When one sees the finished product, whether it be an art piece, a necklace, or a coat, unless you stop to think about it, the fact that there were many steps between the creation of that object and its completed, polished form now in front of you can be easily missed.
As a buyer, how does one order a commission? As this process depends on the artist, it can vary widely as an experience, but will always follow a general procedure. This is providing the artist with the commission request, then going through its production, and ending in receipt of the commission.
To better illustrate how a commission is done, let’s take two examples from my own experience. I went to French artist
Shalinka (her fursona name) in order to have my own fursona rendered, an oriental dragon that is a hybrid between an emerald tree boa and a Siberian tiger. I chose her because I admired both her aesthetic and her experiments with her style; I particularly appreciated the contrast one of her watercolor paintings of an owl provided to her usual work. I tend to see the ability for an artist to have successful experimentations in their work as an indicator for creativity and skill. She also had an orderly website, with detailed instructions for ordering a commission, and a price list. Finally, her fursona is a panda. A French panda artist. Perhaps a spiritual countrywoman, one might say!
I provided a basic description of my character, and provided five photos for each animal from various websites like Flickr, as well as five photos of myself from different angles. Several of those photos showed the coat I wanted depicted in the picture. My e-mail address, for contact, and a few comments about some of her pieces that I particularly enjoyed rounded out the commission request.
A prompt response by Shalinka was the beginning of our exchanges. She asked about my budget, and to clarify what I wanted in the picture. Detailing the estimated cost for the piece to $75, she asked for payment before starting. This is standard among most artists on Furaffinity, although some people have modified policies. A helpful section on her website clarified Paypal’s policies for foreign currency, so I made sure to pay extra to cover the conversion fees.
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| Sketch progression |
What followed was a series of updates in the form of sketches, then coloring, where I was asked for input at each stage. Between the first and second sketches, I asked for the emerald tree boa’s distinctive cranial domes to be added; besides that, there was no criticism, only delight on my part! As you can see, the cleaned up sketch after this initial communication process is quite a different beast in comparison to its forbearers. After receiving approval, Shalinka proceeded to color the line art. Here again I had only one change; adding some orange striping to the fu manchu whiskers.
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| Coloring progression |
Some artists will offer livestreams of their work. Livestream is a website where you can video what’s on your computer screen and upload it. In this case, for those artists who are doing digital art, the customer (and frequently an appreciative audience) will be able to see the drawing in progress. A fair proportion of FA artists offer livestream of their own volition, however it’s not standard for the customer to be able to view their piece being done livestream.
Once the coloring had been approved, it was only a matter of shading the piece, then the commission was complete. Shalinka promptly sent me three different sizes, as well as an “icon” picture of just my character’s face. Many online forums and social media websites have profile pictures, and these icons, or “avatars” are used by many posters. I myself took advantage of the opportunity to update my own Furaffinity profile picture with my completed character’s friendly visage.
I am well-satisfied with my purchase. I’d carefully waited until an artist whose style I admired became available for commission, and been thoughtful in considering my request. Shalinka’s skills and talents were the crucible, as it were, for making that a physical (well, more precisely digital) reality.
I’d caught an artist right around when her work would begin to proliferate. Now, Shalinka has a constant stream of commission seekers who are fond of her soft style which often feature bold colors, a pleasant contrast of elements. She is constantly seeking to improve, and has several people in her life who’ve helped her to push her limits and expand creatively, to whom she is very grateful.
Bibanan has done roughly twenty commissions since she began showing her art online two years ago. Her first commission was done for her mother’s friend when Bibanan was seventeen years old. The friend’s son was dying of cancer, and the father commissioned a lion tattoo from Bibanan with the words “Peaceful Warrior” written underneath. She was so taken with the situation that she also did a companion painting of a sleeping lion, which she gave to the commissioner. “I was given $100 for that, which surprised me a lot!”, Bibanan recollects. It showed her the potential of making a living off of one’s art, as well as the impact a thoughtfully crafted piece could have on another person’s life.
I came to Bibanan’s work through a drawing I’d seen of one of her draconic characters. Those dragon lovers who’ve extensively searched websites like Deviantart will know by now that the archetype of the clunky, armor-plated reptile is not its only incarnation. An orientally-inspired range of sinuous serpents are appearing from artist’s sketchboards, with a few particularly modern interpretations. Bibanan had several pieces which had unique representations of dragonkind that appealed to me, so I checked about a commission!
Bibanan contacted me shortly after, and gave me her pricing structure; $5 for a sketch, +$2 for lineart, +$3 for flat colors, +$2 for basic shading. As with Shalinka, her main stipulation was that the final price be paid before starting work. With the price determined, I told her what I wanted for the commission; a version of my fursona in Chinese dragon style, similar to some of the dragons she’d previously drawn, adorned with a white trenchcoat featuring patches of Chinese embroidery. I asked if she needed any further descriptive information; usually artists can use all the references and descriptions they can get, but I always check to see if what I’ve already provided is sufficient.
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| Concept Sketch |
After Bibanan confirmed we were set, it was off to the races! She first drew up a concept sketch, trying to get a feel for what my character’s new interpretation would look like. She sent it to me for perusal; I was ecstatic. A sinuous feral form, feline yet elongated, with a smirking jawline that crept up into an outlandish grin greeted me. She’d taken the character I’d grown used to, spun it in a completely new direction, yet kept the elements that gave him his identity. All of this from what she claimed was a “doodle”. I think she was a bit surprised herself to find that I approved of this experiment, but obviously something in that sketch called to her as well; she made the decision to continue with the concept, saying if I wasn’t satisfied with the result, she could return to something more along the lines of my original character.
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| Sketch Progression |
Her creative spirit was what veered the whole project away from the realm of the expected. After her first guiding sketch, she began illustrating what would become the newest incarnation of my character. Taking her animalistic venture and rendering it into a more humanoid form, she drew out a graceful ethereal being floating capriciously in the air. Like Shalinka, she kept me apprised as she went through various stages of her sketches, asking for feedback. As I had very minimal critiques to make, she proceeded to produce the lineart, which included the trenchcoat, and that would be used for the final colored version of the artwork.
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| Closeups |
Now I was able to witness my commission being brought to life, as Bibanan gave me samples of the flat coloring, where no shading has been applied, and then on to shading and adding details to the body. Fleshed out and enthusiastically approved, she moved on to the ultimate step; the attire I had asked for in my original request.
Quite possibly, this was the most challenging part, because it required research. Since I had asked for samples of Chinese embroidery to be used for the patches adorning the white duster, Bibanan went looking for examples of the genuine article, so she could learn how to express them realistically. She began by browsing for references on the web. After she had found a few and experimented with rendering the pattern, she sent it to me for examination. It was quite good, with cloud-like forms expressed in sky-blue and white against a red background. However, to complete the coat, Bibanan would have to create five more distinct patterns of patches.
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| Coat Progression |
Fortunately, serendipity would provide its boon. I was in China at the time teaching English, and at the end of the trip I visited several cities, including Hangzhou and its formidable
China National Silk Museum. There I took pictures of five Qing Dynasty robes, both of wide-angle shots and details, which I sent to Bibanan.
This provided the last piece of the puzzle; fully equipped with authentic examples, she sent me several samples of her work in creating the embroidered patchwork. These were greatly improved, and I told her that I was really pleased with every element of the picture. She made some finishing touches and the commission was concluded.
For what I paid, Bibanan far outpaced my expectations. She had religiously worked on making the best artwork in her power, redrawing parts of the picture over and over until it met her standards. She’d kept in contact with me throughout the commission with updates, asking for critiques at each stage or major change. Bibanan must have worked upwards of 6-8 hours (at least!), and the price had been only $12. I felt that the detailed and passionate work of art she’d created deserved more than what she’d asked in payment, so after I received the commission, I made sure to give her an additional tip. Given the amount of time an artist may spend working to produce your commission, please consider doing this if you have the money to spare; it shows that you respect and value the time and skill that is required to create.
Although they each had different styles and work methods, both Shalinka and Bibanan are exemplary artists who are serious about their work and produce beautiful illustrations with care and creativity. I am highly appreciative of the effort it takes to produce art, and I only witnessed a minute portion of the process which leads from blank sheet to glorious presentation. If you decide to order a commission, please keep in mind that it is due to the talents of these artists that concept becomes reality. My advice again to prospective buyers is to take your time in finding the right person for you, and to be thorough, polite and understanding in your communications. From this cooperative venture, may you find your imagination brought to life.
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| THE GALLERY |
