(Feature image by Halcyon) NSFW commissions can be a touchy subject. If you’ve never commissioned adult artwork before, you might be confused on how to start. While knowing how to describe what you want to an artist in the general case helps, we have some tips to help you get the most out of the transaction. (Quick note: If you’re here looking for artists who are open for NSFW commissions right now, please check here.)
This article contains some adult content and language. Reader discretion is advised.
1. Keep it Professional
NSFW commissions are used in self-gratification. This involves powerful parts of human psychology. As the pieces created are very personal, it can be easy to confuse one’s relationship with their artist as personal as well.
However, it’s important to remember that commissioning NSFW art is a business transaction. You paying your artist to complete work for you. Unless you’ve been given pornography as a gift, there is no personal aspect to the commission process. Always respect an artist’s personal boundaries.
Keeping this separation in mind can help you avoid broken expectations and feelings and free you to pursue more meaningful relationships with people who are interested in interacting on personal terms.
2. NSFW Commissions Need NSFW References
For characters you intend to feature in NSFW commissions, you will want to use NSFW references. If possible, provide an NSFW refsheet to your artist. If not, provide whatever safe for work references you have. Then find images that depict the shape and/or color of your characters genitalia.
If your character is an anthropomorphic rabbit, but has a horse cock, not providing references will lead to disappointment. If your character’s breasts have especially large areoles, the artist needs to know that. Maybe their anal ring is triangular and purple. That’s a detail you wouldn’t want missed!
3. Find an Artist Known for your Favorite Kink
Kinks are very personal– and are difficult to ‘get’ if an artist either does not have them or is not experienced in portraying them. An artist who is doing well has found a niche in what they create– because they enjoy creating it.
If an artist does not have much experience drawing the kink you’re looking for, or has little interest in the content, you can expect that the piece won’t quite have the ‘life’ or ‘inspiration’ that it might otherwise have. Artists that enjoy what they’re creating make better art.
What if your piece doesn’t feature your favorite kink? Should you still favor an artist that specializes in it? Yes. An artist that specializes in your kink may create subtle nods to it even if it’s not intended to be featured. For instance, imagine you have a foot kink, and the artist you’re commissioning is good at drawing feet. Even if your NSFW commission doesn’t specifically involve feet, they will draw any feet in frame with care.
Additionally, pay attention to any information an artist has given about what they will and will not draw. Don’t push an artist who has indicated they don’t draw your kinks to create a piece that features them.
4. Pick NSFW Commissions Specialists
Adult artwork is a specialty, and requires practice like any other discipline. It also can be uncomfortable for many artists to draw. Check to make sure your artist has a solid portfolio of adult work. If they don’t, you should look elsewhere.
If an artist you’re considering only has SFW pieces in their portfolio, don’t ask them to complete an NSFW commission. Even if they agree to complete your commission, it may not meet your expectations. It is also disrespectful to ask artists that have maintained SFW-only portfolios for pornographic work. Their portfolio is ‘clean’ for a reason, and that reason is likely to be deeply personal.
Drawing good looking pornography is challenging. It requires extensive study of anatomy and perspective to do well. Depending on the content of the piece, it may even require some grasp of physics to feel ‘real’. Fluid dynamics are tough!
5. Be Upfront and Explicit
Describing sexual acts can be awkward. If you don’t often discuss NSFW content, it can be tough to explain what’s in your head. However, when you’re spending money on a commission, in order to get what you want, you must be specific. Compare these two descriptions:
Please draw an elf woman giving head to a guy.
vs…
Please draw an elf woman with average sized breasts going down on a buff human warrior.
The elf should have blue eyes, be looking up at the human with a satisfied look as cum pools on her tongue. She should be squinting one eye because some of the cum has spattered over her face and bare breasts.
If you give your artist the first description, you might get a picture like the second one describes. However, this is unlikely. Experienced artists aren’t bothered by frank language, so feel free to be as explicit as you need to be.