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Artist CreatedBuild Your Own Art World · Commission calculator

Someone wants to commission you. What should you quote?

A commission is priced in two parts: a making fee for your time, materials and costs, and, if a business will use the work, a licence fee for how they use it. Price it from your usual prices by size, or from your day rate, and use the other as a check. This builds it all into one quote, with a deposit and what happens if they cancel.

Examples to guide you, not a price list

The percentages here come from terms other artists and illustrators have published. Your work, reputation and client change the number. For large, public or exclusive commissions, take proper advice before you sign.

Try an example (the numbers are only examples):
Quote in

2. How do you price your work?

3. Your standard price, from a recent sale

A work you sold at your usual price. The numbers below are only an example.

Taken off, so your rate is for the art itself.

4. The commission

More detail, figures, research or sittings than your usual work at this size. Charged at your day rate.

Not sure? Work out your day rate.

30–50% is the usual range.

How many days will it take?

Canvas, paint, paper, printing, anything used up by this job.

Travel, framing, shipping, equipment hire, assistants.

For the agreed rounds of changes. Extra rounds are charged on top.

For work needed in about half your usual time.

If someone else found or sells the commission. Galleries often take 40–50%.

Do they charge VAT on their commission?

A VAT-registered gallery or agent usually adds VAT to its commission. If you're VAT registered too, you can normally reclaim it.

Are you VAT registered?

Your quote

What's in it

If they cancel

How this was worked out
    Before you say yes

      Where to get proper advice

      Illustrators: the Association of Illustrators (AOI) checks contracts and gives pricing guidance to members.

      Visual artists: a-n The Artists Information Company has commissioning contracts, fees guidance and, for members, a legal and tax helpline.

      Public art and big commissions: have a solicitor who knows intellectual property read the contract, especially if the commissioner wants to own the copyright.

      Where the figures come from

        A guide, not a quote or legal advice. Other Artist Created pricing tools: day rate · licensing.