PAINT · DRAW · PRINT
Commission custom paintings, portraits and art prints
For collectors, gift-givers, businesses and anyone who wants an original piece made to order. Post your commission and get quotes from artists and print studios registered on the platform.
Free app for iOS and Android. You post the job, makers quote, you choose.
About Fine Art
Commissioning fine art means paying an artist to make an original piece to your brief: a portrait painted from photographs, a pet or house portrait, a landscape for a particular wall, an illustration or a hand-pulled print. It also covers the work around finished art, such as high-quality reproductions (giclée prints) of an existing painting and custom framing. On The Spool List you post the job free with references, size, medium, style and your budget. Verified makers send quotes, from painters and illustrators to printmakers and print studios. You choose one, pay the price they quote, and the platform holds the payment until you confirm delivery.
Typical jobs
Portrait from photos
A painted or drawn likeness of a person, couple or family, worked from your photographs.
Pet portrait
A painting or drawing of a pet, made from several clear photos.
Original painting for a space
A piece sized and coloured for a particular wall, home, office or lobby.
Illustration
Drawn or painted artwork for a book, an album cover, a poster or a brand.
Mural
A painting applied directly to an interior or exterior wall.
Fine art reproduction
Giclée prints or other high-quality copies of an existing artwork, scanned or photographed first.
Printmaking and editions
Hand-pulled linocuts, woodcuts, etchings or screen prints, often as a numbered edition.
Framing and finishing
Framing, mounting, varnishing or stretching canvas for a finished piece.
Materials
- Oil paint
- Acrylic paint
- Watercolour and gouache
- Ink
- Pastel and charcoal
- Graphite
- Stretched canvas
- Linen
- Watercolour paper
- Wood panel
- Archival pigment inks
- Cotton rag fine art paper
Processes
- Oil and acrylic painting
- Watercolour painting
- Drawing and illustration
- Digital painting
- Mural painting
- Linocut and woodcut
- Etching
- Screen printing
- Giclée printing
- High-resolution art scanning
- Varnishing and finishing
- Framing and canvas stretching
The market in numbers
$59.6bn
Estimated global art market sales in 2025, up 4% year on year
Source: Art Basel and UBS, The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, 2026
41.5M
Estimated number of art sale transactions worldwide in 2025
Source: Art Basel and UBS, The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, 2026
For sale now in the Forge
Ready-made items listed by the makers who make them. Prices set by each maker.
Acrylic Engraved Lambo Art
Art · by KittermanSpeedShop
$30.00
Ghost ship
Home decor · by Precision Inscions
$35.00
Halloween
Home decor · by Precision Inscions
$35.00
Gothic wall clock 25cm width
Home decor · by gabenightprints
$50.00
Safety in shadows. Blenheim.
Art · by colinrosenberg51
$850.00
Tiger Moths training
Art · by colinrosenberg51
$795.00
Hurricane on the hunt.
Art · by colinrosenberg51
$795.00
Threat of a different nature. Spitfire.
Art · by colinrosenberg51
$795.00
Portfolio — past work by makers in this discipline
Portfolio · past work — not for sale Examples of past work. Not for sale as listed — ask the maker for something similar.
Portfolio · past work — not for sale
Portfolio · past work — not for sale
Portfolio · past work — not for saleMakers with verified machines
Makers whose machines for this kind of work have been verified on The Spool List. Location shown is the city or country the maker entered.
How to brief a maker
- Give the finished size, or the wall it is for, and whether you want a portrait or landscape format.
- Attach clear, well-lit, high-resolution reference photos; for a portrait, include close-ups of faces.
- Name the medium and style you want (oil, acrylic, watercolour, pencil, ink or digital), or share examples of artwork you like.
- Say whether you want it framed, on a stretched canvas, or shipped rolled or flat.
- For reproductions, give the number of prints, the size and the paper, and confirm you own the original or have permission to copy it.
- Include your budget range, deadline and delivery country.
How buying works
01
Post your job or order in the free app, and talk to the maker directly — not a middleman.
02
Your payment is held by the platform while the maker makes it.
03
The maker is paid after you confirm delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to commission a painting?
The price depends on size, medium, the level of detail, the number of subjects and the artist's hours. A small pencil drawing costs far less than a large oil painting with several figures. Makers on The Spool List set their own prices, so post your brief with size, medium and a budget range, and compare the quotes. You pay the price the maker quotes.
Can an artist paint a portrait from photos?
Yes. Most commissioned portraits are made from photographs. Clear, well-lit, high-resolution photos give the best likeness. If the portrait combines people or pets from different photos, say so in the brief. Ask whether you can approve a sketch or progress photos before the final piece is finished.
What is a giclée print?
A giclée print is a high-quality inkjet reproduction made with archival pigment inks on fine art paper or canvas. It is a common way to make copies of a painting. The original is first scanned or photographed at high resolution. Only reproduce artwork you made yourself or have permission to copy.
Oil, acrylic or watercolour: which should I choose?
Oil gives rich colour and blends slowly, but it takes longer to dry, which can add time before the piece ships. Acrylic dries quickly and is hard-wearing. Watercolour is lighter and more delicate, and is usually framed behind glass. If you are unsure, describe the look you want and ask makers what they recommend.
Do I own the copyright in artwork I commission?
Not automatically. In many countries the artist keeps the copyright unless it is transferred in writing, even though you own the physical artwork. If you plan to print copies, sell merchandise or use the piece in branding, agree the rights in the job thread before work begins, and check the rules where you live.
How is payment handled on an art commission?
You pay the price the maker quotes when you accept it. The Spool List holds that payment and releases it to the maker only after you confirm the artwork has been delivered. For larger pieces, agree approval points, such as a sketch sign-off, in the job thread before work starts.
Sources checked 2026-10-06.