Doing custom work:
The last couple of weeks have been spent making a wonderful commission. The creature is a Treecat from the Honorverse series of books. What a wonderful challenge!

I love doing commission work as it keeps me challenged and helps me push the limits of what I think I can do. All of it starts with the request from a potential customer about something they would like to have made and asking if it is possible. I look at the request and at this time I respond with either a yes or no answer. Sometimes I have people ask me to make something that is clearly a copy of someone else's work. Ethically I will not do that. If I can proceed with the custom order I ask for more details at this point:

1. Budget (and ask if  the taxes and shipping are included in this budget or not)
2. Time frame- how soon it is required and informing the potential customer of a 2 - 3 week time needed.
3. Materials they would like me to use ( and bearing in mind I might not have in my stock what they want and that will add to the timeline)

This allows me to establish if I can make the custom order in the time, cost and material requirements. If I can meet the requirements, we make a tentative agreement to go ahead. I start by doing some research if it is not a standard creature I know or can easily find out about. Realism is important to me. I am making a creature the customer knows and I want to be correct. As much information from the customer as I can get always helps!

Once the research and rough pattern is ready I can estimate materials and time to make. This allows me to put together a quote for the customer and if we are both in agreement I start making the creature. I ask for half of the payment upfront, as this covers me if the customer changes their minds and I have spent money on materials.

Head of the Treecat ready for customer approval

I try to keep my customers updated as I cut and sew the creature.  As each stage is finished, I photograph and upload pictures for them to see and agree if I am heading in the right direction. Once I have a partially finished creature I again send pictures. I seek to involve my customer at each stage so we are in agreement as I go along and there is not a nasty surprise when I finish : )

Obviously once the creature is done I post the final pictures and arrange how the customer would like to have it shipped. Once I have shipped the creature we do the final payment.

Finished Treecat

I always wait with bated breathe to see if the customer loves the creature in person. It is always hard to post images for me, as I am not a great photographer, but I am learning. The animal always looks better in person.  It is always great when a customer approaches you and can give you  as much detail as they can about what they want. A successful relationship in making a custom creature is great communication.