Commissioning Art & Custom Work

As much of my work is made to order, adding bespoke touches are relatively easy.

Whether it is a name or personal message you want added to a coaster, custom colours on a ready made shape or a fully bespoke pet portrait, I am happy to work with you to achieve what you want.

Please note: larger ceramic pieces can take approximately 12 weeks to complete due to drying and firing times. If required for a specific date,  please check with me to see if it is feasible. I will always do my best to get them out faster but clay has a mind of it’s own and the kiln gods are often fickle and unforgiving!!  None ceramic items have a much shorter lead time, usually 1-2 weeks, so please ask if you need something sooner.

Here’s are some examples and guide prices of what’s available.

Personalised Items:

N.B. Prices quoted for Portraits  are for A4 professional prints on watercolour paper. Larger sizes and canvas options are available as upgrades. Prices on request.

Portrait prices are per subject. 10% discount is given for 2 subjects in the same painting, 15% for 3 and 20% for 4 or more. e.g. single cat = £40, two cats together = £80 -10% = £72

F.A.Q.s

As cats are notoriously uncooperative, working from photos is kind of a necessity! Whether it’s  for a cat, dog or other pet portrait, a selection of photos gives me lots of visual information to work with and allows me to create something that isn’t just a straight forward copy of a photo.

For portraits, the photos are purely for reference so the resolution isn’t that important as they aren’t going to be printed. Photos from mobile phones, Facebook etc. are fine. What is important is that they are clear and well lit so details can be seen clearly. If you don’t have a photo of the exact pose you want, it is sometimes possible for me to recreate a pose from multiple photos as long as all the elements I need are there. There is an additional charge for this, depending on the amount of work required. Please remember I’m not a mind reader! If I can’t see it, I don’t know what it should look like!

As every piece is bespoke and every customer wants something different, there are variations in prices because some pieces will longer than normal to do or require additional work or specially bought in materials. Customers will always be informed of the price up front and, unless they ask for additional elements after the piece is agreed upon, that’s the price they will pay.

For personalised, printed items, I ask for the all money upfront as I have to order them from my printers and as they are personalised, they aren’t suitable for reselling should they be returned. Unless faulty, these items are non-refundable.

For portrait work, I ask for a deposit of 50% to cover the  costs of my time to produce the initial design work. Whether you choose to continue with the portrait once the initial designs are completed is your choice.  If you choose to go ahead with a piece, the remaining amount is due on delivery of the completed piece.

For customised ceramics, there is a deposit of £10 to cover the costs of producing a custom markings design. If the design is returned and can be resold, then the deposit may be returned but this is decided on a case by case basis depending on the uniqueness of the colourings in the piece.

Custom ceramics can take approx. 12 weeks due to drying times and the frequency of firings. Ceramics are very fragile and unexpecting cracking can occur at any time during  the making process. This can cause unavoidable delays and remakes, hence the long lead time for pieces which tries to allow for this. If there is a delay at any point customers will be informed and given a new expected delivery date. Obviously, I will always try to get them out faster where possible.

Digital portraits typically take 2-4 weeks depending on the time of year and how many other commissions I am currently working on. If required sooner, please contact me and I will see if I can accommodate. 

Depending on when the requests are made and within reason, yes.

Some details, such as size, format, style etc. will be agreed at the start. If I am working on a portrait you will be sent work in progress updates where you can ask for tweaks to the design. I see creating bespoke pieces as an ongoing conversation with my customer. I work with you to create the piece you want. After a certain point it becomes impossible to make large changes without redoing the piece.  Customers are informed and asked for approval to  complete the work when this point arrives.

Work that is being set to external printers or features names or other text will require proof authorisation. Customers will be sent a proof for their approval. They are responsible for checking spellings and positions are correct as these can not be changed once printed.

 

I retain the copyright to all my work, digital or ceramic. I reserve the right to use images of past work to promote my business. If personalised, details may be obscured or altered to protect the privacy of previous customers. I reserve the right to rework bespoke designs to produce alternative versions which then may be sold. Copies of my work are prohibited without express permission and cannot be resold. 

When you commission a pet portrait from me, not only will you receive the finished printed image, you will also receive a copy of the digital file. You are free to use this to print additional copies of your artwork or to upload it and have it printed onto other products, e.g. mugs, cushions, etc. as long as these are for personal use. They must not be sold on.