Commission Info: How to Commission a House Portrait
The complete A to Z guide!
I've been painting custom watercolor-and-ink house portraits for a few years now, and I've got the process down pretty well!
I really try to make it as easy as possible for you to commission a painting - whether it's for you, or a loved one.
First and foremost, this should be a one-on-one experience between you and me. I've deliberately avoided "automating" this process because I want to be able to communicate with you, my customer. (Maybe one day when I have 100 commissions a month I'll automate some of it, but for now there's no need!)
But if you've never commissioned a painting before, you might have the notion that it's a complicated, time-consuming ordeal.
But I can promise you - no headaches!
So without further ado, here's how the simple process of getting a house portrait from me goes…
The TL;DR Version
Start by sending me a message using the button below or emailing me at daniel@danielpaintsyourhouse.com.
Timeline is roughly 2-3 weeks from payment to delivery.
$175/painting, or $150/painting for orders of two or more.
Paintings are 10” x 7” and are unframed.
Shipping within the US is included! (International shipping is an additional $35.)
The Detailed Version
Getting in Touch
The first step is to let me know you want a painting!
There are a few ways to do this, but the easiest is probably just to fill out the brief form on this page:
You can also email me (daniel@danielpaintsyourhouse.com), or DM me on Instagram.
What I Need From You
I’ll ask for four things from you to get started:
Photo(s):
I have no problem admitting I like to be comfortable when I work: sitting at my dining room table, my SodaStream nearby for ice-cold fizzy drinks, my dog Murphy nudging me every so often when he needs attention.
So I’m perfectly ok with painting from photographs, and (if I may say so), I don’t think my work suffers from it!
Plus, working from a photo, I can paint your house in the full bloom of spring, even if it’s the dead of winter outside.
When I started taking custom house portrait commissions, I simply asked my first customers to send their favorite photos of their house/property. And that’s been my policy to this day:
At least one photo of your whole house, with nothing cut off, to the best of your ability. Preferably from a bit of a distance so I can see the surrounding context.
Here’s a post I wrote that goes into more detail about what makes a great reference photo.
Shipping Address:
This is fairly self-explanatory.
But there are a few things worth mentioning here about mailing your painting.
Shipping
Shipping to anywhere in the US is included in the cost of the commission.
Let’s go, free shipping!!
But if you need it expedited, or you need it sent internationally, or there are other unusual circumstances, we can discuss any additional fees for those services.
Packaging
I’ll ship it in a rigid cardboard envelope with multiple layers of protection.
I’m pleased to say that as of this writing I’ve never had a painting arrive damaged. I even had one customer report that her package was left out in the rain and the painting inside was completely undamaged!
Digital Scans/Photos
Once the painting is done, I don’t send digital scans or photos of it to you ahead of time.
I want you to see the finished product at its best - in person, when it shows up at your doorstep!
The address of the building you want me to paint:
This is optional, but helpful.
If the photos I get from you leave anything out, I can usually find a few photos of the house on Zillow or Redfin, even if the house hasn’t been listed for awhile. These can give me additional context.
And if worst comes to worst I can sometimes also use the address to find additional imagery on Google Maps.
Payment:
Payment Forms
As of the time I’m writing this, I accept payment via Venmo or PayPal. If you need another option, we can discuss.
Your Investment
Painting commissions are $175 USD.
Bulk Discounts
I’m happy to offer you a bulk discount if you commission two or more paintings at once. In that case, each painting would only be $150 USD.
Furthermore, if you order five paintings at once, the fifth one is FREE! $600 USD for five paintings.
The only caveat to these discounts is that payment must be made in full, upfront.
Refunds
If something in your circumstances changes suddenly, I can do partial refunds on a case by case basis, up until the painting is in the mail - at that point I won’t be able to do any refunds.
Revisions
Revisions are not included in the process or the cost. If, for any reason, you’re unhappy with how your painting turned out, I can redo it, but bear in mind that will incur additional costs (to be discussed when the revision is requested).
What You’ll Get
Roughly two to three weeks after I receive payment, you’ll get your painting in the mail. That timeline could change based on my current workload, but I’ll always be upfront with you about my commitments and when I can realistically get your painting done.
The painting will be on 10” x 7” paper (unless you’ve requested another size specifically), and will arrive unframed.
It’ll ship in a rigid, flat, brown, cardboard envelope. So far I have a 100% success rate, with none of my paintings ever arriving damaged - knock wood!
The envelope will include a card with instructions on how to care for and protect your painting (which you can also find here).
What’s Not Included?
As a general rule, unless discussed up front, I don’t include the following:
Human figures. Occasionally I’ve been asked to include a small pet, but I don’t like painting humans. My specialty is literally in the name: Daniel Paints Your House!
Progress photos. I like my clients to first see their painting in person, held in their hands - not on their phone screen.
Exceptions can always be made, but will need to be discussed upfront.
Usage Rights
You can use the painting in any way you’d like, personally, commercially, or otherwise. It’s yours!
And, unless you request otherwise, I retain the right to use your painting for marketing and as part of my online portfolio.
But don’t worry - if you let me know it’s a birthday gift or a holiday gift, I won’t post your painting publicly until after the special day has passed!
Got More Questions?
If you would like the full picture of all of this, you can read my Terms and Conditions on this post. (I’ll also email it to you when we begin working together.)
If you’re ready to commission a custom house portrait, you can start the process by clicking the button below. Fill out the brief form and I’ll respond within 24 hours.
