Commissioning

Commissions are an important part of Robins work. One of the most commonly asked questions is "How does one go about commissioning a painting?"

There are various stages to go through. Firstly obviously, contact me to let me know you are interested in having a commission done, I will be asking you what subject you would be interested in having painted, (some clients might want a Battle of Britain painting but are unsure of the aviation content).

Next, I ask if you would like the aircraft flying or on the ground. By this stage it's sometimes obvious that a sketch or two would be helpful to give you an idea of a finished product and the options that are available to you. If this is the best course of action at this stage they will be posted or e-mailed. Size will be discussed and I will give a breakdown of various prices for corresponding sizes. Deadlines are very important in some situations and will be discussed at this stage.

The subject of pricing I think is best handled by e-mailing the various prices/sizes etc. after the initial contact, if you have access to a computer. The client responds with a yes, or if the prices are too high, simply ignore the e-mail, no embarrassment!

The hand over procedure offers several options: Mailing through the post (postage would be added); clients visiting the studio; me dropping off the painting to the client (travelling expenses extra); the client and myself meeting half way (travelling expenses extra).

There is no doubt about it, if one has a commission painted for them, the client is entering into a totally different ball game to buying prints. They are entering into the true world of art. Regardless of whether the client intends to keep the canvas for ever or if they are investing in art, nothing can beat the sound and feel of a gentle tap of a finger tip on a well stretched oil on canvas.

Previous commissions: