This year has been the first time I’ve ever considered–or been asked–to create a commissioned piece of work. Not sure why this question has never presented itself before. I know lots of artists who generate a fair amount of their income from commissioned pieces.
In the course of the past few months I was asked to create two separate custom paintings. One based on a work that was seen at an exhibit and sold before my client could purchase it and another created for a special size requirement. In both cases I had my own motivation for creating the work. One, I wanted to experience the process again because it was a new subject for me and two, I just love to paint big. And to simplify what can be a rather vague concept, there were clear ideas of which of my paintings the work would be based on.
I don’t charge more for a commissioned work, I charge the cost of a similar size painting. I also don’t take a deposit or make a requirement to purchase the work. It is more of a right of first refusal thing. If the request should stray to be something outside of my norm in subject and size then these terms might change. But for now, they seem to be working okay.
If you’re interested in commissioning a work, here are the things to consider.
Size. I like to work larger than 24″ up to 72″. Painting to base the work on. Select up to three of my paintings that you like from either my Facebook photos or my website. Framing. I like to use floater frames on my work, which will add $150 to $300 to the cost. Pricing: Here are some standard sizes and price points. 30 x 30 framed $1200, 36 x 36 framed $1750 48 x 48 framed $2400. Other sizes will be quoted. Turnaround Time: I generally like 3-4 weeks to complete a work.
Here’s the large scale piece (48 x 48 inches) that I created for a new client. It is titled “A sense of boundless offering.”
Original oil on canvas atmospheric landscape painting by Sharon Kingston titled A Sense of Boundless Offering
Original oil on canvas atmospheric landscape painting by Sharon Kingston titled A sense of boundless offering.