This page serves as a guide for those who doesn't know or aren't sure on how to ask for a commission to an artist. It is also for artists who might be in a difficult situation regarding taking commissions. Each artists has their preferences, and they might have a completely different process from mine. However, I do believe this guide could, at least, help people who never commissionned someone else or might not be sure on what to share, and how the whole process usually happens.
If you're not sure if the artist you want to commission needs more, less or different kinds of informations, don't hesitate to ask them, they'll be happy to list everything they need. As the artist, don't be afraid to ask for more informations or clarifications.
This guide also includes other formalities like asking for changes, vocabulary, and more situations you might meet as the buyer and as the artist.

If you want to know my personal rules and terms, go to the "commission and portfolio" tab.

⇒ Making you art isn't mendatory nor a need, if you can't affort it, move on. You don't get to demand artists to lower their prices or work for free.

⇒ On a similar note, as the artist, people don't owe you commissions. If they don't come your way, forcing others by using pity, anger or threats (yes, even if you make urgent commissions, clients aren't responsible of your well being.) is incredibly unprofessional.

⇒ Communication is key. Whatever if it's because you don't understand a request, or you need more information, or even if you have to cancel the commission, be clear and direct. Beating around the bush is unprofessional and might give the wrong idea.

⇒ Not getting commissions doesn't mean your art is bad. Don't rely on how much money you make per month to judge your art skills. Same thing with follower count, a low follower count doesn't mean low art skills.

⇒ Be polite, please. Hello, thank you, goodbye, please, and more, they won't shread your mouth or break your fingers if you use them. You don't have to hugbox each other, but basic politeness isn't going to kill you.

⇒ Regarding payement : I don't know what's the best way to secure the transaction both for the artist and client. Keep in mind that it's technically illegal to send money over paypal as "family and friends" to an artist. Nobody will punish you over it, but it's not secure, especially if you don't know each other. Use the "goods and services" option.
Some artist will ask you to pay first before they begin drawing the sketch, some artist will ask you after finishing the sketch, and some will ask you half before the sketch, then half after the sketch. Ask the artist how the payement will proceed before assuming. HOWEVER, it doesn't mean you can wait for the sketch and run with it for free. If you do that, you are a terrible client.
Specialised commission websites, such as fiverr and vgen are a safe mean to get/search for commissions.

⇒ Not all commissions are the same. A single illustration isn't going to take as much time and cost as much money as character stills for PNGtubing, which might take less time than a vtubing model.

Commission: The act of creating a customized art work made by an artist (not an AI) for someone else, in echange of money.
Reference: Support used as examples and directions, for a character design for example.
Reference Sheet: Visual support in which a character, animal, background and/or prop is drawn clearly and has its local colors (colors before it interacts with its enviroment and rendering).
(Commission) Status: if the artist can accept commissions or not currently.

Sketch: Messy, uncomplete drawing, used as a guide before line art, coloring, shading and rendering.
Line Art: Lines traced over the sketch, both for its own aesthetic and as boundaries between colors and parts of the drawings (between clothes and skin for example).
Coloring: Flat surfaces of colors.
Shading: Added colors over the flat surfaces to represent and stylise forms, shadows and light sports.
Rendering: Last step in complete drawings, in which the artist adds their watermark, filters and fixes.

Urgent/Emergecy commission: Commissions accepted quickly to aquire money as soon as possible. Some artist uses them in case of emergecies such as : Bills, medical care, catastrophies, immediate fixing, employement issues, urgent moving-outs, and more.
YCH: Stands for Your Character Here, a type of commission with an already defined pose and mood.
Sale: A temporary lower price for an artist's commissions.

My name is Yoshikage Kira. I'm 33 years old. My house is in the northeast section of Morioh, where all the villas are, and I am not married.
I work as an employee for the Kame Yu department stores, and I get home every day by 8 PM at the latest.I don't smoke, but I occasionally drink.
I'm in bed by 11 PM, and make sure I get eight hours of sleep, no matter what. After having a glass of warm milk and doing about twenty minutes of stretches before going to bed, I usually have no problems sleeping until morning.
Just like a baby, I wake up without any fatigue or stress in the morning. I was told there were no issues at my last check-up. I'm trying to explain that I'm a person who wishes to live a very quiet life.
I take care not to trouble myself with any enemies, like winning and losing, that would cause me to lose sleep at night. That is how I deal with society, and I know that is what brings me happiness. Although, if I were to fight I wouldn't lose to anyone.

My name is Yoshikage Kira. I'm 33 years old. My house is in the northeast section of Morioh, where all the villas are, and I am not married.
I work as an employee for the Kame Yu department stores, and I get home every day by 8 PM at the latest.I don't smoke, but I occasionally drink.
I'm in bed by 11 PM, and make sure I get eight hours of sleep, no matter what. After having a glass of warm milk and doing about twenty minutes of stretches before going to bed, I usually have no problems sleeping until morning.
Just like a baby, I wake up without any fatigue or stress in the morning. I was told there were no issues at my last check-up. I'm trying to explain that I'm a person who wishes to live a very quiet life.
I take care not to trouble myself with any enemies, like winning and losing, that would cause me to lose sleep at night. That is how I deal with society, and I know that is what brings me happiness. Although, if I were to fight I wouldn't lose to anyone.