This is a guide to give you an idea what it’s like to work with me on a commission! I am best suited for visual storytelling for entertainment, namely for games, animation, novels and comics, with my key disciplines being illustration, concept art, storyboarding and comic art. See my portfolio for examples!

I produce art for commercial purposes, but am open to personal ones. This guide is an approximation only, and isn’t applicable for hired work or long-term contracts (3 months or more) where I will adjust to your existing studio or production’s processes and legalities.

Quality Commitment

I know that commissioning any artist can feel like a maze; you don’t quite know where the end result will end up, or if the one guiding you knows how to navigate! You’re putting a big investment in for something both marvelous and functional, so you have every right to be worried if the artist is trustworthy.

Therefore, I am committed to:

• Producing a strong quality of finish in a reasonable timeframe, with my 5 years of studio and freelancing experience.
• Innovating by exploring unexpected combinations of themes and inspirations, so you can stand out within the market you’re working in. But more importantly: to capture the atmosphere and personality your project exudes.
• Regular and open communication (around once-a-week by default), both when the commission is going well and when there are issues and questions. Save for emergencies, I won’t drop off the edge of the earth!
• Being legally sound: I am a registered business in Australia (ABN number) and have completed a business training short-course, the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme.

To see more of my experience, check out my resume!

1. Commission discussion

First, when you get in touch with me, I request for details about the nature of what you would like to commission, so that I can give you a cost-effective quote and timeline. Here is a list of the information I need, which you’re welcome to reference while writing me:

• A description of the visual content: what is in it, what style and medium, and the intended mood. Optional: I recommend including images of inspiration material of existing art, references of designs (if applicable), or even the styles you want me to avoid (such as competitors).
• The end purpose of the commission, what it is trying to achieve: such as marketing a game, visuals within a game, illustration for a story, a banner for a website, evoking a specific emotion in an audience, app logo design, illustration on a T-shirt etc.
• A deadline: please note that 4-weeks is the default turnaround for most one-off commissions. Rush fees apply for shorter timespans, depending on the nature of the commission.
• Which country you’re based in (for payment gateway purposes).

These details aren’t set in stone; there’s wiggle room for adjustment during the commissioning process, as described in part 4 - Work Creation below.

Disclaimer: I reserve the right to deny service without stating a reason.

Once I have a confident idea of what you’re looking for, I will quote you a fee.

My prices vary according to the complexity, available timeline and purpose of the commission, which include room for feedback and ensuring the result you receive achieves its end goal. That said, I’m flexible to adjust to your budget if it’s feasible to still achieve same, or similar, results.

Depending on the cost, I may request an upfront payment, but half deposit, half-at-completion suits also. Or, if it’s a longer set of commissions, we can use staggered payments or a ‘payment plan’.

Refunds

I give refunds for fees already sent only in these events:

• Full refund: if I cannot start a project (sudden illness, changing circumstances, etc.)
• Partial refund: if I begin production, but after multiple attempts from both of us to communicate and adjust expectations, you find my work no longer suits your needs. I won’t refund a deposit but may waive remaining fees.

If I complete production, and you haven’t given me any indication during the process that there are issues and aren’t satisfied with the result, I won’t give a refund and will expect full payment.

2. Contract

If you are satisfied with all the details we discussed, I will draft up a contract. It will include: the contents of the commission, the cost, the method of payment, the copyrights and permissions (for both of us), and regional legal laws. In the event that we need to alter the document during production, making an adjustment and re-signing once we both agree is always possible.

For an example of what that might look like, please see the example below (for reference only).

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and none of the information provided here, or in private, constitutes as legal advice.

3. Fee payment

After we both sign and date the document, I send you an email invoice, which includes details how to pay me and a copy of the final contract. Payment happens in a few different ways, depending which country you’re in.

• Australia: direct bank deposit.
• Anywhere else: a Stripe payment. Some long-term contracts have paid me via Wise, although that is not a platform I have set up.

Depending on our payment structure, you’ll receive additional invoices during, or at the end, of the commission.

4. Work creation

I get into the nitty-gritty of art production! As part of the contract, I provide a set number of check-ins, through Email, where I touch-base with you and ask for feedback and decision-making.

The number of check-ins depends on the size and type of the commission. If we go over the agreed number of check-ins, perhaps because of added complexity or change of direction, additional fees apply.

Here is a common work-flow:

• Research and moodboard
• Greyscale thumbnails and small sketches
• Colour thumbnails
• Final work: sketch / line art
• Final work: colours
• Final work: refinement

Be open and honest about any issues (the direction, mood, visual content, refinements), as well as the things you like the most so far when you get an update! That way I can apply thorough revisions each time.

5. Enjoy the final files!

Congratulations, we’ve reached the end point! Once you’re satisfied with the final result, I send through any remaining invoices, and after payment is confirmed, you receive the files. I use a service like WeTransfer or Google Drive to send you the files, and request you download them within a week.

Now you can use the work in whatever way we agreed in the contract! I always love to hear what feedback and reactions you receive for commissioning me and where it’s all going. And I’m always keen to know how the commissioning process felt for you as well.