One of my recent commissions
How do you go about placing an order for a bespoke artwork?
I absolutely love it when someone comes to me with an idea for a new design they’d like me to make. I get most of my commission requests for the can artworks I make. I have lots of designs on my website but often customers want something that extra bit special or unique. They might want a specific theme, a different size or maybe match a certain colour or use a favourite can. I’ve previously had customers celebrate a special occasion and collect the cans which were drunk afterwards for me to make an artwork for them.
So how do you actually go about placing an order for a bespoke artwork? Each commission is of course a little different but here is an example of a previous commission to give you an idea of the process:
CAD illustration of how the design would look
A zillion dragonflies!
With this commission the design idea was very specific. The customer said they wanted a circle made from dragonflies starting small in the centre going out to larger ones at the edge. They also wanted it to be in rainbow colours, my favourite! So I was very keen to get started making this one but first I had to figure out if the design would work and look good. I use various design programmes to help me to develop and design my work. With this design a combination of Adobe Illustrator and AutoCAD was best. I was really pleased with how it was going to look, it reminded me of a dandelion puff ball. The image above was emailed to the customer to approve. He loved it so I made a start cutting out hundreds of tiny dragonflies!
Preparation
I constantly collect cans and have them washed and prepared so that when I have an order like this I’m not worried about trying to find the materials. It’s all ready for me perfectly organised.
Laying out the dragonflies
Production
After cutting and folding hundreds of dragonflies from cans in my epic can collection I started to lay them out. The artwork was very large at 70cm x 70cm so I placed the board on a small low table so I can walk all around it and view it from directly above. I made a template for round the edges to help me form the circle shape. I sent a photo of this stage to the customer so they could see how the artwork was developing and to check they were happy with the colour blending of the rainbow.
Laying out even more dragonflies
At this stage the hundreds of dragonflies were just laid out on the board, none of them were actually stuck down. So it gets pretty nerve wracking, a breeze from the window, a sneeze, anything could move them out of place and ruin all that hard work!
Choosing the frame
Finishing Touches
The final stage was to have the artwork framed. For my artworks 50cm x 50cm and under I buy the frames ready made but for anything larger like this piece I take it to my local framers. I’m very lucky in that my local framers is extremely close, in my building in a studio on the floor below me to be precise! We discussed the best frame options and showed the photos to the customer. A lovely recycled polystyrene frame suited the artwork best and fit the recycling ethos well (photo on the left). I just charge the customer the exact cost of the framing which of course depends on the size and frame chosen but for this size (70cm x 70cm) it would be about £50 to £65.
Customer photo
Ta Da!
And then that’s it, all finished! I pack the artwork up securely and safely and send via a courier delivery service. The customer sent me this lovely photo of the piece displayed in their home. I absolutely LOVE seeing my work in their forever homes :)
Size and Price Guide, click on image to enlarge
FAQ
How do I contact you to discuss a potential commission? Just pop me an email, a text message or give me a call: sarah@sarahturner.co.uk 07817 852637
How to I order/pay? You can either order on the website, through a link I give you, or you can pay via bank transfer or PayPal, whichever you prefer. If you like I do offer the option of paying half once the design is decided and half when it’s finished. Some people choose this option, especially if it’s a larger artwork.
How much does it cost? - for my standard sizes I charge the same amount as I would usually for my existing artworks. I really like making new ideas so I’m happy to not charge any extra. I also charge a set price for larger sizes. The above image shows the price guide. The larger sizes (above 50x50cm) don’t include the cost of framing which dependant on size would be from around £50 - £90.
What if I don’t like what you design? Photographs are taken at every stage and sent to you so if there are any changes you’d like then that can be accommodated. Being so involved in the design process really makes you become attached to your artwork and ensures you get exactly what you want.
Can you use my cans to make the artwork? - Yes I can. I have had customers collect cans from a celebration they had and wanted me to make an artwork to commemorate the day. I’ve had customers secretly collect cans from their other half to send to me to create them a special artwork. You can pop them in the post to me and I’ll use them no problem.
Do you ship overseas? Yes, I normally use either DHL or UPS. When you enquire about a commission I will obtain a delivery quote so you know how much shipping will be.
Other examples of commissioned artworks and information about them can be found on the bespoke section of the shop: https://www.sarahturner.co.uk/bespoke