Commissioning an Oil Painting from Your Own Idea — How It Works
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A ready-made painting is chosen from what exists. A commissioned painting is made for what you need: a particular place, a particular wall, a particular mood. It's the difference between a suit off the peg and one made to measure — the first might fit; the second fits exactly.
People don't only commission portraits. Most often they come to me with one of three tasks: paint a place that matters — a childhood home, the city where they met, the sea from a holiday; paint something for a room when nothing ready-made fits the size or colours; or paint a still life or landscape in a particular manner. Below is how it works, from the first message to the painting on your wall.
What you can commission
A landscape from a photo. The view from your parents' window, a street from your student years, the coast you visit every summer. An ordinary phone photo is fine — I don't paint a copy of the snapshot but a picture: I build the composition, leave out distractions like cables and cars, and choose the light.
A painting for a room. You need a work of a certain size above the sofa or for a narrow stretch of wall, in colours that echo the room. The subject can be anything — what matters is that the painting belongs where it hangs. How to choose size and height for a living room is covered separately.
A still life. Flowers from a wedding bouquet, objects that mean something to the family, or simply a still life in a warm classical manner for the kitchen or dining room.
A painting from your idea. Sometimes there's no photo, just an image in your head: "a boat at dawn in the mist", "a winter forest, but warm". That's a perfectly good commission too — we start with a sketch and find the image together.
What to tell the artist
The clearer the brief, the more precise the result. Five questions are enough:
- What's in it — a photo of the place or objects, or a description of the idea
- What size — or at least where it will hang and how wide the wall is
- What mood — calm, bright, dramatic, warm
- What colours — a photo of the room helps more than any description
- By when — if it's a gift or for an occasion
If you don't know some of it, that's fine. Tell me what you do know; we'll work out the rest by message.
A sketch before work begins
Before I pick up the oils, I make a sketch: the composition and main colours. You see the future painting in advance and can adjust it — shift the emphasis, make it lighter, remove a detail.
At this stage changes are free and cost no time. Repainting oil takes long; a sketch changes quickly. So every decision is made before the first layer of paint.
How the painting is made
An oil painting is built in layers: underpainting, main layers, glazes. Each layer has to dry before the next, so the work takes weeks, not days. How layered oil painting works is a separate article on the technique.
As I work, I send photos of the stages. The first layer looks rough — that's normal and intended. By the end the painting gains its depth.
Timing
A small painting takes about two to three weeks; a large or complex one, four to five. Timing counts from when the sketch is approved.
If you need it by a date, allow a month with room to spare. Oil dries by its own rules, and it can't be rushed without harm.
What it costs
The price depends on size and the complexity of the subject. A good guide is the work in the painting gallery: each piece is listed with its size and price. A commission of the same size costs about the same; a complex composition with architecture or lots of detail costs more.
I'll give an exact figure once I've seen the photos and understood the task. The estimate commits you to nothing.
When the painting is finished
I coat the finished work with protective varnish, pack it and send it. It travels on its stretcher, unframed — a frame is better chosen on site, looking at the wall and the light. How to choose a frame for an oil painting.
I ship abroad as well — how packing and delivery work.
FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions
Can a painting be made from an old or poor photo?
For a landscape, almost always. I need to understand the place, not copy the photo. If the photos are weak, send several from different angles.
What if I don't like the painting?
That's what the sketch is for: you approve the composition and colour before work begins. Changes at the sketch stage are unlimited.
Can I commission a painting to fit my wall exactly?
Yes. Tell me the width of the wall and where the painting will hang, and I'll suggest a size that suits the space.
Do you paint copies of famous paintings?
Works inspired by them — yes, with my own interpretation. I don't paint exact copies of another artist's work for sale.
Can people or animals be added to a landscape?
Yes, if there are photos of them. Figures in a landscape are usually small, but recognisable by silhouette and posture.
Have an idea for a painting? Write to me — send a photo of the place or the wall and a few words about what you have in mind. I'll reply with a proposal, price and timing. Finished works are in the painting gallery.