Commissioning a painting means inviting an artist to create a new work for you rather than choosing one that already exists. The starting point may be a memory, a relationship, a turning point, a room or simply a feeling you cannot find in a finished piece. What you receive should carry that intention while remaining unmistakably the work of the artist you chose.
The process can feel mysterious to a first-time collector. In practice, most uncertainty disappears when expectations are discussed before the first mark is made. This guide explains what to prepare, what to ask and where creative freedom matters.
Choose the artist for their visual language
Begin with a body of work, not a blank search for someone who can reproduce an image in your head. Look across several finished pieces. Are you drawn to the artist's handling of colour, bodies, space, texture or symbolism? Does their work hold the emotional register you want — quiet, confrontational, tender, mythic?
A commission is strongest when your story enters an established artistic language. Asking one artist to imitate another's style weakens that relationship and can raise ethical and copyright concerns. If you would be unhappy with a result that looks at home among the artist's existing original works, choose a different artist before paying a deposit.
Build a brief around meaning, not instructions
A useful brief gives the artist both anchors and room. Explain why you want the work, what it should make you remember and how you hope the room will feel in its presence. Share references as clues: a place, fabric, photograph, poem, object or colour can reveal emotional direction without dictating a composition.
Details to bring to the first conversation
- The story, person or transition behind the commission.
- Where the work will live, including wall measurements and a clear room photograph.
- Your preferred scale, orientation and any practical size limit.
- Colours or symbols that matter — and anything that must not appear.
- Your target completion window and whether it is connected to a fixed occasion.
- A realistic total budget, including framing, tax, packing, shipping and installation where applicable.
Separate true non-negotiables from preferences. A wedding date or maximum width may be fixed; a particular shade of blue may not be. Too many exact instructions can turn a painting into an assembly task, while a brief made only of “surprise me” leaves important assumptions unspoken.
Give the artist the truth of the story, the boundaries of the space and the freedom to find the image.
Ask what the quoted price includes
Commission prices vary with the artist, size, medium, complexity and schedule. There is no universal fee or deposit. Request a written proposal that names the dimensions, support and medium; total price and payment schedule; estimated timeline; included framing or display hardware; taxes; and packing, shipping, insurance and installation costs.
Clarify what happens if the scope changes, the deadline moves or either party must cancel. A deposit commonly reserves time and funds early materials, but whether it is refundable should be stated rather than assumed. Keep the proposal, invoice and payment records together.
Understand concepts, updates and revisions
Every artist handles approval differently. Some provide a written direction or small study before beginning; others protect the spontaneity of the work and share only selected progress images. Ask exactly what you will see, when you will see it and which changes are possible at each stage.
Feedback is most useful when it returns to the agreed intention: “the figure feels more guarded than hopeful” gives the artist something meaningful to interpret. Trying to direct every mark can flatten the qualities for which the artist was hired. Major changes after approval may require more time or cost, and some materials cannot be revised without compromising the surface. The agreement should define the number and scope of revisions instead of leaving “unlimited changes” open to interpretation.
Confirm timeline, communication and privacy
Creation time is only one part of the schedule. Include concept development, drying or curing, framing, photography, packing and transit. If the work is a gift or tied to an event, tell the artist at the first inquiry and build in a margin for delays. Do not assume a deadline is accepted until it appears in writing.
Decide how often updates will arrive and through which channel. Also discuss privacy if the commission contains a portrait, family photograph or intimate story. Ask whether the artist may photograph, exhibit or share the finished work online, and whether your name or story would accompany it.
Know what ownership does — and does not — include
Buying the physical painting does not automatically transfer copyright or reproduction rights. Unless a written agreement says otherwise, the artist generally retains the right to reproduce images of the work, while the collector owns the object. If you need commercial use, exclusivity or restrictions on publication, raise them before the contract is signed; those rights may affect the price and whether the artist accepts the project.
At completion, confirm how the work will be signed and what documentation accompanies it. A certificate of authenticity should identify the artist and artwork with details such as title, year, medium and dimensions. Ask for care instructions specific to the materials rather than relying on generic advice.
Review the finished work and plan its arrival
Final approval should be based on accurate photographs or an in-person viewing, according to the agreement. Confirm the finished dimensions, framing, balance due and delivery address. For a shipped work, establish who arranges insurance, whether signature is required and what to do if the package arrives damaged. Photograph the unopened package if damage is visible and keep all packing until the issue is resolved.
Before arrival, choose hardware appropriate to the wall and the work's weight. The guide to hanging art at the right height can help with placement, but valuable, heavy or unusual work may need a professional installer.
The MARIEZAL commission process
A private MARIEZAL commission begins with a conversation about the memory, symbol or turning point the painting should hold. Maryia develops an emotional direction, creates the one-of-one work in Los Angeles and shares thoughtful updates at key moments. The finished work is signed, certified and prepared for placement.
Before beginning, look through the originals to understand the visual language and gather the practical details above. Then request a private consultation with the story, space and timeframe you have in mind. The first conversation is not a demand for a finished idea. It is where the right idea begins to become possible.