Updated on by Rita Moreira
Most people who start taking art commissions worry first about where to show their work, and that matters. But a commission is really a small business transaction wrapped around a drawing, and the part that trips people up is rarely the pencil work. It is the briefs, the deposits, the timelines and, honestly, learning when to say no.
I have handled portrait and pet commissions for years, and the smoothest jobs always came down to a few unglamorous habits. Here is how I approach them, and what I would tell any artist getting their first paid request.
What does taking art commissions actually involve?
Taking art commissions means creating a piece of artwork to a client’s request, usually from a reference photo, in exchange for payment. In practice it involves five things: a solid enough technique to satisfy a paying customer, a clear brief, an upfront deposit, a realistic timeline, and honest communication throughout. The drawing is only one part of the job.
Before you accept anything, be honest about where your work sits. Is it at a level that stops someone scrolling? Would a stranger pay for it? I am not saying you need hyperrealistic pencil drawing to sell, because an extremely elaborate piece eats too many hours to be viable as a commission. What you want is a harmonious, confident technique that reads well and pleases the eye.
How to start taking art commissions
To start taking art commissions, build a small portfolio of your best pieces, post consistently on social media, and approach places that can display your work. You do not need a website on day one. You need proof that you can deliver, and a way for people to find you.
Treat your learning with discipline first. Post good realistic pencil drawing regularly, and the likes and shares slowly widen your reach until the first enquiries appear. A printed portfolio still pulls its weight too: gather your strongest work and take it to art fairs, framing shops, local cultural programmes, large stationers and art-supply shops. Ask the person in charge whether you could exhibit, or even sit and draw in the space.
One caution I learned the slow way: check that a spot is actually visited by potential buyers. Drawing in a busy square reaches a lot of people, but most of them will not value the work enough to pay for it. Footfall is not the same as demand.
Tips for taking art commissions
The best tips for taking art commissions are practical rather than artistic: photograph your work well, protect yourself with a deposit, price by difficulty, and keep every client informed. Below are the five habits I lean on most, in the order they tend to matter.
- Let the work do the talking. A strong piece is better advertising than any caption. Focus on getting better at drawing before you spend a penny on promotion.
- Photograph the drawing properly. Think about composition, framing and even room lighting. A few minutes planning the shot changes how relevant your post feels.
- Ask for the reference photo before quoting. I never give a price until I have seen the image, because difficulty, size and detail all change the number.
- Take a deposit. Ask for at least 30% upfront so you are not left out of pocket if the client vanishes halfway through.
- Value your own work. Price too low and you trap yourself in a cycle where clients expect ever less and appreciate the craft even less.
On the reference photo, I am strict for a reason. Always ask the client to send the original file by email at full size, even if it is a heavy file. Sent over WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, the image arrives compressed and soft, and the quality of your drawing depends directly on the quality of what you are working from. Good reference photos for drawing are half the job done.
If someone sends a tiny old photo, the sort of small passport-style print, only accept it when you genuinely have the experience to fill in what the photo cannot show. Reproducing a low-resolution image means imagining the detail you cannot quite see, and that leans entirely on how many faces you have drawn before.
How much should you charge, and how do deposits work?
You should charge by difficulty, size and level of detail, never by a flat rate, and secure the job with a deposit before you begin. A realistic drawing is not a simple copy of a photo; it is a representation built on technique and perception, so price it as skilled work. The table below shows a sensible way to structure the money side.
| Stage | What happens | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Quote | See the reference, assess difficulty and time | Free |
| Deposit | Client confirms, you book the job in | 30 to 50% upfront |
| Delivery | Finished piece approved and sent or framed | Remaining balance |
Taking a deposit is standard practice, not cheek. The UK’s guidance on invoicing and taking payment from customers treats deposits and clear payment terms as ordinary parts of running any small enterprise, and Citizens Advice frames a clear agreement as protection for both sides. When a client always pushes for a discount, stay warm but firm: your price already reflects the hours and the skill, and there is nothing wrong with politely declining work that will not pay.
When should you say no to a commission?
You should say no whenever a job sits beyond your current ability or when the reference photo is too poor to work from confidently. Turning work down is a mark of professionalism, not weakness. Clients respect clarity, and a piece you struggle through helps no one.
Being trustworthy is what builds the reputation that brings repeat work. Treat the enquiry seriously, be courteous, and be candid about limits. If a request is beyond you, whether through inexperience or a hopeless reference, decline it kindly. People warm to that honesty, and it protects your portfolio from a weak result you would rather not show.
How long do art commissions take?
Most pencil commissions take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on size, detail and how many other jobs are in the queue. Agree a timeline before you take the deposit, and build in a little slack so life does not force you to break a promise. A missed deadline undoes a lot of goodwill.
Keep the client updated as you go, ideally with a progress photo or two. Good communication during the work reassures people who cannot see what you see on the paper, and it turns a one-off buyer into someone who comes back and recommends you. A satisfied client is genuinely your best marketing.
Is taking art commissions a job?
Taking art commissions can absolutely be a job, and in the UK selling your drawings makes you self-employed for tax purposes. If your income from it passes the trading allowance, you register as a sole trader with HMRC. The official route is set out on the government’s set up as a sole trader pages, and organisations such as Artists Now (a-n) publish guidance aimed specifically at working artists.
Whether it becomes a full living or a steady side income depends on demand and on how you value the work. Either way, treating it as a business from the first enquiry, with quotes, deposits and timelines, is what separates a paid artist from someone giving drawings away. Tracking your output helps too, so keep an eye on your art progress as the commissions build.
Can you take art commissions online?
Yes, you can take art commissions online, and for most artists today it is the main channel. Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook let you show finished work, gather an audience and receive enquiries without ever meeting a client in person. A YouTube channel sharing tips from your own journey works as a slower, trust-building route alongside them.
Working online does not change the fundamentals. You still ask for the reference by email at full size, still take a deposit, still agree a timeline. If anything, the distance makes clear written communication more important, because the client cannot pop in to see how the piece is coming along.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is taking art commissions a job?
It can be, from a modest side income to a full living. In the UK, selling your drawings makes you self-employed, and once your earnings pass the trading allowance you register as a sole trader with HMRC and keep records of what you take in.
The real difference between a hobby and a job is how you run it. Quotes, deposits, agreed timelines and steady communication turn each enquiry into a proper transaction rather than a favour, and that mindset is what lets the work grow into reliable income over time.
How long do art commissions take?
A single pencil commission usually takes from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the size, the level of detail and how many other jobs are already sitting in your queue. Larger, highly detailed portraits naturally sit at the longer end of that range.
Always agree the timeline before you take the deposit, and leave yourself a little slack for the days that do not go to plan. Missing an agreed date costs you far more goodwill than quoting an honest, slightly longer one ever would, so it pays to be realistic from the start.
Can you take art commissions online?
Yes, and for most artists it is now the main route to finding clients. You show finished work on Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook, take enquiries by message, and handle the whole job by email without ever meeting the client in person.
The rules stay exactly the same online: ask for the reference photo at full size, take a deposit of at least 30% before you start, and keep the client updated with the occasional progress photo so nobody is left guessing. If anything, clear written communication matters even more at a distance.
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