How to Request a Digital Art Commission (Step-by-Step Guide)

Commissioning a digital artist shouldn’t feel complicated — but many people don’t know where to start. Whether you’re requesting a character illustration, a custom digital portrait, or a fan art commission, knowing how to request a digital art commission properly saves you time, avoids confusion, and helps you get better results. This guide explains what to include in your request, how to provide reference images, and how to communicate clearly with the artist — without needing any experience.

Let me guess. You found an artist whose work stopped you mid-scroll. It had something you couldn’t name, but it stuck. You thought, maybe, just maybe, they could bring your idea to life. A portrait. A character you’ve imagined for months. A gift no one else could give.

But then came the doubt.

What do I say? How much detail is too much? Am I going to waste the artist’s time? What if they think I’m difficult? Or worse, clueless?

If that sounds like you, keep reading. I’m going to break this down for you. Simple, clear, nothing fancy. Just what you need to request a commission and not feel like you’re tripping over yourself.

Our step-by-step commission process ensures your idea is translated into art without confusion, delays, or missed expectations.

Step 1: Know What You Want (And What You Can Afford)

Before you write anything, get clear on three things:

What kind of artwork you want (portrait, bust, full-body, character illustration, scene)

How many figures or elements

Your budget

You don’t need to write a novel. You do need to know what you’re asking for. Don’t ask for a full fantasy scene with three armored warriors on horseback if you’ve got $40 to spend. Artists aren’t mind-readers, but they’re also not miracle-workers.

If you're unsure what category your request fits into, start by checking our Service Page at Minerva Art Studio. You'll find clear examples and prices.

Step 2: Put Together Basic References

No, you don’t need to be an art critic. You do need to collect a few images that show:

• The pose or mood you’re going for

• The outfit, color scheme, or setting

• Any facial references if it's based on someone

You’d be surprised how much a few decent pictures can help. Don’t overthink it. Just get the visuals out of your head and into the message.

How to Provide References for Your Commission (Quick Table)

If you’re not sure what kind of references to include in your commission request, this table breaks it down. Whether you're requesting a digital portrait, a character illustration, or a custom scene, reference visuals help communicate clearly without long explanations.

Reference Type	Purpose	Good Example
Pose	Helps the artist understand body position, mood, movement	A Pinterest pose board or sketch you like
Facial Reference	Shows facial structure, emotion, character mood	A photo of the person, celebrity, or OC
Outfit / Costume	Describes clothing elements, accessories, style	Fashion photo, screenshot, or sketches
Color Scheme	Sets the tone or lighting direction	Palette image or color swatch screenshot
Scene / Background	Defines the setting (environment, time of day)	A photo of a forest, street, or room

You don’t need to send polished images. You just need enough to help us translate what’s in your head into a format we can use. Clarity now prevents miscommunication later.

Adding references improves not just your final result — it also helps reduce revision rounds and increases turnaround speed.

Step 3: Write Your Message (Short, Clear, and Honest)

Here’s what to include when you reach out:

• What you're asking for: "I’d like a half-body digital portrait in your semi-realistic style."

• Who it’s for: "It’s for my partner’s birthday."

• What it should look like: "They’re wearing a dark coat with a red scarf, soft lighting, slight smile. Mood reference attached."

• Deadline: "I’d need it before October 4th."

• Budget: Be upfront. You’re not bargaining. You’re setting expectations.

Once you send that, stop apologizing. Don’t fill the message with “Sorry if this is dumb” or “No worries if you don’t want to.” You're here to hire someone, not beg.

Need help figuring out what to ask for? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with Minerva Art Studio here.

Step 4: Read Their Terms (Then Read Them Again)

If the artist has a commission page, read it. Every word. This is where most people mess up.

Things to look for:

• What’s included (number of revisions, background or no background)

• What’s not included (commercial rights, reselling permissions)

• Payment expectations (upfront, split, or upon delivery)

You’ll save yourself (and the artist) a lot of back-and-forth by knowing the rules of the house before you knock.

If you’re working with us at Minerva Art Studio, we keep our Terms of Service and Refund Policy transparent. You can read them anytime.

Step 5: Book the Work

If everything checks out, and you’re happy with the quote, book it. Pay what needs to be paid. Provide the references. Fill out the form. Then wait.

Don't hover. Don’t keep emailing unless something’s wrong or unclear. Good art takes time.

You can also skip the conversation altogether and go directly to our Quick Book Tier 3 Commission service here. It's made for clients who know what they want and want it done.

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From concept to final illustration — a visual breakdown of how our art commissions are structured for accuracy and clarity.

Avoid These Common Mistakes When Requesting a Digital Art Commission

If you’re reading this, you’re already doing better than most. But even with the right intent, a few missteps can throw the entire commission off-track. Here’s what you should avoid when putting in a request for digital art:

1. Sending vague descriptions with no visual reference

Saying “make it fantasy-like” or “something emotional” without any example leaves too much open to interpretation. Whether you're requesting a character design commission or a personal digital portrait, attach at least 2–3 reference images. These could show lighting, pose, costume elements, or facial features — they don’t need to be perfect, they just need to give direction.

2. Lowballing on pricing for high-effort work

A full-body scene illustration with dynamic posing, detailed background, and two characters can’t be done on a portrait commission budget. If your expectations don’t match your budget, the results will always disappoint. Be honest about what you can afford — and choose the right service level.

3. Not reading the commission terms or process

Clients often skip over the Terms of Service, revision policy, or delivery timeline. Then they ask for features that were never included — or expect 24-hour delivery on a 7-day piece. Always read the fine print. This protects both your time and ours.

4. Over-requesting revisions late in the process

Once a sketch is approved and the lineart or coloring starts, it’s not the time to change the pose, the outfit, or the background. Revisions after major work begins often require a redraw — which means more time and cost. Send all your changes during the early sketch stage.

5. Being unclear about deadlines

If the art is a gift, has a specific delivery date, or is tied to a campaign or project — say it clearly. "Whenever you get to it" often turns into “This is late,” and no one wins. When commissioning a digital artist, state your expected turnaround upfront.

Why This Matters

Digital art is saturated with false promises. You send your brief. You wait. You get something that barely reflects what you said. Then they ghost.

We built our process to counter that. Each service exists because someone asked for something and got burned by someone else who didn’t deliver.

We fix that by applying a production-level breakdown — concept clarity, reference integration, art execution, delivery formatting — so what you receive matches what you thought you were getting.

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How Our Commission Process Solves Real Problems

Let’s be clear. Most people don’t have a problem finding someone online to draw for them. The problem is getting something that actually meets the brief.

We’ve heard it all:

“They delivered a sketch when I paid for color.”

“They stopped responding after I paid.”

“The final artwork looked nothing like what I described.”

“I had to keep asking for fixes, and it never got there.”

That’s not a process. That’s friction.

Here’s what we do instead — and why it works:

Structured Input → Predictable Output

Our intake system is built around reference interpretation, style alignment, and category-based pricing. You know what service you’re getting. We know how to scope the request. No guessing.

Stage-Based Feedback

You get one clear revision point: after the sketch, before the final linework. This limits unnecessary edits later, keeps the pipeline moving, and protects your timeline.

Defined Deliverables

Every listing has resolution specs (300 DPI), file type (PNG), number of characters, and background level. You know what you're getting. We deliver that — not something vague.

Licensing Transparency

We don’t bury permission details in footnotes. Personal use means personal use. Commercial use comes with a clear contract. No loose ends.

We’ve worked with individual buyers, indie developers, and authors. The ones who came back did so because we removed the pain points and delivered what was agreed on — in the way it was requested.

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Our Services

We’ve designed our digital art commission process around clarity, control, and delivery. Below is a breakdown of the services we provide and how each is structured to solve real problems — not create new ones.

1. Emotional Portrait Illustration

Use case: You're trying to capture mood, expression, or a concept that can’t be easily described. You don’t want generic. You want something personal — even if it's stylized.

What’s included:

• Single character bust or half-body

• Emotion-focused lighting and expressions

• Composition balancing (foreground–background ratio, negative space control)

• 1 feedback checkpoint after sketch stage

• Delivered in 5–7 business days

Solves: Miscommunication between client and artist. By breaking the scene into lighting intent, pose suggestion, and psychological tone — we translate mood into image with minimal revision cycles.

2. Character Concept Art

Use case: You’ve got an idea for a character — game, story, roleplay, or personal project — but no visual reference. You need a structured character design that communicates function, personality, and physical markers.

What’s included:

• Full-body drawing with outfit, expression, and stance

• Pose references, optional turnarounds (flat or grayscale)

• Color blocking

• Layered files available on request

• 7–10 day turnaround

Solves: Communication gaps and visual inconsistency. Our intake includes form-based prompts to extract detail (e.g. silhouette profile, archetype, movement style), then filters that into a production-ready illustration.

3. Duo & Couple Portraits

Use case: You want two characters — paired, contrasted, or interacting. Maybe it’s for a gift. Maybe it’s just a tribute. But you want both characters to hold weight in the frame.

What’s included:

• Two-character composition (bust or half-body)

• Emotion-sync correction (to avoid flat pairing)

• Clean light mapping

• Optional focus blur

Solves: Composition imbalance and emotional disconnect between characters. We use center-of-interest placement and eye-path tracking to ensure viewers don’t get stuck on one side of the piece.

4. Custom Scene Illustration

Use case: You need something bigger — not just a character, but a moment. A piece that tells a story in one frame.

What’s included:

• 1–3 characters

• Full background design (can be abstract or narrative)

• Multi-layer environment, atmospheric lighting

• Motion cues (wind, pose, visual balance)

Solves: Static-feeling art and underwhelming storytelling. We apply spatial hierarchy, color atmosphere guides, and triangulated viewer pathing to create tension, balance, or silence — based on your intent.

5. Stylized Portraits (Flat Color)

Use case: You're on a budget, but you still want something with personality. Flat colors, quick execution, but still presentable.

What’s included:

• Bust or headshot

• Flat base coloring

• Clean linework

• 1 uploadable PNG

Solves: Lack of affordability without sacrificing basic quality. Great for digital profiles, placeholders, or light commissions.

6. Reference-Based Celebrity Portraits

Use case: You want a drawing based on a public figure, fan art, or well-known media personality.

What’s included:

• Bust/half-body of recognizable features

• Output at 300dpi (print-ready)

• Stylized or semi-realistic finish

Solves: Uncanny or lifeless portraits. We apply feature proportion analysis, face map overlays, and focal compression to maintain facial identity while stylizing the finish.

7. Book a Commission Without Consultation (Fast Track)

Use case: You don’t want to wait. You just want to fill a form, pay, and receive your art.

What’s included:

• Direct self-service form

• File upload support

• Priority slotting (delivered in 3–5 days)

• No consultation required

Solves: Slow back-and-forth, unavailability issues, and delayed quoting.

📅 Book a Commission

8. Commercial Use Licensing (Add-on)

Use case: You need the art for a book, merch, stream branding, or digital content monetization.

What’s included:

• Usage rights contract

• Extended resolution formats

• Copyright waiver for commercial usage

• Optional layered PSD

Solves: Legal ambiguity around content use. We provide use-limited commercial licensing that protects both parties and allows you to publish the art with peace of mind.

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FAQs

1. Can I request changes after the sketch is done?

Only minor changes are allowed after sketch approval. Major changes (pose, outfit, concept) may require a redraw fee.

2. How long will it take to receive my artwork?

Standard turnaround is 5–7 business days for portraits. Larger scenes take 7–14 days depending on complexity.

3. What resolution is the artwork delivered in?

All commissions are delivered at 300 DPI in PNG format unless otherwise requested. Suitable for print and web.

4. Can I use the artwork for commercial projects?

Only with a commercial license add-on. Otherwise, your piece is for personal use only.

5. What happens if I’m not satisfied?

We allow 1 revision in the final phase (unless stated otherwise). Requests outside the original scope may be billed separately.

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Ready to Move Forward?

Whether you’re planning your first commission or you’ve already gathered your references, you don’t need to guess your way through the process. You just need a clear place to start — and a structure that won’t waste your time.

We’ve set up the system. You bring the request. We’ll take care of the rest.

Request a Commission