What I Tell People Before They Commission a Painting or Mural
Someone reaches out and says they want to commission an original painting or mural. Great. But before we talk size, subject matter, or price, I always ask the same first question: where is it going, and who has to live with it?
That question sounds simple. It isn't. The answer determines almost everything else, including whether you actually need a mural or a painting, how long the piece will last, what approvals you might need, and roughly what you should expect to spend. Most people haven't thought it through yet when they first contact an artist, and that's fine. Part of my job is helping you think through it.
Painting vs. Mural: Pick the Right Format First
A painting on canvas or panel travels with you. You move, it moves. You redecorate, you rehang it or store it. A mural is permanent. It becomes part of the building. If you're renting a commercial space in Springfield or Indian Orchard, you'll need landlord sign-off before anyone picks up a spray can or a roller. If you own the building, you have full say, but you're also committing to that artwork for as long as the wall stands.
Murals also involve surface prep, weather if it's exterior, and the right topcoat to protect the paint. An interior mural in a restaurant or office behaves very differently from an exterior one on brick that gets Massachusetts winters. I'm honest about this upfront because the prep and materials add cost, and clients deserve to know that before they fall in love with a concept.
If you're not sure which format you need, tell me the space. I can give you a straight answer on what will work and what won't.
The Reference Problem
Most clients come with inspiration images pulled from Pinterest or Instagram. That's useful. What's less useful is when those images are paintings by a dozen different artists with a dozen different styles, and the client wants "something like all of these."
When commissioning an original painting or mural, you're commissioning a specific artist's hand. My work looks like my work. If you want something that looks completely unlike anything I've made, I'll tell you that, and I'd rather tell you early than take your deposit and disappoint you three weeks in.
What I ask for: one or two images that capture the mood or subject you're after, a sentence or two about what the piece means to you or the space, and any hard constraints (colors that have to match existing decor, text that has to appear, faces that have to be recognizable). That last one matters. Portraits and likenesses take more time and a different skill set than abstract or environmental work. The price reflects that.
How Pricing Actually Works
I don't publish a rate card for original work because size and complexity vary too much. What I can tell you is how I think about it.
For a canvas painting, the main variables are size, detail level, and whether you need framing. A small original, say 16x20 inches with moderate detail, and a large statement piece at 36x48 or bigger are not remotely the same investment. That's not a gotcha. It's just hours of labor and materials.
For a mural, the square footage is the starting point, but it's not the whole picture. A single-color geometric pattern on a smooth drywall interior is faster than a detailed landscape on raw brick. Exterior walls add primer, sealant, and extra prep time. Multi-story murals sometimes involve lifts or scaffolding. I'll walk a wall before I quote it.
I work with a deposit before I start, and I share a sketch or rough composition for approval before I commit paint to anything. That protects both of us. You're not seeing the finished piece for the first time and discovering you hate the color palette. I'm not painting something twice because the brief changed.
Timeline: What's Realistic
If you need something in two weeks, say so immediately. That may be possible for a smaller canvas piece depending on my current schedule. It is almost never possible for a mural, which needs wall prep, drying time between layers, and, for exterior work, a weather window.
A reasonable general expectation for a canvas commission is two to four weeks from approved sketch to finished piece, not from first inquiry. Murals depend heavily on scale. A single accent wall might take two or three days on-site. A large exterior mural might take a week or more. I'll give you a real timeline when I see the scope, not a number I pulled from the air to close the sale.
What to Have Ready When You Reach Out
You don't need to have everything figured out. But the faster you can answer these, the faster we can move:
- Painting or mural? Interior or exterior?
- Approximate dimensions, or the wall/space you have in mind
- Subject matter or mood, with reference images if you have them
- Any hard constraints: colors, text, likenesses
- Your timeline and, roughly, your budget range
The budget question is the one people hesitate on most. Don't. Telling me your range doesn't lock you into anything, but it does let me tell you quickly whether we're in the right ballpark or whether I should point you somewhere else. I'd rather have that conversation in the first five minutes than after you've gotten emotionally attached to a concept.
When to Come to Us vs. Someone Else
We're a good fit if you want original work with a distinct artistic voice, you're in the Springfield or Pioneer Valley area, and you need someone who can handle both standalone paintings and large-scale murals under one roof. We also do laser engraving and 3D printed sculpture if a commission ends up having components that work better in those media.
If you need something hyper-photorealistic, or a style that's well outside what you see in my portfolio, I'll be upfront about that. Commission the artist whose existing work already looks close to what you want. Asking an artist to work against their natural style rarely ends well for either party.
If you're ready to talk through a project, reach out at jonescocreative.space or stop by the studio in Indian Orchard. Bring your reference images, know your wall, and we'll figure out the rest from there.