Commissions List Open Again

Just in time to get a nice Christmas gift for yourself or for your loved one (or two).

Beginning with the new year, I’m about to embark on a new long-range illustration project, about which I cannot (or will not) yet give out any details. While my drawing hand never entirely slumbers, doing a few art commissions, just in time for yule tide, seems an excellent way to wake up the old drawing skills, in preparation for the big undertaking.

This is a commission I did for one of the previous occasions. The customer requested a picture of Dynasty and Ivanhoe’s daughter, from the comic series called Pantheon. Eleven by Seventeen inches on Bristol board. Her name is also Dynasty, because the name passes down from mother to daughter, along with the powers. Note that the original Dynasty’s totem was a wrap-around dragon symbol, while the new girl’s totem is a wrap-around tiger symbol. Is that significant? I have no idea. Do you?

Therefore ‘tis the season for private commissions again. I intend to begin drawing the first of them on November 1st, which gives you a few days to think it over and maybe get on the list. As per usual, it will be a fairly short list, this time limited to the number of drawings I feel confident I can complete and have shipped out in time for a very merry Christmas.

Some of you old guard members here will know the basic rules and procedures in order to secure a place on the list. But, since so many of you have arrived here (and are most welcome) since the last time I drew for you, here’s how to participate:

First:

You need to contact my pal Brad Thomte, who can be reached at brad.thomte@gmail.com. He’s the fellow who manages my commissions, collects the money, and ships out the finished artwork. He’ll let you know if there’s still room on the list, and what the unreasonable rules and conditions are.

Second:

If there is still room on the list, Brad will email you the afore-mentioned rules and conditions. If they work for you, aren’t too burdensome, and you’re willing to afford it, you and Brad work out the details.

Third:

Once you and Brad settle on the money, and the subject of the commission, he tells me to get my lazy self to work on it.

Fourth:

There is no fourth step, except that you wait a bit. Since I draw the commissions in the order in which they came in (and were paid for), how soon you receive your art depends on what place you landed on the list.

Fifth:

How can there be a fifth step when I just got done claiming there isn’t even a fourth step? Well, what can I say, other than it’s recently turned into a chaotic world out there, and things are often a jumble? But, anywho, the fifth step is this: Most of you don’t know this, but Brad is under strict orders not to pay me for a given work of art until that work is fully completed and delivered into his hands. This is probably because, like many freelance artists, I need the carrot of payment dangling before me in order to complete my work in a reasonably expeditious manner.

Here’s an example of one of the six-and-a-half by ten inches pieces I did, showing my character Ratman, from the super villain team The Destroyers, as introduced in the V&V gaming adventure called Death Duel With the Destroyers.

I think I’m out of things to say about this matter. Really, it’s up to you, and to a certain extent, to Brad, to come to a decision and work things out. Go on. Email him, at brad.thomte@gmail.com and see if things don’t work out.

This time around we have three different size categories to choose from. We have the standard Full Sized, 11” by 17” drawing on nice Bristol board for $800 a piece; the smaller Medium Sized, 6 and 1/2” by 10” for $400 a piece; and a handy Sketch Card size 2 and 1/2” by 3 and 1/2” for $100 a piece. As a bonus, for the sketch card only (which will be a head and shoulders shot of your chosen character), you have the option (but not the obligation) to have the card hand-colored, for no addition charge. Otherwise, all art will be ink over pencils.

Here’s another example of a full-sized commission I did, some while ago. I believe the customer asked for a Frankenstein’s Monster. I decided to add a few guest stars.

So then anyway, I wish I had a Sketch Card size to show you, but it’s a brand new addition, never before offered. Instead, why not take a look at another example of the Medium Sized option?