Have you ever considered getting a bespoke piece of work created especially for you but instantly dismissed it because you…

1. Think it will be super expensive and therefore out of your budget?

2. Are scared of not liking the finished piece after investing?

3. Aren’t sure how you would explain what you would want to an artist or creator?

In this post I am going to explain how I work with my clients and (hopefully) you will see that it is not scary at all! Let’s jump on in!

Artwork comes in a variety of forms, styles and budgets and, as we all know, if someone has more experience it is highly likely that their prices will reflect that, and quite rightly so! With experience comes more attention to detail, more time spent pouring love and effort into putting a piece of work together and often, but not always, greater quality too. My style and quality of art has definitely improved over the years. I have changed in so many ways as an artist and it 100% reflects in how I paint my bespoke pieces. I would say that I have found ‘my style’ now and, whilst it will naturally continue to evolve, I believe that where I am at now feels like ‘mine’.

As the last few years have passed by I have received more and more interest in bespoke paintings, so I thought I would use this post to chat in a bit more detail about how it works to commission me to create something for you.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COMMISSION AN ARTIST?

Definition: ‘Commissioning art is the process by which an artist creates a work of art on a client's invitation’ - In simple terms if you like an artist's style, and they are open to commissions, you ask them to create something for you, in their style, usually to a specific colour palette you have in mind, or with certain details you require in order to ‘fit’ what you need.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT WORKING WITH AN ARTIST?

One of the most important things I like to establish, before I work with someone, is that they are the ‘right’ client for me, and me for them. What does this mean? Well, it means that if you ask me to paint your horse I will tell you that I don’t (and can’t for love nor money!) paint horses, but I can point you in the direction of someone who can, if I know someone… which I actually do for horses! 

Making sure you are a good fit for someone is the biggest thing! I wrote an Instagram post about the importance of knowing your ‘ideal client’ in business yesterday actually, and this is why it is important! If an artist is taking on work purely for money, chances are that the client will not feel special throughout the project and may not receive their desired outcome at the end of it. So yes, establishing a connection is a top priority!

How I like to do this (unless I know someone already!) is to have lots of dialogue about wants and needs, with pictures (e.g a Pinterest board) and clear ideas of what sort of thing the client if after, set out right from the start. Sometimes it is necessary to hop on a short Zoom call to talk things through, depending on the project, but usually emails do!

WHAT’S NEXT?

Once I have had a chat with new clients about what they are looking for, and we have agreed we are the right fit, I will request 50% of the payment as a non-refundable deposit and set to work!

I will then produce a mock sketch on the iPad and email it over to show a very rough composition of the painting. This is a wonderful way to start working on something as it can be easily manipulated and adjusted until we both feel we have reached the ideal expression of what you had in mind!

LET THE PAINTING BEGIN!

I work with gouache paint and I adore it! It can be mixed super vibrant or subtle and it is my favourite medium to paint with these days.

It is hard to pin-point exactly how long it will take to paint something, as there are a few factors involved. I generally only work on one clients commission at a time because I like to get fully immersed in it and dedicate everything to it, but I obviously have the daily Leaf Lane Studio duties too, so make sure you allow plenty of time if you are thinking about commissioning something. My paintings have a lot of detail within them and are built up layer by layer and this is a lengthy process sometimes but I think they are worth the wait.

THE FINAL DETAILS

Because most of my paintings have quotes, or some kind of hand-lettered wording in the centre, I usually complete the floral details first. I then get in touch to talk about the colour for the lettering as it is hard to establish until the painting can be seen as a whole.

Once the lettering is done and the final part of the invoice is paid, the painting is lovingly wrapped up in planet-friendly packaging and it is on its way to its new home, which is my favourite part because I love seeing it in its new home!

FAQ’s

What size painting can I order?
ANY! My most popular sizes are A4 and A5, mostly because they are easier for people to frame and so I guess that's why these are popular! But I will happily quote for other sizes, just ask!

What sort of price is a commission?
My paintings start from £100 for an A5 and from £140 for an A4. Get in contact to chat about bespoke sizes, I am more than happy to chat with absolutely no obligation to order of course.

Why are paintings priced the way they are?
I think many artists are questioned a lot about their prices for one-off pieces and, whilst I know that I don’t need to justify my prices, it is nice to have things laid out so that people can understand.

As an example, some paintings can take me up to 25 hours. I use high quality watercolour paper and high quality paints too. Then there is the wear and tear on my brushes and other materials used too, such as pencils, erasers, iPad etc. Imagine if I charged £100 for a piece that took 25 hours and simply divided that by just my time. That would mean I was paying myself just £4.00 per hour for the painting, not including the materials or anything else (time spent emailing and researching details for florals etc).

It’s just something to think about when commissioning something from a creative, because often people just see the final figure and forget the work that goes into it. It is rare, unless you are a super well-known artist, to make a fortune from paintings, so bear that in mind too! Creativity is a passion project BUT artists still need to earn money.

How can I pay for a piece?
I like to try and make things easier for people, because I want people to have unique art work in their home or be able to buy it for special gifts, but I am realistic about it too! So, I ask for 50% as a deposit and the final part of the payment BEFORE I send the final painting off.

If this is difficult to achieve I will see if there is anything I can do to help with breaking payments down but please note that the piece won’t be sent until all payment is received.

How can I order?
I am changing the way I work with commissions now, so they can no longer be purchased through the shop. I am opening up a few slots here and there (I currently have some open if you are interested!) and will let people know through my mailing list and social media when new slots come up! In the meantime you can email me on hello@leaflanestudio.com to find out more and get on my waiting list. Once again, please allow plenty of time, especially if it is for a gift!