Most artists include a modest number of revision rounds, commonly split between early sketches and the near-final piece, with extra changes charged separately, as outlined in Artwork guidelines for your custom chocolate explaining when changes incur extra charges. Before any brushwork starts, agree the number of rounds, what counts as a revision, and the fee for anything beyond that in writing, so neither side is guessing later.
TL;DR:
- Most artists include only a few revision rounds, often at key stages like rough sketches and near-final, with extra revisions billed separately.
- Minor revisions, such as color tweaks or small adjustments, are quick and usually covered within initial fees, while major reworks may require additional charges.
- Clear written agreements should specify revision limits, stages they apply to, and extra costs, especially for significant changes after the initial stages.
- Providing specific, prioritized feedback with reference images speeds up revisions and reduces the number of total rounds needed.
- After the included revisions, extra changes are typically charged per round, hour, or as a percentage of the original fee, with most copyright remaining with the artist unless transferred explicitly.
Table of Contents
- What counts as a revision in a commission
- The usual path from brief to finished artwork
- Industry norms on revision rounds and cancellation fees
- How to give feedback that actually speeds things up
- What extra revisions cost and how to negotiate them
- Who owns the artwork after revisions
- A checklist and contract starter for your commission
- A commissioner-friendly approach to revisions
- How Frametheworld handles revisions on bespoke commissions
- Key documents and guidance to read next
- Sources
- FAQ
What counts as a revision in a commission
A revision is a deliberate change to a piece already shown to the client, aimed at improving how well it communicates what they asked for. This is different from iteration, where an artist works through several studies before anything is presented for approval. AP Art & Design’s definition of revision frames it as purposeful reworking rather than simple redoing, which matters because it sets the expectation that a revision responds to specific feedback rather than a change of heart about the whole concept.
Minor amends sit at one end of the scale: adjusting a colour, nudging an object a few centimetres, softening a shadow. These are quick to make and rarely affect the timeline.
Major reworks sit at the other end: swapping the composition, changing the subject, or asking for a different concept altogether. These usually fall outside what the original fee covers, because they effectively restart part of the process.
Where in the process a revision happens also matters. Changes to a rough sketch cost little in time or materials. The same change requested after the final artwork is painted can mean redoing hours of work, which is why most artists price rounds differently depending on the stage.
The usual path from brief to finished artwork
Most bespoke commissions follow a similar sequence, with a review point built into each stage so the client can steer the work before too much time is invested.
- Brief and reference gathering: the artist collects the subject, size, style, colour palette and any reference images, then confirms scope and price.
- Roughs or sketches: low-resolution sketches or thumbnail compositions are shared, usually the cheapest and fastest point to request changes.
- Draft colour or line stage: a more developed version, sometimes a digital mockup or underpainting photo, showing composition, tone and detail direction.
- Final artwork: the completed piece, presented for sign-off before shipping, framing or printing.
Feedback works best when it is given at the stage it belongs to. Asking for a composition change once the final piece is painted is far costlier than raising it at the rough stage, both in money and in the artist’s time. A practical timeline for a bespoke commission typically allows a few days for the client to review each stage before the artist moves on, and that window matters: approving too quickly risks missing something, while sitting on feedback for weeks can push the whole project back.
Turnaround varies by complexity and the artist’s schedule, but the approval gate at each stage exists precisely to stop small issues compounding into a finished piece nobody is happy with. Treat each gate as the moment to say what you actually think, not a formality to skip through.
Industry norms on revision rounds and cancellation fees
Industry guidance from the Association of Illustrators recommends that a commission agreement specify deadlines for roughs and final artwork, state the number of revisions included, and note that changes beyond the original brief may be charged separately. A related summary of illustration practice from Creative Lives in Progress describes standard practice as commonly covering a limited number of revision rounds split across the rough and final stages, with further changes billed as extra work.
Cancellation terms are just as commonly documented. The same summary notes that cancellation fees are often tiered by stage, such as a smaller percentage if the project is cancelled before roughs begin, a higher percentage once roughs are underway, and the full fee if the work is cancelled after delivery. These percentages exist to cover time already spent, not to penalise the client for changing their mind.
A written agreement should cover:
- The exact number of revision rounds included and at which stages they apply.
- A clear definition of what counts as a revision versus a new concept or major rework.
- Deadlines for each stage, including how long the client has to respond with feedback.
- The payment schedule, including any deposit and when the balance is due.
- Cancellation and refund terms tied to project stage.
Contract forms used by illustrators, such as the Graphic Artists Guild’s estimate and confirmation form, commonly reserve the first option to make alterations for the original artist and record alteration fees for changes that are not the artist’s error. Asking to see or adapt a similar clause before work begins avoids disputes over who fixes what, and at what cost.
How to give feedback that actually speeds things up
Vague feedback is the single biggest cause of wasted revision rounds. “Something feels off about the colours” forces the artist to guess. “Warm up the background tone and reduce the contrast between the sky and the foreground” gives them something to act on immediately.
The same logic applies to composition and detail:
- Instead of “the figure looks strange,” say “the proportions of the arm look too long relative to the torso.”
- Instead of “I don’t love this,” say “can we try the subject slightly left of centre, with more negative space on the right.”
- Instead of “make it pop,” point to a reference image and describe the specific quality you like, such as the colour saturation or the light direction.
When several things need changing, list them in order of priority, because artists often address feedback in the sequence it is given, and a buried request can get missed. Reference images help enormously here: pointing to an existing painting, photo or colour swatch removes ambiguity that words alone often cannot.
Pro Tip: Send feedback as a numbered list rather than a paragraph. It is easier for the artist to work through and easier for both sides to check off once each point is resolved.
What extra revisions cost and how to negotiate them
Once the included rounds are used up, artists typically charge for further changes in one of three ways: a flat fee per additional round, an hourly rate for the time spent, or a percentage of the original commission fee. None of these is inherently better, but each suits different kinds of changes. A flat fee works well for predictable, bounded amends, an hourly rate suits open-ended requests where the scope is unclear, and a percentage-based fee is common when the change affects a significant portion of the piece.
Before work starts, ask the artist to state a capped rate for extra rounds in the contract itself, for example, a fixed amount per additional round or a maximum hourly rate. This turns an open-ended risk into a number you can budget for.
There is also a point where requesting more changes stops making sense. If the feedback amounts to a different painting altogether, rather than a refinement of the one in progress, it is usually more efficient, and often cheaper, to commission a new piece than to keep paying for revisions that fight the original concept.
- Flat fee per round: predictable cost, best for small, defined changes.
- Hourly rate: fairer for open-ended or exploratory changes.
- Percentage of original fee: common for changes affecting a large part of the piece.
Who owns the artwork after revisions
Under UK law, the person who creates a work is its first owner of copyright, even when someone else commissioned and paid for it, unless a written transfer of copyright has been agreed between the parties, according to Gov. Commissioning a painting and paying for it does not automatically hand over the copyright, a point that catches many first-time commissioners off guard.
In practice, most commissions grant the client a licence to own, display and sell the physical piece, without transferring the underlying copyright to reproduce or adapt the image. If you need broader rights, such as using the artwork in marketing materials or merchandise, that needs to be negotiated and written into the agreement separately from the physical sale.
Revision clauses interact with this too: once a piece is accepted and delivered, further changes, whether made by the original artist or someone else, may affect who can claim credit for the final version. Agreeing upfront who may alter the piece after acceptance avoids disputes if the artwork is later reframed, extended or adapted for a different space.
A checklist and contract starter for your commission
Getting revision terms into writing before work begins removes most of the ambiguity that causes frustration later. Frametheworld’s copy-ready commission contract includes a checklist and clause structure for revision allowances, timelines and cancellation terms, built as a starting point you can adapt to your own commission.
Before signing anything, confirm the following are stated clearly:
- The number of revision rounds included, and which stages they cover.
- What counts as a minor amend versus a chargeable change.
- The fee or rate for revisions beyond the included rounds.
- The delivery format and any cancellation terms tied to project stage.
Looking at examples of bespoke artwork before you brief an artist also helps you describe what you want with more precision, which reduces the number of rounds you need in the first place.
A commissioner-friendly approach to revisions
The fairest revision policy protects the artist’s time while still giving the client room to get the piece right. That means agreeing rounds and scope before painting starts, putting every change request in writing, and saving small cosmetic tweaks for a light final pass rather than letting them creep into every stage. Commissioners who ask for reference examples and keep a record of what was agreed tend to have the smoothest process, because there is nothing left to dispute once the final piece arrives.
— Lennard
How Frametheworld handles revisions on bespoke commissions
That structure removes the guesswork this article has been describing: you are not negotiating a capped round count against a ticking clock, because the review happens before the canvas leaves the studio.
- Browse Handpainted masterpieces to see the range of styles available for a custom commission.
- Explore the Abstract or Landscape collections if you already know the subject you want.
- Use the commission brief and contract resources to set out your revision expectations before the first preview arrives.
If you are ready to start a bespoke piece, the commission process begins on the Handpainted masterpieces page, where you can describe your space and preferences before the first preview is sent for your review.
Key documents and guidance to read next
For contract language, the Association of Illustrators’ commissioning guide and the Graphic Artists Guild’s estimate form are useful starting templates. For the legal position on ownership, GOV.UK’s copyright guidance sets out the default rule in plain terms.
Sources
- Creative Lives in Progress — AOI illustration practice summary
- Guide to commissioning – The AOI
- Illustrator’s estimate & confirmation form — Graphic Artists Guild
- Gov
- Revision — AP Art & Design definition (Fiveable)
FAQ
What is the 70/30 rule in art?
There is no single recognised numerical rule in commissioned art practice, and definitions of such terms vary depending on the source. If you have seen it referenced in a specific context, it is worth checking that source directly rather than assuming a standard meaning.
What should I say when commissioning art?
State your subject, preferred style, size, colour preferences and any reference images upfront, along with your budget and deadline. Being specific from the first message reduces the number of revision rounds needed later, since the artist has clearer direction to work from.
Is commissioning fanart illegal?
This depends on copyright and trademark ownership of the original characters or work, and the answer varies by jurisdiction and use case. For a definitive answer on a specific piece, it is worth checking the position with a professional or the rights holder rather than assuming it is automatically permitted.
What is a typical commission rate for art commissions?
Rates vary widely depending on the artist’s experience, medium, size and complexity, so there is no single standard figure across the industry. Custom pieces are quoted individually based on your brief; for pricing details, contact the provider directly.
How many revisions are usually included in an art commission?
Industry practice commonly includes a limited number of revision rounds split between the rough and final stages, according to a summary of AOI-aligned illustration practice, with further changes charged separately.
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