COMMISSION FAQ

How long have you been drawing? Do you have any art training?
I've been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil. Being as I'm 33 years old as I write this, that's a while! I started working with Prismacolors roughly about 15 years ago, and I haven't turned back. As far as art school? I have no formal art training whatsoever; everything I know is self-taught.

How much do you charge?
All prices are without backgrounds.

Inked Lineart - $8 per character, plain white 8.5"x 11" paper.
Full Color Portrait/Headshot, single character - $15
Full Color Full-Body, single character - starting at $25

Does that include shipping?
Inside the US, yes. Your commission will be shipped Priority mail; you should get it within 2-3 days of my getting it out. Outside the US, standard non-priority shipping is an additional $10. Allow up to 2 weeks for international shipping.

Your commission will not be shipped until I receive your payment. In the case of checks, it will be when your check clears. If you have no intentions of paying me, please don't commission me.

What method of payment do you take?
At the moment, I can only accept checks and money orders. Send cash in the mail at your own risk.

Can I see my commission in progress?
Sure! Drop me a note and I'll gladly post the sketch to Scraps. I'll also update my journal with a small note on your progress. If you'd rather be surprised, that's okay, too!

What materials do you use?
Everything I do is in Prismacolor pencils. I've been using them for around 15 years and am just madly in love with them. As far as paper, I only use Strathmore ArtAgain, cardstock, or some other similarly heavyweight paper. I'm not usually a fan of plain white paper, so expect your commission to come on colored paper. I think it makes a great contrast and makes all the colors just pop. If you'd rather I work your commission on white paper, just let me know.

As of 5/28/08, I will have the following sizes/types of paper available:
8.5" x 11" cardstock - neutral colors (white through dark brown)
9" x 12" - Strathmore Art Again - Coal black.
11" x 14" Strathmore Pastel paper - Assorted colors. This stuff's got some texture to it, as opposed to the paper I normally use.
12" x 18"- Strathmore ArtAgain - Assorted colors.

How long does it take?
Generally, so long as I can work uninterrupted, I'm pretty quick about going from sketch to finished. However, while it most likely won't take that long, please allow me up to 6 weeks to finish your commission. This allows me some breathing room in case, well, life happens. Being a Mom means anything can happen, and it often does.

Commissions are started in the order I get them, so please check my journal to see where you are on the list.

What do I need to do to commission you?
Drop me a note and let's talk! Give me as much detail as possible as far as what you'd like - references are also appreciated for colors/markings, etc. - especially characters with complicated markings. If you'd rather give me a generalization and let me run with it, that's fine too. If you'd rather drop me an email (especially if you don't belong to deviantART), you can send it to ladydmnfyre@yahoo.com Please mention "dA Commission" in the subject.

Unfamiliar with what I do? My gallery will give you a starting point. My main concentration is Anthro characters and Equine art, but I also will do canids, and animals in general. I will also do pet portraits. I regretfully decline to do people, because I honestly don't enjoy drawing them. My style leans towards the semi-realistic; please decline from asking me to do anime or really cartoonish things. I will not do copyrighted characters, unless of course, they are copyrighted to YOU. Also, no pornographic artwork, and no violent/gory stuff. Tasteful nudity, however, is ok. I have the right to refuse any commission; whether it's because I think it's over my head artistically, or I disagree with the message it's presenting.

Do you take requests/trades?
I'm not taking requests, but I may consider an interesting trade or two if I have the time. Please remember if I have commissions, your trade will be delayed until I am finished with them.

Can I use your artwork for....?
A big, fat, emphatic NO. My artwork is not public domain. It is copyrighted to ME. It is not for personal use or otherwise. This includes: no editing, no altering, no heavy referencing, no tracing, no using for RPGs/neopets/avatars/blogs/templates/etc., no claiming my characters as your own, no nothing. I, like most other people, work too hard at what I do just to freely let someone copy my work. Want a character that's all your own? Simple - commission one.

Any other questions? Feel free to ask!