CONVENTION COMMISSIONS - Rates, Quality, The Process and Tips

[innocuous]

I never thought of "tipping", for a great job. However, I have said "keep the change". For example, something costs $150 and I pay with $20's. I'm not sure if the artist remembers me, but it always appears appreciated.

 

I don't go to a lot of shows, but I do feel good when an artist remembers me. I also like to pass on the comments I receive on a sketch the next time I see an artist. I have the scan on my phone to remind them of the art as well.

[AKA Rick]

On the reverse side, of tipping for work above and beyond expectations... has any one ever asked either for a refund or partial refund, refused to pay or a "re-do" for artwork not meeting expectations?

 

I've done a little bit of "art directing" with my requests, guiding the artist to what I was looking for in poses as well as the tempo (so, for example if you have a female figure like "The Red Sonja" do you want it "fierce", "cute", "sexy", "intense", "playful", etc.) - and have even modified preliminary layouts. I usually provide input when asked by the artist, more so than being proactive about it.

 

Generally speaking 'tho, I do like to give artists their creative freedom and liberties to render it the way they feel and are in the mood for, it seems to flow better and there's less handcuffs to the process for them.

 

I try to provide references (so bring a comic book featuring that character, then they can flip through it for different poses, angles and views of the costume and character) for the artists for the costumes, which a lot of artists request when it's a character they're less familiar with.