How to Open Commissions: A First-Timer's Checklist

There’s a moment every artist who opens commissions remembers: the first “how much for one of these?” that you answered with panic and a made-up number. Opening properly is mostly about never being in that position again — doing the thinking once, in advance, so each client interaction runs on rails you built.

Here’s the checklist, in the order that matters.

1. Check you’re actually ready (you probably are)

The bar is lower than impostor syndrome says, but it’s specific:

Your portfolio shows the product. Clients buy what they can see. If you want character commissions, your portfolio needs finished character pieces — not necessarily many, but real ones.
You know your speed. You can’t promise turnarounds if you don’t know how long a piece takes. Time your last few works.
You have prices you can say out loud. Built from hours, not vibes — the whole method is in our commission pricing guide.

What you don’t need: a big following, business cards, or permission. Most first commissions come from the small circle that already follows you — which is one more reason those first hundred followers matter more than the next thousand.

2. Decide exactly what you’re selling

Write down, before anyone asks:

Offer tiers — sketch, flat colour, full render, whatever fits your work, each with examples and prices.
Extras — additional characters, backgrounds, props, priced as line items.
Your will-not-draw list. Every artist has one. Stating it upfront (“no mecha, no NSFW, no real people”) is professional, not rude, and saves the most awkward conversation in commissioning.
Turnaround expectations — a realistic range, padded for life happening.

3. Write terms of service (the boring superpower)

Your ToS is a short document that answers every dispute before it happens. It doesn’t need legal language; it needs clarity:

Payment: deposit size, when the remainder is due, accepted methods. Standard practice: 50% before work starts, 50% before final delivery — or full payment upfront for small pieces. Use invoices through your payment platform rather than informal transfers; invoices give both sides a paper trail and proper buyer/seller protections, which matters more than it seems — see the commission scams guide for why.
Revisions: how many rounds, and at which stages. Free tweaks at sketch stage, limited changes after rendering is the common pattern.
Deadlines and silence: what happens if the client disappears mid-approval.
Usage rights: personal use by default; commercial licensing priced separately. Also state your own rights — most artists retain the right to post the finished piece in their portfolio.
Refund policy: commonly, deposits are non-refundable once work begins; partial refunds scale with work completed.

Post the ToS wherever you take orders and have clients confirm they’ve read it. One sentence of confirmation converts “I didn’t know” into “I agreed”.

4. Set up the workflow

An order form beats DMs. Even a simple form (references, tier, deadline, usage) forces complete requests and gives you a queue you can manage instead of a pile of half-conversations.
Work in checkpoints. Sketch approval → colour approval → final. Clients who see the piece at each stage don’t get surprises, and neither do you. Send WIPs watermarked or at reduced resolution until final payment.
Keep a visible queue. A simple public list (“3 slots — 2 taken”) sets expectations and creates gentle urgency for the next opening.
Communicate on a rhythm. A short update at every checkpoint is enough. Silence is where client anxiety — and disputes — grow.

5. Announce it properly

“Commissions open” posts work when the audience already exists and can see what they’re buying:

Show, don’t list. Announce with your best recent examples attached, not a wall of text. Your sheet does the detail.
Put it everywhere your name is. Your bio should say commissions are open with a link — profile visitors are your warmest leads, and a dead-end profile is one of the classic posting mistakes.
Tag it findably. On platforms with real tag systems, commission posts are searchable product listings — tags are discovery, for buyers as much as browsers.

6. Expect the wobble

First openings are rarely sold-out stampedes. A slow first round is data, not a verdict: usually it means the audience is still small, not that the work is unwanted. Keep posting, keep the sheet visible, and let the queue build across openings. The artists with waiting lists almost all started with a round of silence.

Final thoughts

Opening commissions is a systems job: sheet, terms, deposits, checkpoints. Build the rails once and every future client rides them — which frees your attention for the part you actually signed up for, the drawing.

The audience part compounds too: on artbase, your portfolio, your commission examples and the community who’ll hire you live in one place — and while it’s still this early, being noticed is easy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know I'm ready to open commissions?

You are ready when your portfolio shows finished examples of the kind of work you want to be paid for, and you can name your prices and turnaround honestly. You do not need a huge following — most first commissions come from a handful of people who already love your work.

Should I ask for payment upfront for commissions?

Yes — at least partially. A 50% deposit before you start (or full payment upfront for small pieces) is standard, protects your time, and filters out non-serious clients. Never deliver the finished full-resolution file before the final payment clears.

How many revisions should a commission include?

State a fixed number in your terms — commonly unlimited small tweaks at the sketch stage, then one or two rounds of minor revisions on the finished piece. Unlimited revisions on a finished illustration is how commissions become unpaid part-time jobs.

What if a commissioner stops replying?

Your terms should cover it: after a stated period of silence (say, 14 days at an approval stage), the commission is considered accepted or forfeited per your policy. With a deposit taken upfront, a vanished client costs you far less.