, with winter being a slow season.  I booked this winter’s commissions back last summer, which gave me the assurance that there would at least be some income through the slow winter months.  

 

I said “almost” guarantee because I don’t force the art collector to purchase the piece they have commissioned.  What if I wasn’t able to capture their vision?  What if they lost their job or got very sick and can no longer afford it?  I just don’t think that commitment is fair for them.  However, it is also not fair to me to be stuck with a piece that only means something to the one buyer and is otherwise non-saleable.  How do we reach a compromise?

 

Here’s my way of making commissions somewhat commitment-free, yet fair to both parties.  I estimate what the piece will cost and ask for a 30% non-refundable retainer fee up front.  This lets me know that they are serious, and it also gives me the funds to purchase the materials/frame.  If they choose not to purchase the piece, it’s a bummer that I won’t earn anything for all the time spent on the project, but at least I won’t lose money on materials.  So far, it’s only happened once in the three years I’ve been doing commissions, and the lucky thing is that the painting was of a public area, so it was still saleable.

 

I currently price my commissions using the same pricing structure that I price my other work.  If I get into portrait work, there will be a different pricing structure due to the complexity and training required.  However, for landscapes, still lifes, boats, and buildings, even if they have distant figures, the price is the same.

 

I have a terrible memory.  There is no possible way that I can remember the few things I need to purchase at Target tomorrow, much less all of the intricate details of a commission I need to paint four months from now!  Due to this, and also to help guide the formulation of the painting, I’ve developed a worksheet that I call “Art Commission Agreement”.  When I meet with a collector to discuss their vision, we fill out this form together.  Then when I start working on the piece, whether it’s right away, or several months later, I pull the sheet out to work from. I can feel confident knowing that this is what they wanted.  It also helps me keep track of the deposit.

 

Once I get going, smaller paintings take only a matter of hours.  But when I’m working on a larger piece, especially in the studio, I like to make sure that I’m on the right track and will email progress photos of the piece throughout the creation process. I will ask questions, particularly at the sketch phase, so that I find out which composition they prefer.  This is the phase where the bones of the painting are being established.  If a painting has good bones, it will be a strong painting.  After this phase, my paintings tend to go through what I call, “the ugly adolescent stage”.  I try to avoid sending photos to anyone if at all possible during this stage.  Then during the polish/finishing stage, I try to send photos while the painting is still wet so that things can be added and subtracted without a problem.

 

I always feel honored and humbled when asked to do paint a commission for someone.  They are entrusting me with the preservation of memories that they hold dear and close.  They will be viewing this piece of art on the wall of their home for years to come.  And perhaps it will be passed down to the next generation along with the story that it holds.  Sometimes as I work on a piece, the realization of all this will hit me so hard that I actually get emotional.  Painting through tears probably isn’t considered “best practice”, but hopefully some of that emotion is coming through onto the canvas.  

 

I’ve worked on many beloved houses that people have had to leave, for various reasons.  Some of my other commissioned projects have been of: farmyards, city streets, meaningful park statues, storefronts, beaches, bridges, produce stands, and others.  I think that having a favorite memory preserved in paint makes it easier for people to move forward into the next phase of their lives. And personalized paintings make the most amazing gifts.  If you or someone you love is interested in having your memory preserved on canvas, send me an email at naomi@tirysalgado.com or contact me through the website.