Having an artist paint an abstract piece just for you. Many people are curious about it, yet never take the step, simply because they are not sure what to say or how the process works.
Drawing on tips gathered by art sites and interior magazines overseas, this post sums up five things worth thinking about before you commission a painting.
1. Decide where it will hang, then take photos
The American interior magazine domino notes that showing the artist photographs or plans of the room where the painting will hang is a great help. MontCarta, which creates custom abstract art, also suggests measuring the usable wall area, not just the whole wall, and noting the clearance around furniture and the ceiling.
Once you know the spot, the size and orientation of the painting tend to follow. For height, see my earlier post, How high should you hang a painting?
2. Write down colors you love, and colors to avoid
domino recommends a short brief covering your color palette, size, and budget. Personal photographs and color swatches also make good references.
MontCarta goes a step further, suggesting you sort colors into three groups: colors to prioritize, colors to avoid, and colors that may appear only as accents. Saying plainly which color you dislike saves confusion later.
3. Talk about why you want this painting
This is what makes commissioning abstract art special. An abstract painting has no fixed subject, so the reason behind it, such as starting a new job, building a home, or giving a gift to someone dear, shapes the choice of color and light.
MontCarta advises treating reference images as direction rather than as something to copy exactly, leaving the artist room to interpret. Feel free to share feelings you cannot quite put into words.
4. Confirm the process and the timeline
A curator at the online gallery Saatchi Art has described its commission process this way: first, the details are confirmed with both the artist and the collector; while the work is in progress, the artist sends a weekly report with photos; once it is finished, the collector approves a final image before the artwork is delivered.
domino also suggests deciding early whether you would like progress updates, such as photos, and agreeing on a timeline that allows for making, packing, delivery, plus installation.
5. Have a rough budget in mind
The price of a commissioned painting varies widely with size, materials, and the artist. domino, too, recommends including your budget in the brief. I have written about what shapes the price in How much does a commissioned painting cost?
How my commissions work
For my PERSONAL ORDER ART, we begin with a free online conversation of about 20 minutes. In the session that follows, I listen to your journey so far, what you hold dear, the future you want to live, where you would like to hang the work, plus the colors you love. Then I paint a one-of-a-kind original. If talking is not your thing, I can also work from photos.
Each finished work comes with a message explaining the meaning I painted into it. Works for yourself or someone dear to you are introduced on the PERSONAL ORDER ART page, and works for companies and shops on the BUSINESS ART page.
Sources
domino (How to Commission a Painting)
MontCarta (What to Ask Before Ordering Custom Abstract Art)
Saatchi Art Canvas (How to Commission An Original Artwork)
