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I've noticed that there are a lot of people out there who are unfamiliar with the commission process, and can often feel like they are stumbling over their words when contacting an artist. So, I decided to make a short guide detailing some of things I've noted over the years of working as a freelancer. If you are an artist, feel free to suggest additional details in the comment section below!

Preparing for a Commission
Money is Everything
    Ensure that, before you contact an artist, you have enough money to purchase what you want. If you are operating on a tight budget and may end up spending that money on something- don’t contact the artist. It’s extremely frustrating to have a client backout, or ghost you completely. Backing out after only a few messages is extremely insulting to us, and leaves us with a sour impression of you. Remember- freelancers aren’t your neighborhood Walmart, every dollar we make is extremely precious to us.

Additionally, make sure you are able to pay in a method that the artist accepts. Some artists only accept , while others only accept PayPal. Just because you have 1000 , doesn't mean you're going to be able to pay the artist.

Read Their Terms of Service
    Artists will expect for you to have already read this when you contact them, unless they don’t have a link to it on their main page. When you commission an artist, you are automatically agreeing to their TOS. It’s important to know what you’re agreeing to, especially regarding editing fees, refund policies, payment times, and any other vital info.

Always Tip If Plausible
    Always give a tip if you can afford it. Tipping an artist is not required, but bear in mind that most artists severely underprice their work to get you in their door. Giving them even a couple extra bucks greatly bolsters an artist’s perception of you as a client, and shows a lot of respect for our craft.

References Are Key
Have at minimum one visual reference handy. If you are commissioning work of a specific character, ensure that your reference sheet has enough information for the artist to draw your character as accurately as possible. This may include a front, back, and side shot, depending on your character. Reference sheets should not be shaded, and should provide clear color palettes that are not hindered by watermarks.
If you are giving “artistic freedom”, you should still provide some visual reference of what you’re looking for. For example, if you are paying an artist to draw your OC in a maid outfit you haven’t designed, find examples of what this maid outfit may look like. Google Images & Pinterest are great tools for this.

How Do You Plan To Use Your Commissioned Art?
What can you do with a finished piece? Artists will always maintain copyright over their artwork, unless they register it for a Creative Commons license. These licenses give the general public certain rights over the work. You can read more about CC Licenses here: creativecommons.org/licenses/
Most artists will state how a client is permitted to use their work in their Terms of Service. If in doubt of how you can use a piece, always ask first. Generally, most freelancers will allow you to use their work on any website as long as you credit back to them in some way. If you want to use an artist’s work in any other way, make sure you inform them of this before they start. Some people don’t feel comfortable with certain uses of their art, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Artists Don’t Like Ghosts
Communication is one of the most valued traits of a good freelancer. Just as you expect us to be professional, honest, open to communication, and responsible, we expect you to do the same. This applies to communicating information you really don’t want to. While it is rude to cancel a commission, we would much rather you inform us of this rather than dissipating into the void. Backing out on a commission without telling an artist is commonly known as “ghosting”. Bear in mind that, for many artists, our commission income is often a source of medical bills, food, or other necessities. We need to know if you’re able to pay or not, and disappearing without a note can be unnerving, and frustrating.

Requesting a Commission
The First Message
    When contacting an artist, attempt to include the following in your first message
What character you’d like drawn (with a link to a reference of them)
What method of payment you’d be using (Points, PayPal, etc)
If you have a timeframe you need the work to be completed in
Manners. Be polite, professional, and respectful. Over familiar rudeness or casualness can sometimes be a major turn off for some artists.

Describe, Describe, Describe
    Commissions are a collaboration of an artist and a client. Giving the artist lots of ideas to work with is far more beneficial than just throwing a reference sheet at us and shrugging your shoulders. Sharing your own artistic vision with us helps enhances our own!
Working with an Artist
Don’t Helicopter
    After you’ve settled the details of your commission, your artist will start on your request when they are prepared to do so. Avoid helicoptering in their DMs. (Ex: Asking every 2 hours, “How’s my commission going?”) Most freelancers will be able to give you a time frame on when they should expect to start, and really don’t appreciate overly nosy clients.

Asking for An Update
    If the given time frame has passed, feel free to message your artist and ask for an update. While it is important to remain professional and respectful, bear in mind that you are paying for a service. If an artist is repeatedly giving you excuses, or an excessive amount of time has passed, request a refund. A lot of freelancers will give you a general time frame in their T.O.S. as to what this is.

Be Honest
    Often times, artists will send you WIP (Work in Progress) shots of a piece. This is done to ensure that you are getting what you want, and to change any issues you may have. If you have an issue, be polite, but honest. Artists ultimately want to make our client happy above all else, so don’t hesitate to ask for edits.

Enthusiasm Goes A Long Way
Artists will always love when a client is ecstatic about the work they are receiving. There really is no such thing as too much cheer to us. So feel free to spice up your messages with all the exclamation points, capital letters, and emojis that you want. We’d much prefer a client who’s happy to receive updates, and their final piece, than a passive one. Infact, many artists can sometimes feel that non-ecstatic messages are a sign of passive unhappiness.

Sketches are Absolutely Key
    Always be hyper vigilant about a sketch WIP. This is the key point in which changes and edits are the easiest and most time efficient to make. Making drastic, or even seemingly inconsequential changes, after the lineart has already been made is usually extremely time consuming. Some artist charge clients editing fees for this reason. So to ensure that you are receiving the best product, saving your artist’s precious time, and potentially a few extra bucks, be forthright with what you think about a sketch!

Check Your Inbox Regularly
    Try to check your inbox regularly. A good freelancer will regularly communicate with their client, so it’s important that you’re perceptive to these messages. We want to ensure that you are getting the best experience possible from us, so responding as soon as you can is extremely appreciated!

Talking Non-Business with an Artist
    Talking to your artist as a friend is something artists feel vastly different about from person to person. Some freelancers really don’t appreciate chit chat, but still feel obligated to do so because you are their client. Some freelancers are more than happy to converse with you. As a rule of thumb, it’s okay to exchange niceties (i.e: How’s your day going?), but inquiring on more large conservation topics is something you should tread with care.

Don’t Treat Your Artist Like a Therapist
    This sounds rather ridiculous out of context, but it happens more commonly than you may think. You are hiring a freelancer for a specific service, not to be your friend. Most of us will probably lend an ear to those in need of help, but this is usually out of a compulsory obligation to be polite. Providing emotional support to those in a tough place takes a lot of resources, something that we ourselves may already be low on. If you’re in a tough place, please reach out to those you love, or a professional mental health service. We aren’t licensed therapists, and can’t provide the support you’re looking for.

Points — Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

I've noticed that there are a lot of people out there who are unfamiliar with the commission process, and can often feel like they are stumbling over their words when contacting an artist. So, I decided to make a short guide detailing some of things I've noted over the years of working as a freelancer. If you are an artist, feel free to suggest additional details in the comment section below!

Preparing for a Commission
Money is Everything
    Ensure that, before you contact an artist, you have enough money to purchase what you want. If you are operating on a tight budget and may end up spending that money on something- don’t contact the artist. It’s extremely frustrating to have a client backout, or ghost you completely. Backing out after only a few messages is extremely insulting to us, and leaves us with a sour impression of you. Remember- freelancers aren’t your neighborhood Walmart, every dollar we make is extremely precious to us.

Additionally, make sure you are able to pay in a method that the artist accepts. Some artists only accept , while others only accept PayPal. Just because you have 1000 , doesn't mean you're going to be able to pay the artist.

Read Their Terms of Service
    Artists will expect for you to have already read this when you contact them, unless they don’t have a link to it on their main page. When you commission an artist, you are automatically agreeing to their TOS. It’s important to know what you’re agreeing to, especially regarding editing fees, refund policies, payment times, and any other vital info.

Always Tip If Plausible
    Always give a tip if you can afford it. Tipping an artist is not required, but bear in mind that most artists severely underprice their work to get you in their door. Giving them even a couple extra bucks greatly bolsters an artist’s perception of you as a client, and shows a lot of respect for our craft.

References Are Key
Have at minimum one visual reference handy. If you are commissioning work of a specific character, ensure that your reference sheet has enough information for the artist to draw your character as accurately as possible. This may include a front, back, and side shot, depending on your character. Reference sheets should not be shaded, and should provide clear color palettes that are not hindered by watermarks.
If you are giving “artistic freedom”, you should still provide some visual reference of what you’re looking for. For example, if you are paying an artist to draw your OC in a maid outfit you haven’t designed, find examples of what this maid outfit may look like. Google Images & Pinterest are great tools for this.

How Do You Plan To Use Your Commissioned Art?
What can you do with a finished piece? Artists will always maintain copyright over their artwork, unless they register it for a Creative Commons license. These licenses give the general public certain rights over the work. You can read more about CC Licenses here: creativecommons.org/licenses/
Most artists will state how a client is permitted to use their work in their Terms of Service. If in doubt of how you can use a piece, always ask first. Generally, most freelancers will allow you to use their work on any website as long as you credit back to them in some way. If you want to use an artist’s work in any other way, make sure you inform them of this before they start. Some people don’t feel comfortable with certain uses of their art, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Artists Don’t Like Ghosts
Communication is one of the most valued traits of a good freelancer. Just as you expect us to be professional, honest, open to communication, and responsible, we expect you to do the same. This applies to communicating information you really don’t want to. While it is rude to cancel a commission, we would much rather you inform us of this rather than dissipating into the void. Backing out on a commission without telling an artist is commonly known as “ghosting”. Bear in mind that, for many artists, our commission income is often a source of medical bills, food, or other necessities. We need to know if you’re able to pay or not, and disappearing without a note can be unnerving, and frustrating.

Requesting a Commission
The First Message
    When contacting an artist, attempt to include the following in your first message
What character you’d like drawn (with a link to a reference of them)
What method of payment you’d be using (Points, PayPal, etc)
If you have a timeframe you need the work to be completed in
Manners. Be polite, professional, and respectful. Over familiar rudeness or casualness can sometimes be a major turn off for some artists.

Describe, Describe, Describe
    Commissions are a collaboration of an artist and a client. Giving the artist lots of ideas to work with is far more beneficial than just throwing a reference sheet at us and shrugging your shoulders. Sharing your own artistic vision with us helps enhances our own!
Working with an Artist
Don’t Helicopter
    After you’ve settled the details of your commission, your artist will start on your request when they are prepared to do so. Avoid helicoptering in their DMs. (Ex: Asking every 2 hours, “How’s my commission going?”) Most freelancers will be able to give you a time frame on when they should expect to start, and really don’t appreciate overly nosy clients.

Asking for An Update
    If the given time frame has passed, feel free to message your artist and ask for an update. While it is important to remain professional and respectful, bear in mind that you are paying for a service. If an artist is repeatedly giving you excuses, or an excessive amount of time has passed, request a refund. A lot of freelancers will give you a general time frame in their T.O.S. as to what this is.

Be Honest
    Often times, artists will send you WIP (Work in Progress) shots of a piece. This is done to ensure that you are getting what you want, and to change any issues you may have. If you have an issue, be polite, but honest. Artists ultimately want to make our client happy above all else, so don’t hesitate to ask for edits.

Enthusiasm Goes A Long Way
Artists will always love when a client is ecstatic about the work they are receiving. There really is no such thing as too much cheer to us. So feel free to spice up your messages with all the exclamation points, capital letters, and emojis that you want. We’d much prefer a client who’s happy to receive updates, and their final piece, than a passive one. Infact, many artists can sometimes feel that non-ecstatic messages are a sign of passive unhappiness.

Sketches are Absolutely Key
    Always be hyper vigilant about a sketch WIP. This is the key point in which changes and edits are the easiest and most time efficient to make. Making drastic, or even seemingly inconsequential changes, after the lineart has already been made is usually extremely time consuming. Some artist charge clients editing fees for this reason. So to ensure that you are receiving the best product, saving your artist’s precious time, and potentially a few extra bucks, be forthright with what you think about a sketch!

Check Your Inbox Regularly
    Try to check your inbox regularly. A good freelancer will regularly communicate with their client, so it’s important that you’re perceptive to these messages. We want to ensure that you are getting the best experience possible from us, so responding as soon as you can is extremely appreciated!

Talking Non-Business with an Artist
    Talking to your artist as a friend is something artists feel vastly different about from person to person. Some freelancers really don’t appreciate chit chat, but still feel obligated to do so because you are their client. Some freelancers are more than happy to converse with you. As a rule of thumb, it’s okay to exchange niceties (i.e: How’s your day going?), but inquiring on more large conservation topics is something you should tread with care.

Don’t Treat Your Artist Like a Therapist
    This sounds rather ridiculous out of context, but it happens more commonly than you may think. You are hiring a freelancer for a specific service, not to be your friend. Most of us will probably lend an ear to those in need of help, but this is usually out of a compulsory obligation to be polite. Providing emotional support to those in a tough place takes a lot of resources, something that we ourselves may already be low on. If you’re in a tough place, please reach out to those you love, or a professional mental health service. We aren’t licensed therapists, and can’t provide the support you’re looking for.