Artist FAQs

To apply to be a featured artist on our site, please click here to fill out an application.

Joining The Commissioned Art Network will take you about 10 minutes to complete the registration. Simply follow the link to Register Now. There you will be asked to answer some questions about your specific artistic skill set and you will be asked to upload some samples of your work. TCAN will review your registration. Once approved you profile will be activated for Customers to see. Then sit back and wait for TCAN to send you a commission request!

If your artwork preferences aren’t on the site you can add them under other or email us directly at support@thecommissionedartnetwork.com. We are always adding new categories of art and would love to hear from you.

1. Once you are selected to Commission a piece you will be notified via email (possibly by text as well) and the Commission will be listed in your Account Profile.
2. Some of the information the Customer provided may be incomplete. If this is the case we will discuss this with you and the Customer until the Customer approves all selections.
3. Once all the selections are approved by you, the Artist, the Customer will be given final approval.
4. You will be notified of the final approval, the final specifics, and the amount you would be paid for completing the Commission. You will be asked to confirm within 24 hours.
5. You will be asked to provide the Customer with a rough draft of what you propose to create. We would consider any discussion here as part of the process to completing the Commission.
6. After the rough draft is approved you can begin work and the timeline will start.
7. You will provide TCAN with weekly progress photos.
8. Once the piece is completed you will send a digital photo of the work to TCAN and we will send it to the Customer for approval.
9. With their last approval and final confirmation from TCAN you will ship the finished piece to the Customer.
10. Once you mark the Commission as Shipped the timeline will end.

We pay 30-45 days after the client receives the artwork. Currently money can be sent via PayPal or direct deposit whichever is your preference.

You will be presented with how much you will be paid before the final confirmation with the Customer. Therefore you will know exactly how much you will receive for the Commission and will give approval on that price when accepting the Commission.

In most scenarios our unique commission structure rewards you for finishing projects in a timely manner. With any given project you can typically earn 55% of the profit of the commission by finishing within 6 weeks. The profit does not include the shipping costs or any taxes incurred.

• up to 6 weeks: 55% of the profit to artist
• 6-8 weeks: 45% of the profit to artist
• 8-12 weeks: 25% of the profit to artist
• Over 12 weeks: order is up for cancellation and, if it is cancelled, you will not receive any payment for that specific Commission.

Please see the below FAQ for additional information for working within a given timeframe.

The timeline will be agreed upon before the Commission is approved. You will be asked to provide your timeline; including a start date and a completion date. We ask for Commissions to be completed in 6 weeks for full payment and no more than 12 weeks or the Commission may need to be cancelled (see above FAQ). This is the recommended timeframe TCAN works within. However, if you and the Customer agree on another timeframe, that will of course be accepted by TCAN.

TCAN prices all the work offered on the site. You can use the Price Estimator to see our pricing structure.

All our Artists are considered independent contractors and will receive a 1099 form for you to report earnings. You will be asked to fill out a 1099 form after your first commission and to return it to us. A record of sales will always be made available to you as well.

TCAN will provide all Artists with a flat rate to cover shipping, packaging, and the insurance we will ask you to use.

The artist will be responsible for getting the artwork to a courier and providing a tracking number to TCAN. It is recommended you have the courier pack the commission so the responsibility lies on them.

The artist will ship the artwork directly to the customer.

It will be mandatory you ship with insurance to cover any potential damages. All Artists will receive a flat rate that will cover shipping, packaging, and insurance. If the package is insured as instructed you will receive your payment for the work regardless.

If the Commission arrives damaged it will need to be discussed with the Customer how they would like to proceed.

If the Customer is unhappy with the commissioned piece the Customer may request that the piece be altered/updated or the customer may reject the piece entirely. If alterations or updates are requested it will be discussed and approved by the Customer and the Artists on steps to take including shipping and additional payment.

If the artwork has been mailed to the Customer and they reject the Commission the Artist WILL still be reimbursed for agreed upon shipping costs.

If the Customer flat out rejects the piece upon receiving the final proof the Artist will receive a flat 20% payment for their work.

If the Artist has not been upfront about the progress of the commissioned work, missed deadlines, stopped all communication with TCAN, or the Artist has misinterpreted their abilities to the point the commissioned work is clearly below the average the Artist has displayed the Artist WILL NOT receive any payment and will be removed as a member of the network.

We would discuss these requests with the Customer and provide you with what they are asking and, if required, what additional payments you would receive for this work. You would then approve or counter these requests.

You have the ability to make your Profile invisible to Customers so you will not receive any Commissions if you are not able to at a specific time. If you do not make your Profile invisible and decline two or more Commissions your Account will be put on hold.

If you miss confirming a deadline your Commission will most likely be taken up by another Artist. If you miss or turndown two Commissions we will need to put your account on hold, in which case you will need to contact us if you want it reactivated.

The community is marketed as a whole and not intended to focus on a single Artist. We are very active in the local and surrounding art communities, attending local festivals, and spreading the word of our community. We have a continually growing email list and social media presence. We also of course help you grow out of your market with targeted ads and search engine optimization.

Please contact support@thecommissionedartnetwork.com with any questions/comments that aren’t answered above. If you are accepted onto our site you will receive a welcome email and will have the opportunity to speak with us as well.