How to Set Up and Sell Art Commissions Online - Help

An artist sketching a custom commission piece at a sunlit bohemian desk

Commissions are one of the most personal — and profitable — ways to sell your art. A collector comes to you, trusts your eye, and pays for something made specifically for them. Done well, a commission turns a one-time buyer into a lifelong patron.

But commissions are also where things go sideways fastest: unclear expectations, scope creep, delayed approvals, unpaid invoices. The difference between a joyful commission experience and a nightmare one comes down to process.

This guide walks you through building a commission workflow that protects your time, sets clear expectations, and helps you close more sales — using Fine Art Form to handle the admin so you can focus on the art.

Why Commissions Are Worth Taking Seriously

Commissions command premium pricing. You're not competing with every other piece of art online — you're the only one who can make this piece for this person.

They also tend to generate referrals. A collector who commissioned a portrait of their family home will tell every person who walks through their door who painted it. That word-of-mouth is worth more than any ad campaign.

And commissions create relationships, not just transactions. The collectors who commission work are often the ones who buy again, follow your career, and show up at your openings.

Step 1: Define What You'll Commission (and What You Won't)

Before you accept any commission, get clear on your own limits. This isn't just about what's fun to paint — it's about what you can deliver reliably and charge fairly for.

Decide on:

Medium and style — Do you only take commissions in your primary medium? Will you stretch into new territory for a client?
Subject matter — Portraits, landscapes, pets, abstracts? Know your yes and your hard no.
Size range — Small pieces have lower margins and often the same admin overhead as large ones. Think about your minimum.
Timeline — How many commissions can you handle at once without burning out or missing deadlines?

Write this down. It becomes your Commission Policy — the document you send to every inquiry before a contract is signed.

Step 2: Create a Commission Policy Document

A one-page Commission Policy does two things: it filters out bad-fit clients before they drain your energy, and it makes serious clients feel confident you know what you're doing.

Include:

What you commission and what you don't
Your process, step by step (inquiry → quote → deposit → sketches → approval → final → delivery)
Pricing structure (how you calculate: size, complexity, material costs, shipping)
Deposit requirement (typically 30–50% upfront, non-refundable)
Revision policy (e.g., two rounds of revisions included; additional rounds billed at your hourly rate)
Turnaround time
Rights and reproduction (who owns the image? Who can use it, and how?)
What happens if the client disappears mid-commission

Keep it plain-English. No one wants to read a legal document before buying art.

Step 3: Set Up Your Inquiry Workflow in Fine Art Form

Every commission starts as an inquiry. How you handle that first contact shapes the whole relationship.

In Fine Art Form, use the Contacts section to log every commission inquiry the moment it comes in — even before you've decided whether to accept it. Record:

Who they are and how they found you
What they're asking for (as specifically as they've described it)
Their budget range (ask early — it saves both of you time)
Their timeline expectations
Any reference images or notes they've shared

Tag them with a Commission: Inquiry label so you can filter your contact list and see your full pipeline at a glance.

This habit pays off immediately. Instead of juggling emails and sticky notes, you have a single source of truth for every potential commission.

Step 4: Quote with Confidence

The most common commission mistake is underquoting. Artists underprice because they're afraid the client will say no — but a client who won't pay a fair price for your work isn't a client you want.

How to build a commission quote:

Material costs — Calculate exactly what you'll spend on canvas, paint, framing, shipping materials.
Labor — Estimate hours honestly. How long will this piece actually take, including sketches, revisions, and finishing? Multiply by your hourly rate.
Complexity premium — Detailed portraits, multiple figures, and unusual compositions take more out of you. Price for that.
Overhead — Your studio costs money. Your time on emails and admin costs money. Factor it in.

Add those up, then check: does this feel fair? Is this a price you'd be satisfied receiving when you deliver the finished piece? If not, adjust upward.

Include the quote breakdown in writing. It shows your work and helps clients understand what they're paying for.

Step 5: Use Fine Art Form to Track the Commission Through Completion

Once a client says yes, create a new record in Fine Art Form to manage the commission lifecycle:

Log the commission in your artwork inventory as a work-in-progress with the client's name, agreed price, and deadline
Attach the signed commission agreement to the contact record
Record the deposit as a partial payment against the piece
Set milestones in your notes: sketch approval, halfway point, final review, delivery

As the commission progresses, update the record. When the client approves the final piece, mark it sold and generate an invoice for the balance. Fine Art Form keeps everything in one place — no digging through email threads to find what was agreed.

Step 6: The Approval Process — Get It in Writing

Most commission disputes happen at the final reveal, when a client sees the finished piece and says "that's not what I expected."

Prevent this by building formal approval checkpoints into your process:

After the concept sketch: Share a photo or scan and get explicit written confirmation before you proceed to the full piece. A reply email saying "Yes, I love it, let's go!" is enough — but you need it.

At the midpoint: Share a work-in-progress photo. This catches major direction issues before you're too far in.

Before final delivery: Send high-quality photos of the finished piece from multiple angles. Get written approval.

Each approval resets the revision clock and protects you from endless "can you just change this one more thing" requests.

Store these approvals as notes in Fine Art Form against the commission record. If there's ever a dispute, you have documentation.

Step 7: Invoice Clearly, Get Paid Promptly

When the piece is complete and approved, send the final invoice through Fine Art Form. Include:

Commission description and details
Total agreed price
Deposit already paid
Balance due
Payment methods and deadline (typically net 7–14 days)

Fine Art Form lets you generate a clean, professional invoice that references the piece. No spreadsheets, no "here's my PayPal, sorry it looks unprofessional."

Hold the piece until the balance is paid. This is non-negotiable. Artists who ship before collecting final payment lose leverage and sometimes lose money. Send tracking information the day payment clears.

Step 8: Deliver Beautifully

The moment a commission arrives at the collector's home is the moment they decide whether to recommend you to everyone they know.

Package the work better than they expect. Include:

A certificate of authenticity signed by you
A handwritten note thanking them
Care instructions for the medium
A card with your contact information and website

This takes twenty minutes and creates a memory they'll associate with your work. The collector isn't just buying a painting — they're buying an experience. Make it one worth telling their friends about.

Step 9: Follow Up After Delivery

One week after delivery, send a quick follow-up:

"I hope the painting arrived safely and you love it in its new home. I'd be grateful if you'd share a photo of it hung — I love seeing where my work lives. And if you know anyone who might enjoy a commission, I'd be honored to be introduced."

That message costs you nothing and generates referrals. Most artists never send it.

Log it in Fine Art Form as a contact note so you know it was sent.

Commission Pricing: A Simple Framework

Struggling to set your rates? Here's a starting point:

Small commissions (8×10 and under): $200–$600 depending on complexity and your market
Mid-size (11×14 to 18×24): $600–$1,500
Large (24×36 and up): $1,500+
Portraits with multiple figures: Add 30–50% per additional figure beyond the first
Pet portraits: Price like a portrait — they're technically demanding and emotionally high-stakes for clients

These are floors, not ceilings. Your experience, reputation, and the specificity of the client's request all justify higher pricing. If you're booked out, raise your rates.

What to Do When a Commission Goes Wrong

Even with a good process, commissions occasionally go sideways. A client goes silent. A client decides mid-way they want something completely different. A piece doesn't come together the way you planned.

Client disappears: Wait two weeks, send a check-in email. If no response after another two weeks, reach out by phone. If still nothing after 30 days, send a formal notice that you're releasing the slot and the deposit is forfeited per your agreement. Then move on.

Client wants a major direction change: This is a new commission. Treat it like one. Explain that changes beyond your revision policy require a new quote and timeline.

The piece isn't working: Talk to the client before they see it. Most collectors are more understanding than artists expect — they hired you for your judgment. Tell them what's happening and your plan to resolve it.

Document everything. Every issue, every decision, every conversation. Fine Art Form contact notes and commission records are your paper trail.

Build a Waitlist

If you're taking commissions consistently, consider a waitlist. It's one of the most powerful signals of demand you can send:

"I'm currently booking commissions for Q3. Join the waitlist to be notified when a slot opens."

A waitlist creates urgency, lets you batch your admin work, and gives you flexibility to raise prices as demand grows. Manage it in Fine Art Form as a labeled contact group — filter for "Commission: Waitlist" and work through it when you're ready to open slots.

Your Commission Setup Checklist

[ ] Commission policy document written and ready to send
[ ] Pricing framework established (materials + labor + overhead)
[ ] Contract/agreement template ready
[ ] Fine Art Form contacts set up with commission labels
[ ] Approval checkpoints built into your process
[ ] Invoice template ready in Fine Art Form
[ ] Delivery kit prepared (cert of authenticity, thank-you note, care instructions)
[ ] Follow-up message template ready

Commissions done right are one of the most rewarding parts of an art practice. You're making something that matters to a specific person, and they're trusting you with it. Build the process once, run it every time, and watch your reputation for reliability become as valuable as your reputation for quality.

Fine Art Form is built to hold the administrative weight so you don't have to carry it in your head. Use it.