Owning a bespoke work of art commissioned from award-winning and professional artist Dina Perejogina will give you goosebumps with excitement! Dina’s ability to paint exactly what you want provides the luxury of being able to capture a lasting memory of your pet, a favourite animal or other subject as a heart-warming object to enjoy now and as a future valuable heirloom to pass on down the generations.

 

You will choose the subject matter and jointly decide with Dina the size and colour scheme that meet your needs, the subject matter and the space where the painting will reside. Rarely is it possible to find exactly what you want on the high street; that ‘wow factor’ work of art for your home. A commissioned painting by Dina will achieve your own unique ‘wow factor’, rewarding you with an overwhelming feeling of excitement and a sense of complete satisfaction.

Value vs Costs

 

How do you establish the value of a unique, commissioned work of art? Rarity is arguably one of the most important factors in determining the value of things. As a painting commission is an entirely unique object - there can only ever be one in the world - this can positively influence its value. However, the true value of owning a commissioned item is your unparalleled emotional connection and passion for the subject matter.

 

It follows that agreeing an appropriate cost for a commission has to be fair to both parties. An artist’s time focussed on a bespoke commission reduces the time they can spend on other projects. Commissions are, by their very nature, one-off projects to meet the needs of a particular customer -  therefore the completed work of art has no further income opportunity for the artist in the form of e.g. selling open edition or limited edition prints. Depending on the nature of the commission required it could also take the artist in a new or different direction, thus making it more difficult to estimate up front the effort and cost involved in completing the commission. 

Time Spent

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Dina’s preferred method of calculating cost for a commission is ‘time spent’. The customer and Dina agree before work starts to either:

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1. Set a maximum number of hours Dina will dedicate to the commission work, or

2. Have no set maximum and allow Dina to finish the work to her detailed satisfaction.

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Both options have pros and cons:

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1. Offers the customer cost certainty but the finished work may not reach Dina’s, or the customer’s desired quality of finish, and

2. Offers Dina the freedom to choose the time to dedicate in achieving her desired detailed finish; however, it leaves the customer uncertain of how much the final cost will be.

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Every customer is unique. Every commission is unique. It is also fair to say, therefore, that every customer and every commission will require a unique agreement to be reached between the parties before any work starts. This is best achieved through open discussion and a common understanding and respectful appreciation of needs from both sides.

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Hourly Rate of Pay

 

The Artist’s Union of England (AUE) supports self-employed artists based in England, offering guidance and advice on various topics, including what it considers to be fair pay for artists’ labour. Dina isn’t currently an active member of the AUE; however, as an award-winning, professional artist with 10+ years experience she uses the Hourly Rates of Pay published by the AUE as the basis of her own. The latest AUE guidelines on Rates of Pay was published August 16th 2021. For an artist of Dina’s experience it recommends a pay rate of £35 per hour. This rate of pay does not include equipment costs (e.g. canvas, paint, varnish, brushes, stretcher bars etc.), shipping or insurance costs, or income tax or VAT where relevant - the rate of pay is for Dina’s time and effort only.

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Example of Commission Cost Variables

 

Every customer and every commission are unique. The costs below (can be viewed on desktop site only) are illustrative examples of the labour costs only. Dina may choose to add other costs to the final cost of the commission to cover e.g. equipment costs and shipping and insurance costs.