Art Commission Fails! ...And How to Avoid Them | The Josie Show 

Great timing, Josie! I'm in the middle of a commissioned painting for some wonderful people now and I realized too far in that I didn't assess my skills well enough. I'm a bit over my head on this one, but learning tons along the way. It's going to work out. But every commission I do makes me more selective about the next one. Ultimately, I'd like to make enough from my collections that I don't need to take commission jobs at all. Thank you so much for the download- it's fabulous!!!

Commission work sounds terrifying. So glad the client was kind. Very interesting topic! Cats! 😜😂 They certainly have a mind of their own...

When I was able to do commissions for clientele I would ask what words people wanted their commissions to portray. Adjectives they wanted the piece to exude and encourage. Typically asking for three descriptive words they wanted the piece to have imbued. Then I would ask for the overall mood they wished to convey-- happiness, moodiness, exuberance, strength, etc. Of course the subject matter was agreed on before hand and to this day I have not had an unsatisfied client. I have however had work not paid for and learned too late to charge half up front before undertaking any commission (if I was able to actually do such things these days lol).

So good to know I’m not alone- a rough commission experience can really mess with your confidence as an artist. I used to think that if I wanted to make it as an artist, then I would have to take every commission that came my way. I did all kinds of things that were way out of my comfort zone and I never valued my own work enough to charge accordingly. I had some pretty rough experiences, disappointed clients, cancellations, and lots of lost time and money. It’s only recently that I decided to stop putting myself through this kind of stress. I’m extremely selective on what kind of commissions I accept, I charge appropriately, and I do my best to communicate clearly with clients so they know what to expect. I’m also very lucky to know many amazing artists so I’m happy to refer clients to someone else better suited for their request. Commission work is arduous! But it can be awesome when you know and respect your own boundaries and value your work.

The anxiety surrounding commission work sounds tremendous! 😱 Just the thought gives me nightmares! 😵‍💫 Your butterfly mosaics are gorgeous!! 💖💖 Just curious, have you tried doing butterflies with your paper mosaic techniques? 🦋 Love your work, young lady!! ❤🌈 Kitty has gotten bigger and sassier! 🐈

This is great..I choose not to do them , for me too much anxiety and stress which takes the fun and joy out of doing art, speaking for myself, I leave it to if they see a painting I did and want to buy it, great!

commissions = severe panic attacks

No one ever pays for commission.People just like to talk about ideas and not go through with it… waste of my time.