Freelance illustrators
Get a useful brief before the first conversation. Written context helps you assess fit, prepare questions and decide what to discuss next. Review “Illustration Style” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Illustration Commission Request Template
Open your commission queue with a professional intake process. This illustration commission form gathers the style, concept description, intended use, complexity tier, file format requirements, commercial licensing needs, and budget — so every commission starts with shared expectations and ends without surprises.
Free for non-commercial projects, with unlimited forms and responses.
Last updated
About this template
Illustration commissions are deeply personal creative collaborations — but without a structured intake process, they're also a common source of misaligned expectations, licensing disputes, and underpriced work. A well-designed commission request form protects both the artist and the client by documenting intent, scope, and rights before a single sketch is made.
More about this template
This template is built around the questions that actually determine illustration pricing and scope: the style (a minimal vector icon is a very different project from a detailed painterly scene), the complexity, the intended use (personal vs. commercial vs. merchandise), and which file formats are needed. The commercial license radio is particularly important — illustrators who skip this conversation often discover mid-project that a client plans to use their work on merchandise, which typically requires a higher fee.
formformform makes it easy for illustrators to embed this form on their portfolio website or link to it from social media and ArtStation. Every submission arrives instantly by email, and the dashboard keeps a complete record of every commission request — ready to turn into a quote, contract, or project kickoff.
12 fields to make your own9 required in this starting form
Make it fit your workflow.
Use your own copy to change labels, remove questions and add the details you need. Try the preview alongside this guide to see what respondents will be asked.
The questions, explained
Fields in this template
Review the starting questions and choices. You can change them in your own copy.
Client Name
Casey Patel
Email Address
casey@email.com
Phone Number
(555) 456-7890
Illustration Style
7 choices
- Cartoon / Character art
- Realistic / Painterly
- Watercolor
- Flat design / Geometric
- Vector / Line art
- Pixel art
- Other (describe below)
Concept Description
Describe what you want illustrated — characters, scenes, mood, details, and any specific elements to include.
Intended Use
6 choices
- Personal (not for sale or profit)
- Commercial (marketing, advertising, products)
- Editorial (books, articles, journalism)
- Merchandise (print-on-demand, physical goods)
- Social Media / Digital content
- Other
Illustration Complexity
3 choices
- Simple (icon, single subject, minimal background)
- Medium (detailed subject, basic background)
- Detailed (complex composition, multiple elements, rich background)
Reference Images or Links
Paste URLs or describe reference images you'd like me to look at.
File Formats Needed
6 choices
- PNG (high resolution)
- SVG (vector)
- PSD / Source file
- TIFF
- JPG
Do you need a commercial license?
3 choices
- Yes — I will use this commercially
- No — personal use only
- Unsure — please explain your licensing options
Deadline
Budget Range
6 choices
- Under $100
- $100 – $300
- $300 – $700
- $700 – $1,500
- $1,500+
- To be discussed
Where it fits
Who uses this template
Suggested uses, and why this starting point can help. Adapt the questions to your own process.
Character artists
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Concept Description” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Children's book illustrators
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Intended Use” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Concept artists
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Illustration Complexity” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Surface pattern designers
Documents product category (fabric, wallpaper, wrapping paper), repeat tile format, color palette count, and commercial licensing territory.
Tattoo artists offering digital commissions
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “File Formats Needed” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Animation studios taking custom work
Get a useful brief before the first conversation. Written context helps you assess fit, prepare questions and decide what to discuss next. Review “Do you need a commercial license?” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
What's included
Illustration style dropdown covering seven distinct art styles
Detailed concept description field to capture scene, mood, and specific elements
Intended use dropdown with commercial, editorial, merchandise, and personal options
Complexity tier selector for accurate time and price estimation
File format checklist covering raster, vector, and source file options
Commercial license radio to define usage rights before work begins
How to create an illustration commission request
- 1
Click 'Use this template' to open the form in your free formformform account with all commission fields pre-configured.
- 2
Update the illustration style dropdown to reflect the styles you actually offer — add or remove styles as needed.
- 3
Adjust the budget ranges to match your actual commission pricing tiers.
- 4
Add a file upload field so clients can attach reference images alongside their written description.
- 5
Publish the form and add the link to your portfolio's 'Commissions' page, social media bio, and any open commission announcements.
- 6
Review each submission and respond with a quote and estimated start date within 48 hours.
Best practices for your illustration commission request
Make intended use required
it directly affects your pricing and license terms. Commercial use commissions are typically priced higher than personal commissions, and catching this upfront prevents awkward renegotiations.
Include a complexity dropdown, not just a price field
clients often don't know how to self-assess complexity. Giving them defined tiers (simple, medium, detailed) helps them understand what they're selecting and why pricing differs.
Ask about file formats explicitly
clients often realize they need a vector SVG after you've already delivered a PNG. Requiring a format selection at intake prevents this common last-minute request.
Add a reference field
clients who can share visual references give you far more useful direction than lengthy written descriptions alone. Even Pinterest board links are valuable.
Define your commercial license terms in the confirmation message
after someone submits, use formformform's customizable confirmation message to explain what commercial licensing includes and costs.
Keep your deadline field optional
artists who enforce rigid deadlines on every commission lose potential clients with flexible timelines. Keeping it optional signals you're approachable while still capturing timeline data from those who have one.
13 form ideas you can build with this template
Children's Book Character Illustration Commission
Captures character age range, personality traits, clothing style, and diversity representation preferences for picture book protagonists.
Wedding Portrait Illustration Commission
Gathers couple reference photos, background scene preference, delivery format for printing, and rush wedding date timeline.
Twitch Emote and Streamer Art Commission
Documents channel theme, emote slot count, expression types, and overlay integration needs for livestreaming brand assets.
Pet Portrait Illustration Commission
Collects high-resolution pet photos, background preference, art style, and framing or print size for personalized animal portraits.
Tattoo Flash Design Commission
Gathers subject matter, placement body area, size estimate, black-and-grey vs. color preference, and flash sheet vs. custom art designation.
Book Cover Illustration Commission
Captures genre, synopsis, protagonist description, mood reference, and publisher trim size for fiction and nonfiction book covers.
Surface Pattern Design Commission
Documents product category (fabric, wallpaper, wrapping paper), repeat tile format, color palette count, and commercial licensing territory.
Editorial Illustration Commission
Gathers article topic, publication tone, photo vs. spot illustration format, and print resolution requirements for journalism and magazine work.
Video Game Concept Art Commission
Captures world-building context, character class or role, color palette restrictions, and deliverable format (PSD, turnaround sheets) for game development.
NFT and Digital Art Commission
Documents collection theme, trait rarity tier, blockchain platform, and commercial rights structure for generative or 1/1 NFT artwork.
Corporate Mascot Design Commission
Collects brand values to personify, industry context, mascot use cases (web, print, merchandise), and style preference for branded character design.
Holiday Card Illustration Commission
Gathers family photo references, seasonal theme, personalization text, and quantity for custom holiday greeting card artwork.
Merchandise Print-on-Demand Illustration Commission
Documents product type (t-shirt, tote, mug), print area dimensions, color count restrictions, and POD platform for commercial merchandise artwork.
Frequently asked questions
What information should I collect in an illustration commission form?
The essentials are: art style, concept description, intended use (personal vs. commercial), complexity level, file formats needed, licensing requirements, deadline, and budget. This template covers all of them, with a dedicated commercial license question that protects your rights upfront.
How does commercial licensing work for illustration commissions?
For personal use, the client can display or print the work privately but not sell or commercialize it. For commercial use — advertising, packaging, merchandise, etc. — illustrators typically charge a higher fee for a broader license. This form's licensing radio button surfaces that conversation before work begins.
Can clients upload reference images when submitting the form?
You can add a file upload field to let clients attach reference images directly. Alternatively, the 'reference images or links' short text field lets clients paste URLs to inspiration boards, existing art, or examples of styles they like.
How do I use this form on my portfolio site?
After publishing, copy the iframe embed code from your formformform dashboard and paste it into your portfolio's 'Commissions' page. Or share the direct link in your social media bio or commission open announcement.
Can I close commissions when I'm fully booked?
You can pause the form by toggling it to draft status in your formformform dashboard — submissions will stop without breaking the link. When you're open again, re-publish it instantly.
Is there a limit to how many commission requests I can receive?
No. formformform supports unlimited submissions, so whether you receive 2 commission requests per month or 200, the form handles them all without any caps or fees.
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