How to commission a painting: process, timeline and what it costs

Commissioning a painting means asking an artist to make a specific work for you, rather than choosing something that already exists. It sounds daunting, and collectors often assume it is reserved for portraits of ancestors or corporate boardrooms. In practice it is one of the oldest and most personal ways to acquire art, and for a living painter it is usually a straightforward conversation followed by patient work in the studio.

This guide sets out how a commission actually unfolds, from the first message to the finished canvas, and what tends to drive the price. It reflects how I work here in Lille, but the shape of it is common to most independent studios.

Deciding a commission is right for you

A commission makes sense when you have a clear intention that the existing work does not quite meet: a particular scale for a wall, a subject that matters to you, a colour world you keep returning to. If instead you have simply fallen for a painting that already exists, buying it directly is faster and simpler. It is worth browsing the available works first, because sometimes the piece you were about to commission is already leaning against the studio wall.

Commissions suit collectors who are comfortable with a degree of uncertainty. You are buying an artist's judgement, not ordering a reproduction. The result should feel unmistakably part of the same body of work, while being made for you.

First contact and the brief

The opening exchange is a conversation, not a contract. You describe what you have in mind and I tell you honestly whether it sits within my language as a painter. My work moves between heads, figures and landscapes built up in collage, charcoal, oil and raw pigment, so a commission tends to grow from one of those directions rather than away from it.

A useful brief covers a few concrete things:

• Subject and mood - a head, a figure, a landscape, an abstraction, and the feeling you want it to hold.
• Dimensions - the wall, the light, the distance you will usually see it from.
• Palette - colours you are drawn to, and any you would rather avoid.
• References - existing works of mine that resonate, and, for a portrait, photographs or sittings.

You do not need the full answer to all of these. Part of my role is to help you find it. Looking through the drawings and painted works together is often the quickest way to locate a shared reference point.

Sittings, references and the working stage

If the commission involves a person, we agree how I will work from them: sittings in the studio, photographs, or a combination. Charcoal underlies much of my practice, and a portrait usually begins there before pigment and oil are layered over it. For a landscape or an abstraction there are no sittings, but I may share an early study so you can see the direction before the surface is committed.

I keep the number of check-ins deliberate. Too much back-and-forth tends to flatten a painting, so I usually show the work at one or two considered moments rather than photographing every session. You are buying the resolution I reach, and that needs room.

Timeline: what to expect

A painting cannot be rushed without showing it, particularly when oil and raw pigment are involved and each layer needs to dry. As a general guide:

• Small to medium works often take a few weeks to a couple of months from agreement to finished, dry and ready to ship.
• Large or heavily layered canvases can take several months.
• Timing of the year matters too. Around a major event such as the Salon d'Automne, the studio calendar fills, and a commission may need to wait for a clear stretch of work.

I give a realistic window at the outset and tell you if it moves. A firm deadline, such as a gift or an anniversary, is worth naming early so we can decide honestly whether it is achievable.

What drives the cost

I do not publish fixed prices, because no two commissions are alike. Prices are given per work, on request, once we have discussed what you have in mind. The factors that shape a figure are consistent:

• Size - larger surfaces need more material and considerably more studio time.
• Complexity - the number of layers, the density of collage and pigment, the demands of a likeness.
• Materials - raw pigments, quality supports and framing all sit in the total.
• Time - ultimately you are paying for the hours and the years of practice behind them.

Most studios, including mine, work with a deposit to begin: commonly around a third to a half of the agreed price, with the balance due on completion before the work ships. The deposit reserves the time and covers materials. It is normal, and it protects both sides. Everything is set down in writing before I start, so there are no surprises about price, size, timing or ownership.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to commission a painting?

There is no single answer, because size, complexity and materials all move the figure. Rather than quote a misleading number here, I give a price per work on request once we have talked through your idea. You are welcome to ask; there is no obligation.

Can I ask for changes while it is being painted?

Within reason, yes, especially early on. The brief and any agreed check-ins are the place for that. Once a painting is resolved, though, substantial changes usually mean a new work rather than an alteration, and I will say so plainly.

What if I do not like the finished painting?

This is why the brief and the early study matter. Because we align on subject, scale and palette before I commit the surface, genuine disappointment is rare. The deposit reflects the reserved time and materials, and the terms we agree in writing set out clearly where each side stands.

Do you take commissions from outside France?

Yes. Much of the correspondence happens by email and phone, and finished works ship internationally with proper documentation. The case for buying directly from a studio holds wherever you are.

If you have a painting in mind, the simplest next step is to write or call and describe it. You can reach me through the studio, or read a little more about the work and the path behind it first. Every enquiry gets a personal reply.