NEW WORK: Fresh Greens + how private commissions work

Private commissions are always welcome in my studio and usually they are very personal and sentimental pieces. Whether it’s a birth month flower, a wedding bouquet, a family tree that grew near your house or a plant that have a personal meaning behind it - I’m all for creating a custom botanical illustration just for you. I want to always be very transparent about my creative process and would love to tell you more what it would be like to work together.

 
Leek watercolor illustration painting process - early stages by Anna Farba studio

Custom botanical illustration, early stages - first watercolor washes. Watercolor painting stage

Soybean watercolor illustration painting process - early stages by Anna Farba studio

I’ve listed everything that goes into the project from the inquiry to final product:

  • Initial inquiry - brief

    After I receive an e-mail inquiry or a filled out form, I may get back to the prospective client with more questions, to make sure I have all details that I need to start working on the project. Details I always consider that also influence the pricing: size; plant complexity - number or elements; timeline; amount of detail / realism; final delivery - files or physical painting, and more.

  • Project estimate, Timeline, Agreement, Payment

    When I have everything I need to get started, I send out a Timeline and an Estimate. After the client approves those, I’ll outline a Scope of Work, Copyright License and other details in Artist Agreement, after it’s signed and I receive the full payment we begin working on the project.

  • Sketch + Color palette development. Client approval

    A simple outline sketch drawing is always developed first, this way I make sure to map out the objects at scale that’s needed and make sure I included all details that client envisioned. I also send out the color palette - it’s always easier to agree on the colors I’ll be using with a couple of reference images. At this point I’ll make any changes to the “plan“ for the painting we’re developing together, until it feels perfect.

  • Materials

    I use artist’s grade watercolor paints and high quality watercolor paper for every illustration I create, but depending on whether you’d like to get an original or a digital file, I will slightly adjust size and paper that I use. For custom original paintings I absolutely love using (the best in the world) Arches 300 gsm hot press paper. It has a buttery smooth texture and is 100% cotton, so combined with professional watercolor paints by the world’s best producers (Schmincke, Nevskaya Palitra, Daniel Smith) the artwork should retain it’s quality for a very long time.

  • Watercolor painting process. Client approval

    After I do my magic with the brush and painting is finished, I usually scan it and send for the final client’s approval. Every custom watercolor painting is carefully planned so I don’t usually receive any revisions as this point. There are more options for digital files, of course.

 
Leek, soybean plant watercolor painting progress by Anna Farba studio
  • Sending out an original / Files delivery

    After final approval is received I package the illustration (in a cardboard poster tube or a hard cardboard envelope to mail flat the smaller pieces) and ship it. If the final delivery was digital I always edit the illustration by scanning it into Photoshop, making slight adjustments to the colors and saturation, and removing the background - this gives the best results for printing.

 
Custom watercolor illustration - Leek and Soybean plant by Anna Farba
Leek and soybean illustration watercolors on paper by Anna Farba
Soybean plant custom watercolor illustration by Anna Farba

If you are looking for custom botanical illustration - feel free to contact me at a@annafarba.com or fill out this form to get started quicker.

Hope you enjoyed this simple guide to private commissions and seeing what I am working on these days!

- Anna