The Process of Art Commissions
Glint the Quicksilver by Alexander Mokhov
Commissioning art is the process in which a client pays an artist for custom art based upon specific terms. Developing art for fantasy games like Flesh and Blood requires collaboration between art directors, lore writers, project managers and artists. Let’s delve deeper into this creative process.
Step 1: Concept Design
Clients need to decide on a specific medium/style/genre prior to contacting the artist. “Fantasy Art" is a good start, but is not specific enough to find an artist. Should the art be dark fantasy, sci-fi, anime, retro, steampunk, or surreal? Look for artists whose styles match the desired outcome. Next decide on the end product. Will the artwork be used for social media only, or will it be printed on trading cards, playmats, posters or card sleeves? Different products require different resolutions and images sizes.
Step 2 : Create a Contract
Contracts with artists should include art specifics such as style, payment, timeline, size , resolutions, revisions, file types and licensing. Websites like Fiverr list contract terms before payment is made. Clients don’t always need a formal contract, but at least layout specifics and agree upon them over email before the project begins. Clients can pay in full now, or upon final delivery of the work.
Sonata Arcanix by Saad Irfan
Step 3 : Moodboard
In order for an artist to bring an idea to life, clients should create a collage of the desired style and flavor of the artwork. Moodboards are a great way to transition the art from a client’s head to the artist’s. Clients should gather visually adjacent images of the character, landscape and setting and send them to the artist. Don’t be afraid to let the artist do their own thing, but point them in the right direction with an organized moodboard.
Step 4: Sketch Proposal
The project is now in the hands of the artist and clients will receive an initial sketch, or sketches, of the art. Sketches are often pencil drawn, or non colored images meant to show basic composition, character placement and background. After seeing the sketch, clients can approve or make changes before moving to the final image. Large revisions such as reposing a character, adding background objects or additional figures should be done now before the image gets completely illustrated.
Fate Foreseen proposals by Alexandra Malygina
Step 5: Final Revisions
The Artists will now kick into full swing. Depending on the contract, clients can usually suggest a number of revisions before accepting the final image. Digital art is easier to revise, so keep this in mind this when negotiating a contract. Edits at this stage should be smaller changes like coloring, shading, facial expressions. Once the art is finalized and all revisions made, clients can accept the artwork and complete payment.
Electrify by Muhamad Faizal Fikri
Art Commission Example
Step 1: Concept Design
Dark fantasy digital art of Azalea holding the head of a bounty for a playmat. Possible setting could be a tavern or bottom end of town (The Pits). Azalea could be sitting in a bar with coins, a severed head, and a bounty. Other objects in the image could include a bow, knife, dead bodies and arrows. This image will be used on a playmat by FAB TCG CARDS for commercial use.
Step 2 : Create a Contract
Timeline: 14 Days
Revisions: 4
Main figure/background/fully illustrated
Commercial use with JPEG and PNG source files
Payment upfront
4200 x 7200 pixels @ 300 resolution
Step 3 : Mood Board
Step 4: Sketch Proposal
Azalea Tavern sketch by bkbn13
Sketch Revisions
remove paper money from table
add Jim and Evan’s faces to the dead bodies in the background
add more blood
Step 5: Final Revisions
Final Revisions 1
color main character with different colors from background
color background figures
add flesh tones to figures
add color to the coins
Final Revisions 2
recolor character according to mood board images (no green boots)
darken the color of the cloak
shrink the coins and bag on table
color the beer
Azalea Tavern by bkbn13
Azalea commission complete! This playmat will be released by the end of September on fabtcgcards.com. The playmat will feature two arsenal zones in anticipation of new ranger mechanics from Tales of Aria and be available with and without stitching.
Want more Flesh and Blood art? Join the Flesh and Blood Arthouse Facebook group for artists sketches, original works and alters.
About the Author
Evan McGrew is an active member of the FABTCGDC group and 1/2 of the creative force behind FAB TCG CARDS’ playmats. He enjoys helping grow the local community one player at a time. When he is not putting counters on his Dawnblade, Evan teaches 5th grade in Fairfax, VA.