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Commission Information and FAQ

Contact Info

If you need to get in touch with me, you may do so via e-mail at art@madammarla.com, or through my Facebook page.

Commission Process

Throughout the commission process, I will work closely with you, the client, in order to draw your illustration. I can work from either a description or from references, although a combination of the two is ideal.

Use the slider below to get some insight into the commission process:

Rough Sketch

A rough concept for the pose and character based on your ideas and references.

Generally I start working on a commission after I’ve been paid. I usually start with a rough sketch to figure out the pose of the character and the overall composition.

At this stage you can request any changes and point out any important details I may have missed.

Detailed Sketch

Further detail is added to the rough sketch and any necessary edits are made.

Upon approval, I detail the image further, and I make sure to send you a final sketch. It's important that this version contains everything you'd like to see in your illustration.

I encourage my commissioners to be critical now, since a sketch is much easier to edit than a final image, but it’s also important to bear in mind that color can add a lot to the final image.

Clean Line Art

Clear detailed lines for your artwork

Up next it’s inking time.

I usually do a thick black line art for the Fairy Tale Style and a soft, thin-line inking style for Semi-Realism.

I can switch these around if it’s desired, but please specify your option before I start inking, as redoing the line art incurs a modification fee.

Flat Colors

Base colors applied under the line art layer

After this, I usually send in a flat-colored version for you to review, to make sure we’re on the same page as far as colors go.

By the time we’ve reached this stage, any significant changes to the line art or reverting to previous steps incurs a modification fee.

Rendered Image

The final artwork, which you shall receive in high-res

The final step is rendering, that is, adding shading to the whole image, and lighting effects (rim lights, overlays, etc), to complete the image.

At this stage I can still tweak overall colors and also the effects I have added.

I will add that the images I send your way at various stages are generally web-sized, whereas the final image you shall receive includes both a web-size, and the full-size that I work at, which can be used in print.

To summarize, you will receive the drawing in 5 stages: rough sketch, refined sketch, line-art, flat-colors, fully rendered, and in our back and forth communication you are welcomed to give input on your illustration.

Payment

Usually all my payments go through Paypal. If you cannot use Paypal, we can discuss alternative methods of payment.

My prices do not include transaction fees. In PayPal's case, the transaction fee is around 3-4% of the sum, and varies depending on our currency and location.

Usage

I retain the rights to use a commissioned illustration in my portfolio, in advertisements for my art, on my website, and similar such promotional usage. You of course keep the rights to your character, and I shall mention when an image is an original character commission. I will not share any of your personal information when I post such an image,

unless you explicitly want to be credited by name.

As my commissioner, you have my permission to post the image online yourself, but I do require a credit to Madam Marla, and a link back here. You may not claim ownership of any of my artworks.

You can use the final high resolution image to produce a personal print at a local print-shop, as for now, I do not sell merchandise.


I have Social Media but I am not really active on it. Please use e-mail!