Wapsi Square Forum

So, it's been a while since I got myself a commission and I'm considering commissioning our host.

One thing I've done in the past is give some parameters and let the artist run wild (for example I basically paid Fred Perry to have fun with creating three characters for my Divine Blood RPG...I ended up with a cop, a psychic raven/tengu and a cheerleader packing Rambo's ordinance. Another artist, DPRagan, choose to have a God and a dvergr getting ready to have a fight over a human girl). I could do that.

My other thought is one of my characters and one of his meeting. Which leaves the question:

Basically normal personality but nonhuman or weird powers; something in the adventure/excitement occupation and maybe high level of power; or some of the really eldritch stuff barring the evil creeps.

Also not sure he's be interested in me giving vague parameters some artists really prefer specifics.

So anyway. Just sound boarding with other fans.

Luke Green wrote:Also not sure he's be interested in me giving vague parameters some artists really prefer specifics.

So anyway. Just sound boarding with other fans.

Well, I think Paul would do a bang-up job with whatever details you chose to give him. I recall he's done some straightforward "character X, together with the person commissioning the drawing" work e.g. at cons, and has also done some really intricate detailed commissions.

I can point to two examples from the archives which might be useful.

Joe Minotaur commissioned A Game Of Chess. In the comments he writes "The commission is pretty much as you see here with Phix/Nudge playing chess as Tina waits on them with a nervous toothy grin. I left the rest of the details up to Paul and I must say that he did an outstanding job."

Spurred by Joe's example, I commissioned Time in the Time Forest. I gave the basic parameters: Shelly in the Forest, Conscience with her (expressing compassion but not speaking), and Shelly's expression showing the emotions which would go along with a long, strange exile full of loss and change. Paul chose most of the details including Connie's wonderful hand-on-shoulder gesture. A fantastic piece of work!

Based on these two examples I'd recommend that you give him "plenty of room to play" - give him whatever parameters he asks for, suggest some details if they're significant to you, but otherwise leave him room to apply his own creativity. There will of course be limits - he can't convey a complete bio of one of your characters in just one drawing (nobody could) - but I think he could get an essence across if you give him a decent sense of the character.

Them's just my $0.02 worth

Well, made the request we'll see what comes.