by Roy Munday
Painting of HMS Ark Royal, visiting Liverpool in 2008. I painted it against a sunrise.
Approximate price for this size commission: £700 sterling, unframed.
oils, size: 36 x 40 inches.
(90 x 100 cm)
WHAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN COMMISSIONING AN ARTIST.
- To find the artist suitable for your commission, do spend time looking at various artists, making a note of the works you like to give yourself an idea of the style you'd like your commissioned painting to follow.
- Though people are often after a "bargain" when buying something, with a painting it seldom works. Be wary of sites that offer all kinds of discounts and ask yourself the following: "Once all the various costs are taken out, like agent's commission, cost of materials, taxes, insurance... and many other costs and we've yet to consider the artist's fee!"
- If the artist is getting badly paid, you will get a badly painted commission.
- Be wary of sites that claim to have artists on their books who can produce stunning results. Often these artists are ANONYMOUS and probably exist in the far East where quality can be poor.
- You need to see the work of that artist, and ideally communicate with him. In my experience, you need to have regular contact with a client even before starting the commission.
- One area that often gets overlooked, is what the size of the painting should be? Several things need to be considered, not least where is it going to finally hang and what does the subject itself require. A long panoramic view often means a long canvas to do the subject justice.
- Commissioning a painting can be quite difficult for a client if it's the first time they've done it. You won't know all the questions to ask, but a good artist should raise them for you.
- Many people still feel intimidated by the process because they fear of being foolish because they may not understand "Art". Don't be put off by this. I personally don't mind how often a client comes back to me with a question before deciding to commission a painting from me or not.