D&D General Questions about comissioning art

[Morrus]

Far more often they have several other commissions and I'm waiting my turn

Well, generally one hires people who are available, not people who are not available.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

That's a bit harsh.

Interesting, I didn’t think I was being harsh - just the reality of being an artist

 

[Seramus]

Well, generally one hires people who are available, not people who are not available.

Commissions open. People race to submit theirs. You get whatever spot in line you get, unless you just don't want to go with that artist. A better question is who are YOU hiring that is both awesome and consistently quick? Give them a shout out and I will definitely give them a shot!

 

[Morrus]

Commissions open. People race to submit theirs. You get whatever spot in line you get, unless you just don't want to go with that artist. A better question is who are YOU hiring that is both awesome and consistently quick? Give them a shout out and I will definitely give them a shot!

I guess it's a different methodology. We build relationships with many artists, and we ask who's available when we have an upcoming project. The people who are available, we hire.

 

[plecostomus]

Open a Bluesky account and utilize a ttrpg artist starter pack to begin following artists. Artists will have their commission info on a separate site, but you can use social media to find them and see examples of their work. Note that most artists negotiate pricing and availability differently for commercial and personal use projects.

Expect at least $80-300 US for a half-body portrait. You mention this is art for a campaign- if you mean landscapes or boss characters (full body) it will likely cost more. If you don't have any reference material it may also cost more because the artist has to design the appearance of the character or location as well.

Here is an example of an artist's website with their price list and TOS: WeirdUndead's commissions
These prices are higher than some other artists but that is a reflection of the art quality. Other artists may offer flat colors or sketches at reduced price. Note that this artist is currently not open for commissions, so if you contacted them they would add you to the wait list as described in their TOS.

edit: Some other examples
Art Bakery
Ouroridae's Commissions

 

[Morrus]

Here is an example of an artist's website with their price list and TOS:

Yikes, those TOS! Certainly not compatible with the way we work!

 

[Lalato]

I've contacted artists on both DeviantArt and ArtStation. Another option I've used is Reddit... SubReddits like r/HungryArtists are good for finding folks that are currently looking for work.

Of those, I've had the best success with DeviantArt, but I've had good results from all three. In all cases, just send a message to the artist and go from there.

 

[LordEntrails]

I guess it's a different methodology. We build relationships with many artists, and we ask who's available when we have an upcoming project. The people who are available, we hire.

Well, see, that's because you are a regular commissioner (is that a word?) of art. You build relationships and are frequently paying for images. I got the impression the OP is more likely looking for a one-off thing. Not that you are buying "wholesale" but you have purchasing power that a first time single commission person doesn't have

 

[nyvinter]

It's also very different depending on if the commission is for commercial or non-commercial purposes — the TOS examples above are very much the later.

 

[quiet engine]

Awesome thanks everyone. I suppose I'll start wandering about deviantart. I don't really know if I'm looking for one-off commissions or something more long term & commercial yet but I suppose I gotta figure that out along the way.