When A Commission Works, When It Doesn't...
And the contractual agreement that should be in place.
Our personal commission we did with @helenawurzel is DONE! This is something our families had done to celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. It’s based on a family photo that my brother took, and Lanie was able to even incorporate him into the lounge chairs after we did a Memorial Day photoshoot. Lanie was a dream to work for a few reasons, and all of these factors should be considered before engaging an artist for a commission:
1. She has a clear and thorough commission contract that covers process, pricing, timing, and all the “what ifs”.
2. She’s communicative and charming. It’s helpful and enjoyable to work with someone who shares where she is in the process and her passion for it. All the pics included here were shared with us in real time!
3. Her work has a distinct visual language. We don’t recommend engaging an artist for a commission whose style is less defined and predictable. Lanie’s work is universally engaging, saturated, and relatable. When I first saw this photo in 2023, my mind IMMEDIATELY thought of her recreating a painting of it. Here we are 2 years later when I finally had an occasion to engage Lanie. We couldn’t be happier with the final piece. It’s something that will bring our family long term joy. (And yes, my parents are thrilled.)
Full process pics are shared here.
AND, here are tips for artists and collectors on the Commission Agreement:
Commissions sould be done only after there’s a signed written agreement that includes specifics of the arrangement.
These specifics should cover the exact process from payment terms to approvals and artwork delivery.
Examples include:
-Client submits 50% deposit upon signing.
-Within X number of weeks, artists submits mock up based off of X painting(s) and client specifications, for approval.
-Client provides one round of feedback. Artist revises mock up and shares if/where creative liberties will be taken.
-Client receives final image for approval within X number of weeks.
-Client may request small edits that align with artists’ practice.
-Upon client approval, remaining 50% is due.
-Art is shipped to client home and installed by X.
-Anticipated timing from start to finish is X number of weeks.
Finally, we recommend sharing client “likes” and “dislikes” as guidelines for any commission, noting palette, texture, composition and other details for the artist’s review.
We hope this helps, and we welcome any thoughts, questions, and relevant experiences on the topic!