Ixyra

As an artist I've run into a few clients that are well-intentioned, but can simply drive me bonkers! Whether there is a misunderstanding or whether they just don't know how to communicate what they need.
I'm posting this for clients to educate themselves on how to better approach a commission and most importantly, get exactly what they need while respecting the artist.

Vocabulary
More often then not I come across clients who don't know the artistic process. That's O.K. They don't need to! That's why they hire an artist in the first place! But there are a few key words that will help you, the client, get what you want faster and more efficiently through clear communication.

Anatomy: The medical structure of an animal; bones, muscles, etc. Example
Line-Art (Lines): Clean outlining of a sketch; color-in lines. Example
Sketch: First step to most images; a rough concept with sketchy lines. Example
Cell-Shading: Shading without blending; can be very simple or very complex. Example Example
Painting: Created with brush strokes and a complex blending of color; can be digital too. Example
Pose: The position the subject is in; sitting, standing, reaching, etc. Example
Composition: The entire layout of an image; different ways of portraying the oeverall feeling of an image. Used in all mediums of art. Example


Professional Approach
It's common knowledge that artists want to make a name for themselves and be successful. Actually, who doesn't? If you, as the client, present yourself in a professional, business-like manner, it is more likely for an artist to take you seriously and be more inclined to work for you/with you!

To Help
- Send a very clear description of what you are looking for, your time frame, your budget and why you want them to be the one to do it.
- Sign the end of your message with an appreciative message such as "Thank you for your time,".
- Complete words, phrases, spell correctly, and good grammar.

To Un-Help
- Send 2-3 sentence request.
- Slang, typos, or short-cut spellings such as "r" or "u" in place of "are" or "you".
- Show immediate concern for pricing. If you sent them your budget there should not even be a need - the artist will tell you if the price is right.
- Become the "best of friends". a.k.a. get soft with them when discussing business matters.


Payment
This is one of the last things either an artist or client will want to talk about. As a client, show the artist your budget. Let them know immediately, before you or the artist have even agreed to take on the commission, what your budget is for the project. The artist will let you know if they can work within budget or not and how it will need to be split up.

These things would be great to try to build trust and a strong business relationship with your artist:
- Offer at least %25 of the payment up front especially for a large commission and for new artists.
- Do not be late for a payment. Always communicate with your artist when you will be able to pay. If there is an emergency let them know asap!
- Discuss installation payments if necessary.

The key here is to communicate and let them know! It will help you out in the end!

Thanks for reading and I hope this has helped a few of you out there!