Peter's Recommended Practices for Commissioning Artists
Happy fourth anniversary, everyone. Per usual, I’ve got our annual article, and while I normally focus on writing, we’ve got a more adjacent topic this year. Those who follow me on Twitter voted for an article talking about my practices and experiences commissioning artists, so I’ve whipped up such a discussion for your perusal.
As an aside for my beloved Demon Healer Naberius fans, the introductory article for Volume Nine is on the way as well. I’ll likely post that in a week or two, after this article has had a chance to simmer, so please look forward to it.
Now, let’s get into the commissioning experience, starting with my own “qualifications”.
History/Experience
I had never commissioned an artist before I became an author. The first person I ever commissioned was my friend Steven Elsey for the cover of A Fool’s Goddess, and in hindsight, I was very rude and naïve. I gave that poor bastard just a handful of descriptions for the characters and cover art and expected him to do the rest, and while he did a fine job working with that, I lament how I treated him.
Fortunately, I encountered a character design document someone posted online before I started searching for an artist for Demon Healer Naberius, and what I learned from it proved invaluable towards improving all my future requests. I similarly lament that I didn’t bookmark it as I would love to be able to credit its creator, but c’est la vie. We’ll go over that style of document in further detail below.
As for why I started working with Tostantan, it’s due to two factors: his prices suited my budget, and he was the first artist to actually respond to my request.
I reached out to several artists (both those with and without open commissions, as further proof of naivete), but not one of them so much as gave me a, “Let me think about it.” I felt like I was very open about my requests—I stated they were for a novel and included a link to my reference documents—and as I was already very nervous reaching out to strangers about my personal project, receiving no responses left me feeling doubly insecure.
Having Tos not only respond but be incredibly polite and patient instantly made him number one in my book. I definitely talked way too much about unrelated crap in our first emails, but he never once made me feel awkward about my bird-footed demon or half-octopus girl, and he’s put up with every ridiculous request I’ve made since then. It’s why I can’t help but fawn over him in every article and afterword—I truly can’t overstate how much his kindness has meant to me over the years. I’m very happy to call him my friend.
Anyhow, hiring Tostantan was the real cherry-popper for my art commissioning days. After that, I started placing personal requests with all sorts of artists because seeing Nabby and Bosa in a variety of styles is better than ambrosia. I’ve had both good and bad experiences in doing so (mostly good, for the record), and I picked up on some practices that seemed to help the artists understand what I was asking them to draw as I went along.
I would like to share some of those practices with you now, but before that, please let me set a disclaimer: I’m not saying these are things you must do when commissioning an artist. They are simply practices that I have personally found make the process easier on both parties, so if anything I say feels incorrect to you, please ignore it. I’m only looking to provide a foundation for others as that stranger once provided for me, and I encourage you forge your own path as needed.
Peter’s Recommended Practices
For starters, you will want to find an artist who suits your project’s style and budget. Style is simple: if you like the artist’s aesthetic and feel it’s appropriate for your project (e.g. you’re writing a dark fantasy story and you like the way they depict armor and moody lighting), you’re good to go. There’s really nothing more to it than that, and if you’re wondering how to find artists in general, go on any social media platform and search for your favorite game/anime/movie/etc. You will see countless artists as you scroll through the posts, and the ones who are open for commission will typically advertise themselves as such.
Budget is another matter. To begin with, do not be the “paid in exposure” guy. Unless you’re famous enough that people are already offering to draw for you for free, your project is not going to get enough eyes on it to justify working pro bono.
Likewise, if you can’t afford someone’s prices, don’t retort with some bullshit about how you can use an AI slop instead. No self-respecting artist is going to take that as reason to drop their prices—all you’re doing is going out of your way to be an asshole while proving you don’t actually care about the quality of your project.
Next, understand that the price is going to be proportional to the work. Don’t envision your book being lined with dozens of detailed illustrations if you’re only committing $300 to the project, and please be respectful if someone tells you they can’t meet your needs within your budget.
Lastly, be honest and upfront about what you’re commissioning the artist for. Many of them have clauses in their commission sheets specifying price increases for art that will be used in commercial projects—such as books you plan to sell—so don’t lie and say you’re hiring them for a personal project if their work is going to end up in a product. There can be genuine legal ramifications, so please consider any commercial use fees when budgeting for your project.
Once you’ve found an artist whose style and prices are perfect for you, then you get to begin the hard part: acting like a human and communicating with them. I’ll start by telling you a cheat code—one that works on all facets of life, in fact.
Be polite.
I genuinely do not understand why so many people wear their sense of entitlement on their sleeves or act like paying someone gives them free reign to be an asshole. The ephemeral sense of superiority that attitude grants you cannot be worth the animosity it breeds, especially in light of how behaving yourself and showing respect often renders so many positive outcomes, the least of which being the satisfaction of knowing you were decent. Anyone reading this should be too old to have to be told to treat others as you would like to be treated, so if you that’s revelatory to you, you’re either a zygote or a sociopath.
If you aren’t sure how to be polite, carrying yourself like a professional is a good start. You’ll seem stiffer, but you’ll at least be inoffensive. In terms of commissioning an artist, a paragraph written like an office email is can work.
Hello. My name is Peter Varnicrast, and I was hoping I could commission you. I would like you to draw my two characters Nabby and Bosa telling their author he’s doing a great job and that he’ll definitely hit Master Rank with Anila one day. I would like a simple background, and I have included references for everything in the link below. Please let me know what you think—thank you!
References: https://www.onlynabs.com
Again, that’s stiff, but it gets the job done. You’ve gotten your request out there in a simple and concise manner, and the artist is free to look it over and make their decision without having to prod you for more details.
Speaking of simplicity and conciseness, those are also traits you’ll want to favor if you’re contacting an artist whose first language is not English, doubly so if they do not speak English at all and use a digital translator when receiving requests. Avoid using slang or ambiguous language—telling someone their work is “the shit” gives very different impressions depending on how familiar they are with modern English—and restate subjects as needed since pronouns are often muddied through digital translators.
On that same level, consider adding emojis to further express your emotions. I used to hate emojis myself, but after communicating through text enough, I realized how invaluable they can be in getting your feelings across. You don’t need to put a smiley face at the end of every sentence, but keep in mind that “Okay” and “Okay 😊” have different vibes to them despite being the same response.
The last practice I’ll suggest is that you respect yourself. I’ve been very pro-artist up to this point, but as I mentioned before, not all my experiences with commissioning artists have been positive. While I discourage you from acting entitled, you are still paying someone for a service, and you deserve an appropriate level of quality and responsiveness. If the artist has stated they’re working on your request but hasn’t updated you in weeks, contact them, and if they refuse to deliver what they promised you, request a refund. I can’t tell you how often you should be updated or what constitutes a failure to deliver as those vary immensely from case to case, but I’m sure you know when you feel like you’re being treated unfairly.
As always, communication is king and key. Never attribute malice to that which may have been birthed by carelessness—you’re dealing with humans, and those lovable oafs make mistakes.
Character Design Documents
The following is one of the many character design docs I use when commissioning artists for new character designs—specifically the document used for Diaphanous Lyco’s design, who appeared in Demon Healer Naberius: Volume Seven—and it’s based on that unknown non-artist’s work. Again, this is just my personal process, not a definitive best method, so pick and choose what you like from it for your own purposes.
I like to start with a basic overview of the character themselves. As an author, I already get an intimate look into each of my character’s lives, so I try to share some of the energy they give off in the hopes of helping the artist feel out the details of their appearance (e.g. Lyco is described as talented, beautiful, and famous, so it wouldn’t make sense for her to be dirty or disheveled). The profile is mostly flavor before the biographical paragraphs, and I tack on a short General Concept to distill the character down to their most important traits, highlighting what I’d like featured prominently in their design.
After that, I go into the character’s visual aspects, divided into General Appearance, Outfit, and Weapons/Gear/Other Accessories as needed. You’ll immediately notice that these use images and characters I don’t own (bonus points to anyone who recognizes the arachne’s artist), but keep in mind that this is just an internal reference document, not something that’s used for commercial purposes. The goal is to help the artist share my vision for the character, and as someone who possesses the artistic talent of a zygote, the best way I can do so is by pointing at pictures of things that have inspired me while shouting, “Something like that! Something like that!”
I likewise include a small outline alongside the images to emphasize any points as needed or to get more nitty-gritty (body shapes and proportions, most commonly). You’ll also see some notes that are written like questions; that’s me expressing a possibility and leaving wiggle room for the artist’s decision/interpretation, because while the character is my vision, I’ve found artists can often show me what I actually wanted to see. This ranges from request to request, of course, as I was very insistent on the particulars of Nabby and Bosa’s designs.
Speaking of wiggle room, you’ll notice that Lyco’s final outfit differs significantly from what I described here (scroll down for her final design). I had envisioned something wilder that left her abdomen and more of her legs exposed, but Tostantan felt an elegant dress suited her better. I agreed with him after reviewing my notes on Lyco’s character, again proving that a good artist can distinguish your request from what you actually want.
Accordingly, he also made Lyco’s boobs bigger. God bless that man.
In the event you just can’t find a good reference to a trait you’d like for your character, I recommend describing it as best you can and pairing your description with a doodle. A shoddy reference is better than no reference at all, and you might be impressed by how well most artists can interpret your wishes from a scribble. And if your character has some eldritch detail that cannot be doodled, consult your local expert on cyclopean design, then try to describe the trait as best you can and work with the artist to narrow it down to what you have in mind.
Once you’ve submitted your design concept, you’ll typically receive a basic sketch, sometimes with multiple options for details like hairstyle or clothing pattern. Be honest about which you prefer, and if you notice any details that are missing or incorrect, let the artist know. Sketches rarely contain all the final details that will be present in the design, but there’s no harm in speaking up, so don’t be shy.
Eventually, the artist will submit the final design. This is the one you should be most discerning with—make sure every detail you wanted is present, look for possible errors, and if you have any last-minute changes, state them now. The job will be considered complete once you approve the final design, and not every artist offers post-completion edits.
Scene Design Documents
Now that you’ve got some cool characters, you’ll probably want to have them placed in an equally cool scene, especially if you’re commissioning art for a book or similar project. My covers have been pretty simple as they feature the characters in a white void, but they still require some referencing material.
Like the character designs, I provide notes alongside images, though the only image in this case is my horrible doodle. This has proven to be sufficient for DHN’s covers since there aren’t any backgrounds, so I don’t need reference images unless there are additional props. I used to include references for poses and expressions, but I found that my descriptions and doodles often did a better job expressing what it was that I wanted to see (not to mention it can be incredibly difficult and time-consuming to find references for specific poses).
You’ll also notice that I mark where I expect the logo to go. This might not always be accurate to its final placement, but it’s a good idea to note where you’d like empty space.
I may also not specify a background in more casual/personal commissions. This piece I requested from my good friend Duke is a good example: we had talked about it taking place in a gyoza restaurant, so I didn’t bother finding a reference for such and let him decide the background himself.
For a more detailed example, we’ll revisit my cover design document I sent Rezynsire for The Theatre of the Siege Princess. The formatting is a little shoddier (please forgive me—it was two and a half years ago), but it covers things with a lot more specificity. In addition to having references for the poses and background, it even has a diagram for the front and back covers’ ‘camera’s. That was a trick I included with the cover design docs for the first four volumes of DHN, and since I wanted Siege Princess’ covers to have a similar gag, it popped up again.
In general, I don’t find making scene design requests any more difficult than character ones—the opposite, if anything. My image and note strategy seems to work out for the most part, so I recommend giving it a shot if you find yourself struggling to communicate your ideas to an artist.
Q&A with My Favorite Artists
While this article is primarily about my experiences and strategies for commissioning artists, I also wanted to use it as an opportunity to ask some of my artist friends about their side of the equation, so here is a short Q&A with Tostantan, Duke, and Rezynsire. They were all asked these questions independently, not as a group, and they were informed that their answers would be printed on this website verbatim alongside their peers’.
Tostantan (TTT) has been the sole artist for Demon Healer Naberius since its inception. He excels at character design, but his talents cover everything from comics to gorgeous set pieces, and while I’m tempted to say he’s perfect, he’s unfortunately a Ferry main.
Duke is an artist I met through coincidence, but between our shared love of pets, plushies, and everything Q Hayashida, I’m convinced he’s my long-lost brother. While I haven’t commissioned him for any commercial projects (yet), he’s done several personal pieces for me.
Rezynsire (RZN) is the artist for The Theatre of the Siege Princess, as well as several personal commissions of Nabby and Bosa. The Lady of Long Leggies who bears a heat resistance stat of 255, she wields elegance and adorableness with equal might.
Q1: How would you describe your own art style, and what is your favorite type of art to draw (e.g. character design, posed character art, full illustration with background, etc.)?
TTT – Hmmm... That's hard to describe... I think it's a normal anime style that leans a bit more toward stylized than realistic! My favorite type of art to draw is character-focused drawings! Either character design, posed character art, or full illustration with background but still has the character as the main focus, I like all of those! Though I feel a bit more comfortable drawing girls than guys.
Duke – I dunno my art is can't tell is has style or not lol maybe is call a cool type? Anyway I'm more enjoy to put some humour on my work😁❤️I alway love to made a character art with plain bg for most focus on the thing I want, if I want to show bg Is will less a character cause I think human has limit of focus
RZN – I loooove drawing and designing fantasy characters, as well as natural landscapes. The type of character you'll see me draw most often is what I call the long-legged lady~ XD I have two art styles and it might give you the impression that these arts were created by two different people if you put them side by side. My style of fully rendered art(which is the main style of work) is majestic, dark, and dreamy. Meanwhile, my doodle art is adorable, mischievous, and heart-warming. (and fluffy?) They may be very different from each other. But in the end, these are just both sides of Mie. :3
Q2: How much freedom do you like to have within a client's request? Do you prefer if they specify every detail or leave room for your own interpretation?
TTT – For me, I would prefer in between! Too strict and it can block out some better alternative that artists can come up with. But too much freedom can make the artist feel lost as well. So, communicate with the artist you're working with would help a lot!
Duke – Mosty of my client has they own character and type of they love, anyway at the same one they love to give me chance for doing anything witg my own imaginary and I love to do so, is fun to surprise the client and dont made client feel boring for get cool work, I alway told the client I will give them of oc they love with best match on my own style! 😁✨
RZN – Either way is fine by me. As long as it doesn’t break the agreement/ToS. If the client comes with specific details that they want, I’m on it. But if the client gives me freedom. Mie runs wild.
Q3: Do you prefer working with original characters or popular ones? Do you prefer when you get to design the OC or when they already have a character sheet?
TTT – I don't mind either to be honest! And about getting to design them or not, I also don't mind either as well XD I guess as long as they're within my ability to draw, I don't mind drawing them at all!
Duke – i don't have any problem with oc or fanart , anyway i'm more like oc cause i love to see more of people imagination and their favorite , has sheet or not is no problem ,even just only half of face i can made them fully body my by skill with they few word like what they personality lmao
RZN – Eh?! This topic made me realize that I have never had the opportunity to draw popular characters from any games/anime/etc. before when it comes to work. Now I’m curious too. Might have to add the anime/game franchises I’m currently interested in to my commission sheet~ XD I’d love to design the OC if I get the chance. <3 But if it is a type of work other than a character sheet, having a design sheet beforehand will be a big help.
Q4: If a client is unable to provide a reference for a detail, what is the second-best alternative? Do you prefer if they describe the detail as best they can, doodle an approximation of it, or something else?
TTT – I think both description and doodle are good! Though just the doodle alone could possibly lead to misunderstanding, I think there should be description to go along with it too!
Duke – i'll ask the more important of made character (by my own style) like 1.what they personality 2.body type 3. outfit 4. what they pose or they do / if not too bothered a client i'll ask for they doodle or just a bit of ref is great tho
RZN – It depends on the client’s convenience and the type of references they’re unable to provide. If you can draw, that would be nice~ Because in most cases, just a stickman doodle is more than enough to make a clear picture. Dear, client. You might not know. For the artists, your stickman doodle is like Moses parting the Red Sea and opening the path to the land of distinctly visual realms--- Also, I collect client’s stickman doodles as a hobby. So, please--- ( ๐ 7๐)//
Q5: What is the minimum you will accept as reference for a request (e.g. would you accept a request if the client simply asked, "Please draw a cute girl")?
TTT – That example is totally too little detail for me lol My baseline is, character's appearance, pose (what the character is doing), and background. Usually these three are enough, but if something isn't too clear, I'll ask for more detail.
Duke – just a few word like 'hey i want bicc tomboy like u roach but blue hair , i got them 😆
RZN – If you let me draw whatever I want. Then sure. That’s enough. Lol
Q6: Do you like when your clients chat/make small talk, or would you rather keep things purely professional? Anecdotally, I was incredibly nervous when I commissioned Tostantan for DHN Vol. 1 since that was my first time commissioning an artist ever, and the way he handled my awkward chatter did a lot to relieve my anxiety.
TTT – Haha, I'm really happy to hear that and it's an honor to be your first artist! I prefer to be on the chill side toward the clients. There can be too much chitchat of course, but I don't really mind it to be honest. If it becomes too much and start eating up my work time, I'll just reply back later XD (Though I'm sure this question is very varied depends on artists!)
Duke – SURELY i love to made the most comfortable way with client , more than that i want to give them with more fello vibes than just work with , anyway i have limit if thoes client is a has rude way or talk about sensitive topic much i'll reduce to talk with ,if they pets any animal i'll more of talking with <3
RZN – If the client is not from the company. I'm on the small talk team. It reduces the awkwardness between the two sides and is fun! I love to talk to you guys. I loved it when they talked about the reason they wanted this piece or when we shared new knowledge about our hometown. One time I even shared a list of manga to read with my client. ehehe (>7<)
Q7: Some people (myself included) feel awkward when asking for corrections. Does it ever bother you when a customer asks for a correction (missing detail or small error)?
TTT – Not at all! However, if I have to speak bluntly, it can be come irritating when they don't address all the corrections they need all at once. If you want something to be changed, tell them exactly where it is and in how you want it to be changed so that the progress can go much more smoother.
Duke – i has no problem with any client need , i'll made the best thing for them 🥰 anyway if something client need has a thing i can give advice i'll ask before for made thing best for them!
RZN – Nyo~ I understand if you feel awkward because I would feel the same way too when asking for corrections. 😂 But we both want the best results to come out, right? So please let me know if I’ve done anything wrong. ☺️🙏 I think many artists are used to it when it comes to corrections if that makes sense and should be done. And if they are/were art students. It may be just another Monday for them. So, don't worry. :3 (As I am a person who studied in a related field. I had to edit my work to meet the professor's requirements all the time which sometimes was so... abstract.)
Q8: Are there any practices you like to see from clients (e.g. they include information about the character's personality, references submitted alongside the request, general patience and good manners, etc.)?
TTT – All of the things you mentioned are very good things to have! One thing I want to add and this should affect every line of works. Please state all your bussiness and questions in the very first message you send to the artist or the person you will work with. Please don't start the message with just "Hi" or "Can I ask something?". State your question or what you want to say right away!
Duke – hmm for real just have friendly talk and understand of some limit i give when i ask is enough for made work for them 🥴i'm a bit sensitive with rude word (on the aggressive way)
RZN – References are important. Please provide the artist with as many necessary references as possible. 🙏 Anything that will appear in the illustration or affect it. Character information, mood, tone, position, etc.
Q9: How would you feel if a client asked you to draw in a completely different style? Has a client ever asked you to draw in a different style?
TTT – I've never been asked to draw in a different style before! But if I had... I think it would be better for them to find the artist with the style they want instead. Making artist change their art style will most likely makes the result worse. So, I think it's better and more reliable if the client find an artist who draw the style they want regularly!
Duke – hmmm don't has much 1-2 time but is still end with my own style lol anyway they love more so don't has any problem just give a vibes they need to is okay?
RZN – A thousand question marks going to appear in my head. Why? Just... WHY??? 😂No, this kind of situation has never happened to me before.
Q10: If there was one thing you could tell all your future clients, what would it be?
TTT – Thank you so much and I appreciate all of you! Even though I said so many things that should and should not do, but don't worry about it too much! We can always communicate and address things as they come up!
Duke – i'm alway best one for u! and thankyou alway for you kindness to be supported little artist and kibble for gatos
RZN – Please ask first before you touch my tail.
Q11: Nabby or Bosa?
TTT – Sorry Bosa... I love you both but Nabby is just too cute ☺️
Duke – *Posts several images of guys sweating*
RZN – Oya oya~? 🤔✨ *inhale* *exhale* You are both my wings---
Closing Thoughts
If this article has come off as too preachy or sycophantic for your tastes, please throw it in the trash and pretend it never happened. If you did find some part of it useful, then I’m glad my experiences have helped in some way, and I hope you are able to find the right artist for your project.
To me, artists are mind-reading wizards who are able to take the vaporous dreams in my head and coalesce them into wonderful illustrations that often make me weep with joy. My characters are my children, so being granted clear vision of them leaves my heart fit to burst. Because of that, I cannot help but admire those who humbly call themselves artists.
Thank you very much for celebrating Demon Healer Naberius’ fourth anniversary with me. I’ll be back soon with a preview of Volume Nine, so until then, please treat yourself and others with the kindness we all deserve.
Watch your toes.
