When a Commission Becomes More Than Just a Commission...

[ShaneTurgeon]

Wanted to get a few thoughts from people about a subject Bronty and i were discussing last weekend at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo...

 

To preface, i'm not really a commission collector and try to stick to published works only in my collection. I do make exceptions when i'm able to get work from artists we bring to the Expo or those who i'm friends with but overall, i'm a published guy.

 

Long story short, i had Boo Cook and Richard Starkings from the Elephantmen out to the show and given that there's not much Elephantmen art out there, i commissioned Boo to do a cover quality piece for my collection. He did a killer job on it and i was over the moon. As we got closer to the convention, we ended up needing a cover for our program guide and Boo and Richard were kind enough to let us use the commission - so now it's a little bit more than a standard commission and is, technically, published.

 

So i'm curious, how does the community, overall, view pieces that start out as commissions by an artist and then end up published as convention guide covers, prints, in art books or art sections in TPBs, etc. Obviously it's not quite the same as a published comic cover but surely it's viewed in a higher regard as a standard commission?

 

And for the record, i'm definitely not ever selling this or my other commissions, so i'm not trying to suss out a market or anything, Just generally interested in hearing people's thoughts on the subject.

 

Oh, and here's the piece if anyone is interested in having a looksee:

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1058932

 

 

[Junkdrawer]

Illustrators generally determine the cost of the art based on it's use/ purpose. If you were to use it in advertising more than you have already, then you may be overstepping the original deal used to obtain the art. You did ask to use it and that was what you should have done. Companies that have simple logos created can be responsible for millions depending on how a logo is used. I don't think you program added any real value, but I would keep a few copies with the art and incorporate them with it should you sell you, it may add a nice touch.

[comix4fun]

It's one of my favorite things about commissioning artwork when it's later used as cover art, or a print, etc etc. My "Stuff Of Legends" commission wound up being used as a cover later and I was thrilled.

 

Not sure about values overall, but when a piece is used for publication (especially as a comic cover) it helps to elevate the piece's value from "almost certain loss" to "possibly break even" if you ever have to sell. Of course if the piece is good enough or receives a good enough reception by the public anything can happen.

[comicsnyc22]

From a personal standpoint, getting something published definitely adds a nice touch to it, especially depending on the scarcity of published work available from an artist. To me, it's definitely just icing on the cake, because I don't think anyone really buys commissions at first with the idea of selling them later on.

 

[comix4fun]

From a personal standpoint, getting something published definitely adds a nice touch to it, especially depending on the scarcity of published work available from an artist. To me, it's definitely just icing on the cake, because I don't think anyone really buys commissions at first with the idea of selling them later on.

 

 

A lot of guys do that actually. It's a bad idea almost always, but they do it nonetheless. Some do it, knowing they'll lose some cash, to fund new commissions. Kind of a vicious cycle.

[comicsnyc22]

From a personal standpoint, getting something published definitely adds a nice touch to it, especially depending on the scarcity of published work available from an artist. To me, it's definitely just icing on the cake, because I don't think anyone really buys commissions at first with the idea of selling them later on.

 

 

A lot of guys do that actually. It's a bad idea almost always, but they do it nonetheless. Some do it, knowing they'll lose some cash, to fund new commissions. Kind of a vicious cycle.

 

Strange. Makes zero sense to me to go through all that fuss and coordination for something you'll flip...

[comix4fun]

From a personal standpoint, getting something published definitely adds a nice touch to it, especially depending on the scarcity of published work available from an artist. To me, it's definitely just icing on the cake, because I don't think anyone really buys commissions at first with the idea of selling them later on.

 

 

A lot of guys do that actually. It's a bad idea almost always, but they do it nonetheless. Some do it, knowing they'll lose some cash, to fund new commissions. Kind of a vicious cycle.

 

Strange. Makes zero sense to me to go through all that fuss and coordination for something you'll flip...

 

 

Same here, but it happens all the time. There are guys that spend months waiting for their piece to be completed to simply put it immediately up for sale.

 

Runs the gamut from the con sketch flippers to the long term commission flippers.

[theflashunc]

I've generally viewed what commissions I have in my collection as a chance to interact with an artist whose work I enjoyed, and try not to break the bank in the process.

 

Count me in that camp of folks who don't get why folks would ever flip a commission.

 

 

[jbud73]

I just think that is a kick piece, the valuation of it commission verses non is anyone's guess, but its an awesome example of their work. (thumbs u

[AKA Rick]

I once had a commission done for me and 3 years later the artist used it for a cover.

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=546321

 

I commissioned a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer VS Vampirella" piece from Nick Bradshaw, and years later a publisher decided to do a parody book, and it was fun to see that my original commission was used as the actual cover for the comic book.

 

 

[Dukes40]

Here's an Elephantmen sketch Starkings did for me!

 

[AnhDepTrai]

I have similar situation but instead of a commissioned piece, it is an interior page of published book. The company decided to use that interior page later as a variant cover for a book limited to a certain number of print, my question is:

 

Is this page consider Interior Splash Page or Cover Page?