SketchroundGuides
Plain answers for first-time clients and for illustrators: what to ask for, what to agree, and how to pay safely.
How to commission an illustrated book cover
For self-publishing authors hiring an illustrator for the first time: what to put in the brief, what to agree before you pay, and how to avoid getting burned.
Game studiosCommissioning character and key art for an indie game
You posted on a forum and twenty artists replied. Here's how to compare them fairly, brief the one you pick, and pay without risk on either side.
Small brandsCommissioning a mascot or packaging illustration for a small brand
For shops, cafés, makers and small labels: how to brief an illustrator so the art works on a label, a sign and a social post — and you own the right to use it.
CouplesCommissioning a wedding portrait or illustrated invitation
A one-off piece you'll keep for life. How to brief an illustrator, what photos to send, and how to plan around your wedding date.
IllustratorsDeviantArt closed commissions. Where to take them now
DeviantArt removed its commissions feature on 1 July 2026. If your clients used to find and pay you there, here is a way to keep taking paid work without chasing payments.
IllustratorsHow to stop getting ghosted on commissions
The client who vanishes after the sketch, the 'I'll pay when it's done', the endless free revisions. Practical rules that protect your time, and how we build them in.
Anyone commissioning artHow to commission an artist without getting scammed
The warning signs of a fake or unreliable artist, what to agree before you pay, and how to make sure your money only moves when the work arrives.