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Commissioning
Calligraphy & Lettering
- Work out what your requirements are
- Select and consult an artist
- Discuss price, terms and timing
Your Requirements
Below are some aspects which may be relevant to the commission
depending on what it is.
A Poem
- Formal or informal
- Black on white / cream
- One colour lettering on a
coloured background
- Full Colour
- Illustration or design
- Gilding added
Wedding Stationery
As timing is very important plan this with the calligrapher well in
advance.
- Design of Invitation –
handwritten or digital or a combination
- Printed invitations with guests
names handwritten
- Handwritten envelopes
- Order of Service
- Menus
- Handwritten placecards
- Table Plans
Family Tree
- Should the family tree be
designed from scratch?
- Is this already typed and needs
to be copied?
- Is the information available
digitally? (This can save a lot of time)
- Titles – written or drawn and
painted
- Additional artwork /
illustrations / heraldry
- Gilding
- Heraldry, Citations and
Memorials
The professional you select will be
able to guide you in your choice of materials etc.
Selecting and consulting the artist
Personal knowledge or recommendation
from a reliable source is often a good solution.
The SLLA secretary can suggest
specialists in certain areas. Look at the
SLLA Gallery & visit the
artist’s website or look at examples or photos of work similar to
what you envisage. Arrange a meeting or communicate by telephone.
Once you have chosen the artist discuss your requirements and ask
for a quotation. A written quotation with details of what is
included is essential once you have agreed on your choices.
Working with the artist
Brief the artist carefully and be open to suggestions. If you are
informative and ask questions it will be easier to gauge how well
you are communicating with one another.
But in every case, there comes a point when you as client will
disengage and leave the artist to proceed on his own. If you are too
restrictive it may inhibit the artist’s creativity – remember, you
chose the artist because you liked their work… many artists go the
extra mile.
You may require the artist to submit a preliminary sketch or rough.
This is a safe approach although it may cost a little more. This can
also be done quite successfully using digital photography and
e-mail.
If you should change your mind about something previously agreed
which creates extra work, this may incur an additional charge.
Price, Terms and Timing
As soon as you have decided to commission something which requires a
deadline begin to find an artist, even if it is well before the
event. This way you’ll avoid disappointment.
Your quotation should have all the details of what is included in
the price – e.g. size, materials, gilding etc.
Consider the following:
- Deadlines / timing
- How the work will be delivered (collected, courier, mail etc)
- Risk / Insurance in delivery
- Pricing:
Per hour or per item
- Deposit or progress payments or full payment on receipt of item
- Additional costs such as framing, packaging, delivery, VAT
- Terms for late additions / deletions
- Method of Payment:
Cheque, card or on-line payment
Once you have had your commission completed and are pleased with the
outcome please tell the SLLA and recommend the artist to your
friends and family!
The SLLA does not take responsibility for contracts between artists
and clients.
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