If you’ve never commissioned artwork before, the process can feel a bit mysterious. How do you describe what you want? What if you don’t like it? When do you pay? This post walks through a typical pencil portrait commission from start to finish, so you know what to expect and what questions to ask.

Step 1: Decide what you want

Before you contact an artist, it helps to have rough answers to a few questions:

  • Who or what is in the portrait? One person, a couple, a family, one pet, several pets, or people with pets.
  • Which photo(s)? You don’t have to have decided, but gather a few candidates.
  • What size? Think about where it will go. Common sizes run from A4 (about 8×12 inches) up to large wall pieces.
  • Physical original, digital scan, or both?
  • Any deadline? A birthday, wedding, anniversary or memorial date.

If you’re unsure about any of these, that’s fine. Part of an artist’s job is helping you decide.

Step 2: Send your photos and ask for a check

Send the original photo files, not screenshots or images forwarded through a messaging app, since those lose detail. A good artist will look at the photos before you pay and tell you honestly whether they’ll work. Common issues include:

  • The face is too small in the frame
  • The eyes are out of focus
  • Strong shadows or flash glare hide features
  • Part of the subject is cut off
  • Subjects from different photos are lit from opposite directions, which makes combining them look unnatural

Sometimes the answer is a different photo. Sometimes it’s a different composition, like a head-and-shoulders portrait instead of a full body. Sometimes it’s simply a slightly looser style. This conversation is the most valuable part of the process, so don’t skip it.

Step 3: Agree on the details and price

Once the photo is settled, you’ll confirm:

  • Size and number of subjects
  • Background: plain paper, a soft tonal background, or a simple setting
  • Anything to add or remove, such as a collar, glasses, a person in the background or a lead
  • Any lettering, like a name or date
  • Delivery method and shipping address
  • Estimated completion date

Prices for hand-drawn portraits usually depend on size and the number of subjects, since both affect the drawing time. Our current prices are listed on the Pricing page. Multi-subject pieces are quoted individually.

Step 4: Payment

Payment terms vary between artists. Some take full payment upfront; others take a deposit and the balance before shipping. Make sure you understand the refund and revision policy before paying. It should be written down in the artist’s terms.

Step 5: The drawing begins

The artist first works out the composition: where the subject sits on the page and how much space is around it. Then comes a light layout with hard pencils, mapping the proportions. Getting the distance between the eyes, the length of the nose or the angle of an ear right at this stage is what produces a true likeness later.

After that, tone is built up in layers, usually starting with lighter grades and working toward the darks. For a pet, base layers of fur go in first, followed by individual hair strokes. For a person, skin is usually blended smooth and features are refined gradually.

Step 6: Progress preview

Partway through, often once the face is well established, you’ll receive a photo of the drawing in progress. Look at it carefully:

  • Does the expression feel right?
  • Are markings, eye colour (noted for reference), scars or freckles where they should be?
  • Is anything included that you’d prefer left out?

This is the easiest time for changes. Small adjustments to shape and tone are straightforward. Large changes after the drawing is finished are much harder in graphite, because heavy erasing can damage the paper surface.

Step 7: Finishing and final approval

The artist completes the darkest tones, refines details, lifts highlights, cleans up the margins and signs the work. You’ll get a final photo or scan to approve before it ships. Phone photos of drawings can look slightly different from the real thing because of lighting and camera processing, so the artist may mention that the original has more subtle tones than the photo shows.

Step 8: Delivery

Digital

You receive a high-resolution scan, suitable for printing at the original size. This is useful for tight deadlines, overseas recipients, or making copies for family members.

Physical original

The drawing is covered with a protective sheet, sandwiched between rigid boards and shipped flat. You’ll get tracking details. International shipments may take longer and can be subject to customs procedures in the destination country.

Step 9: Framing and care

When it arrives, handle it by the edges with clean hands and keep it flat. Frame it with a mat so the glass doesn’t touch the graphite, and hang it away from direct sunlight and damp. Our framing guide covers this in detail.

What if I’m not happy?

Talk to the artist straight away, and be specific: “the eyes look too far apart” is much easier to act on than “it doesn’t look like him”. Most likeness problems come down to one or two measurable things, and they’re far easier to fix at the preview stage than after the drawing is finished.

Questions worth asking any artist

  • Will you check my photo before I pay?
  • Do I see a progress preview, and how many changes are included?
  • What’s the estimated completion date?
  • Is the work fully hand-drawn?
  • How is the original packed and shipped?
  • What happens if it’s damaged in transit?

A clear answer to each of these is a good sign. If you have any of these questions for us, just ask. We’re happy to explain before you decide anything.