Personalised Art of Our Very Own with The Commissioned

The longer the husband and I have been together, the fewer presents we buy each other, it seems. It is a bit sad, but I suppose it is practicality at work. I enjoy picking out what I want for myself and there’s no way I’m buying any more LEGO for him if I can help it, so that’s that! 

But for my 10th wedding anniversary, I wanted to get him, and get us, something special. It was a significant anniversary and I wanted to get him a gift that would mean something to the both of us. I was still tossing some ideas about in my head when I remembered The Commissioned and knew that I just might have found answer to my gift dilemma.

I was first introduced to The Commissioned by a friend and was immediately intrigued by the concept that anyone could own a piece of personalised commissioned art at an affordable price. That’s exactly what The Commissioned offers to everyone. On its carefully curated website, you can browse through the profiles of whole range of artists and view sample works of a variety of mediums, styles and subjects. When you find one that you like, the website allows you to get in touch and start a discussion with the artist about what you have in mind for your piece of art. When you sign up for an account, you are also able to view each artist’s indicative pricing for different sizes of canvases, something that I found very helpful. I like to know quickly if an artist was out of my league before I start hankering after what I can’t afford! 

I love art pieces (though I don’t profess to know much about art or to be a good artist myself) and I especially love the idea of getting a piece created just for me or a loved one which would be of some special significance. I knew instinctively that this would be something that would be perfect as a gift for the husband for our 10th wedding anniversary, but I couldn’t think of what to paint. Until suddenly I remembered an old photograph I love of a place the husband and I hold dear. I decided I wanted a picture of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy. I think it’s fair to say there’s almost no where more significant for an anniversary than the place you fell in love!

With that in mind, I turned to browsing the website to search for an artist to take on my project. It can be overwhelming when you first land on the website, what with all the choices that you are presented with. Here, I found their Art Concierge service very helpful, ready to answer your most basic of questions like “How do I start??” and to point you in the right direction. With a brief of your project, they can also give you recommendations on suitable artists for the style and subject you have in mind.

One helpful tip I got was to start searching amongst the artists in your home location first. The very practical reason being that completed canvases, particularly large ones, can be expensive to ship. Working with an artist in your home location reduces the need for shipping and its associated costs. You can also narrow down your search by medium, style and subject.

As I looked through the works of the artists based in Singapore, Kasia Pawlak caught my attention. I loved her vibrant colours and the abstract nature of her work.

I got in touch with Kasia by starting a conversation through the website to discuss what I wanted and we had a couple of exchanges to finalise the concept for my piece. My original photo was deemed unsuitable for her style of painting, so instead, after getting an idea of what was important to me, she found a few pictures that she could work with. We agreed, I made payment on the quotation, and she got to work.

What happens next depends on the artist’s style of working. In Kasia’s case, she works really quickly and likes to finish her pieces in one sitting. It wasn’t long therefore before she sent me a picture of her completed piece.

When the e-mail came in, I was pretty nervous! I was only able to release some of the tension when I took a look at what Kasia had sent me. I was very relieved that I liked it! Yet, to be perfectly honest, I was not 100% satisfied with the piece that I saw in the image. I told Kasia as much and we recognised that nothing is quite the same as seeing the real thing. So arrangements were made for me to visit and view my piece in person. It certainly made a difference, seeing the full scale of the painting. I found that I liked it much, much better than I had originally thought. Kasia also showed me some of her other paintings and gave me a better idea of how she works. I found that conversation very useful in helping me to understand how I could have gone about this commission in a better fashion.

After talking it over, we agreed on some minor changes to the piece which she kindly took on board. This was the final result:

What do you think? I was very pleased and I can say it’s a piece that grows on me the more I look at it. Best of all, I managed to totally surprise the husband, who thought the piece looked really good, even if he couldn’t place where it was supposed to be at first sight. *slaps forehead* (It’s totally him being blur and not the artwork because my friends recognised Vernazza the instant I showed it to them! 

It took us a while to find a good place to hang our piece. Ideally we would place this at the entryway and have this front and centre facing the main door, but that would involve a significant re-organisation. So until then, this piece sits pretty above our piano, brightening what could be a bit of a dark corner. Looking at this makes me smile and that’s a good thing!

Commissioning my first ever art piece was really an interesting learning experience for me but a good one. More importantly, I’m so happy that we now have a special one-of-a-kind piece to commemorate a significant time in our lives.

If you are thinking of commissioning you own art piece, here are some of my tips for first-timers, based on my own experience:

1. Take your time to look for an artist who has works which you love on the subject of your commission, eg. landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, animals, etc. This would give you the best indication of how your final piece would turn out. If an artist you are interested in does not have something relevant in his online portfolio, just start a conversation with him/her and ask if they have anything relevant in their full portfolio to show you. I’m sure most artists would be happy to oblige.

2. Find out how your artist works. A commission is a two way process, not one in which the commissioner issues all the instructions, leaving  the artist to execute. Understanding the process which the artist takes with a commission would allow you to tailor your requests and expectations accordingly. For example, I realised belatedly that when Kasia takes on commissions, she works best when the instructions are more general, leaving her with the scope to make the decision of what to paint, thereby allowing her to pick something which best suits her painting style. This is something I might have done if I had realised this earlier.

3. Consider asking your artist for advice on the size of your canvas. While you might have an idea of how big a piece you would like based on your budget and the space, your artist might be able to better advise you on whether the size of the canvas is suitable to convey what you want or whether modifications in concept might be required. The Commissioned lists the sizes of of the sample works in the artists’ portfolios and this can be a useful guide too. 

4. Don’t be afraid to discuss aspects of your commissioned piece at any time with your artist. It is not always easy to convey what you want in one conversation. Sometimes it would take more than one exchange for an artist to understand what you want and for you to better conceptualise your idea too. But as your artist keeps you updated on the work, don’t be afraid to voice your opinions. Your artist wants you to have a piece that you will love too.

5. Trust your artist. Getting a commissioned piece is a bit of a leap of faith. But having looked after having looked at and loved your artist’s sample works, there is a good chance they will produce something in a similar style that you will love too. So take a deep breath and enjoy the journey!

*I received a small discount from The Commissioned in return for this review. All opinions remain, as always, my own.