Commissioning a Custom Wildlife Painting: What to Expect

Most people who commission a custom wildlife painting have already crossed two thresholds before they reach out to the artist. The first is a love of a specific animal, scene, or moment. The second is a quiet anxiety about what the commissioning process is actually going to be like. They have never bought a painting this way before. They are about to spend serious money on something that does not yet exist.

This guide is here to remove that anxiety. It walks through what a commission with Renso Tamse actually involves — the conversations, the milestones, the costs, the timeline, the things that occasionally go sideways, and how they are handled. By the end you will know whether a commission is right for what you have in mind, what you should expect to pay, and what you will receive at the end.

What a commission actually is

A commission is a private contract between you and the artist to produce a unique painting to your specification. It is not a print, not a reproduction, and not a customisation of an existing piece. It is an original work, painted from scratch, that will exist only because you asked for it.

What this means in practice:

• You choose the subject — a specific animal, a scene from a place you have visited, a moment from your own observation
• You collaborate on the composition — size, format, lighting, atmosphere, mood
• The artist creates the painting in their studio using their full technique and material standards
• The final work is yours, signed and dated, with a Certificate of Authenticity and full provenance documentation
• The painting is unique — there is no Limited Edition release of the same image unless explicitly agreed in advance

A commission sits at the top of the collector tier. It is the most personal thing you can own from any working artist, and the most expensive line item in their catalogue.

When does a commission make sense?

A commission is the right choice when one or more of these is true:

• The subject matters to you specifically. A particular animal, a place you have travelled to, an encounter you witnessed. Something that no existing painting in the catalogue can replicate because the painting is about your story.
• You want the painting to be unique. Even the smallest Collector's Edition (25 prints worldwide) is still shared with 24 other collectors. A commission is shared with no one.
• You have a specific size, format, or setting in mind that doesn't exist in the catalogue — a panoramic over a long sideboard, a monumental piece for a corporate lobby, a triptych for a specific room.
• The painting is a meaningful gift or memorial. A wedding, a retirement, a tribute to a hunting dog or working horse, a memorial to a relative who loved wildlife. The act of commissioning the painting becomes part of the story.

A commission is not the right choice when you simply want a painting of, for example, a wolf. If there is no specific story behind the request, you will be better served (and better priced) by an existing Limited Edition or Collector's Edition print. The catalogue exists precisely because these subjects have already been painted with full studio attention.

The five-stage process

Every commission with Renso follows the same structure. The exact timing of each stage varies with the painting's scale and complexity, but the structure does not.

Stage 1 — Initial conversation

You reach out with what you have in mind. This can be as concrete as "I want a painting of the eagle I photographed in the Pyrenees last September, roughly 80 by 100 cm, watercolour" or as open as "I want a wildlife painting for my office and I'm not sure where to start." Both are fine. Renso replies personally with thoughts, refinements, and an initial price range.

You can send reference photos, sketches, mood images, or just a description. The more information at this stage, the more accurate the quote and the smoother the rest of the process.

This stage is free and non-committal. Most collectors have two or three rounds of conversation before they decide to proceed.

Stage 2 — Concept sketch and approval

Once you decide to proceed, Renso prepares a detailed concept sketch outlining the composition, the lighting, and the atmosphere of the proposed painting. This sketch is reviewed and approved before any paint touches the paper. Up to two rounds of sketch revisions are included as standard — changes to pose, framing, or scene element are all normal.

The sketch stage is where the painting is genuinely decided. By the time the sketch is approved, the work is essentially mapped. The painting that follows will be the realised version of the sketch, not a different image discovered along the way.

Stage 3 — Deposit and start

A 50% deposit is invoiced once the sketch is approved. This secures the studio time and reserves your place in the queue. The remaining 50% is due on completion, before shipping.

If for any reason the commission cannot proceed after the deposit has been paid, the deposit covers the sketch work and the studio time already committed. In the rare cases where this has happened, both parties have always reached a fair resolution — art commissions are a long collaboration, not a one-shot transaction.

Stage 4 — Painting milestones

Renso paints in layered watercolour, building up the work over many sessions in the studio. You receive milestone progress photos at key stages — typically initial wash, structural detail, and final refinement. You can comment on the work at each milestone. Major directional changes at this stage are uncommon, because the sketch already settled the direction, but adjustments to specific elements are welcome.

This stage is the longest part of the commission — the actual painting time. It cannot be hurried. The layered watercolour technique requires drying time between passes, and a large painting can take weeks of focused work.

Stage 5 — Final review, framing, shipping

Once the painting is complete, you receive high-resolution photographs for final approval. Once approved, the painting is professionally packed, fully insured, and shipped worldwide. The Certificate of Authenticity — signed and dated by Renso — ships with the painting along with provenance documentation and care instructions.

If you would like framing handled by the studio, Renso can specify or source an archival frame appropriate to the work and your space; this is invoiced separately from the painting itself. Many collectors prefer to use their own local framer once the painting arrives.

Pricing — what determines the cost

Commission pricing is not a single number; it is a function of three variables.

• Size. The painting's surface area is the primary cost driver. Doubling the linear dimensions quadruples the paint surface and roughly triples the studio time.
• Subject complexity. A single animal in a simple environment paints differently from a multi-figure scene with detailed landscape and atmospheric weather.
• Timeline pressure. Standard lead times are 3 to 6 months. Faster delivery is occasionally possible and is priced as a studio-priority surcharge.

Starting prices, as a guide:

• Watercolour, small (up to 40×50 cm): from $4,500
• Watercolour, medium (up to 60×80 cm): from $8,500
• Watercolour, large (up to 80×120 cm): from $14,500
• Multi-panel, monumental, or unusually complex works: quoted individually

The full price quote includes the painting, the Certificate of Authenticity, archival materials, and insured worldwide shipping. Framing is optional and quoted separately.

Timeline — realistic expectations

A typical commission takes 3 to 6 months from approved sketch to delivered painting. Larger and multi-panel works can run longer. The breakdown is roughly:

• Initial conversation to approved sketch: 2 to 4 weeks (depending on how many revision rounds you want)
• Deposit to first studio session: 1 to 8 weeks (depending on current studio queue)
• Painting time: 4 to 16 weeks (depending on size and complexity)
• Final review and shipping: 1 to 2 weeks

If you have a hard deadline — a wedding gift, a corporate launch, a specific anniversary — mention it in the very first message. Renso can usually accommodate fixed deadlines if they are known from the start. Trying to compress the timeline mid-commission is harder.

What you're paying for (beyond the painting)

It is worth being explicit about what a commission price represents, because the painting itself is only part of what you receive.

• The painting, signed and dated by the artist
• The artist's full attention over a multi-month period — not a delegated workshop product
• The Certificate of Authenticity recording the painting, its dimensions, medium, and the date it was completed
• Field credibility — Renso's work is grounded in actual field observation of wildlife, not stock photography
• Full provenance documentation — if you ever sell the painting, your buyer can verify everything
• Lifetime artist contact — you can reach out to the studio at any point in the future for conservation advice, restoration referrals, or to discuss further commissions
• Professional packing, insurance, and worldwide shipping

This bundle is part of why a commissioned painting tends to hold and appreciate in value over time. It is not just a painting — it is a documented, traceable artwork by a working artist with a public catalogue and verifiable provenance.

Common questions answered

Who owns the copyright?

You own the physical painting. Renso retains the copyright — this is the international standard for fine art commissions — which means he may share photographs of the work on his website, social media, and portfolio unless agreed otherwise. The work is not released as a Limited Edition or Open Edition print unless this is explicitly agreed in advance. If you want the painting to remain entirely private (no public reproduction by the studio), this can be specified at the contract stage and is honoured.

Can the painting be released as a print after I receive it?

By default, no. Commissioned originals are not released as prints. If you would like the painting to also be available as a Limited or Open Edition, this can be agreed in advance and is sometimes done for paintings with broad public appeal — with the commissioning collector receiving the first numbered print of the edition as a gift.

Can you work from my photographs?

Yes. Most commissions begin with reference photographs supplied by the collector. The photographs themselves do not need to be technically perfect — Renso's job is to translate the moment into a painting, not to reproduce the photo. You should, however, own the rights to any reference photos you supply, or have clear permission from the photographer.

Can you paint multiple animals or a specific scene?

Yes. Multi-animal compositions, narrative scenes, and detailed landscapes are all common commissions. The complexity affects the price and the timeline, both of which are discussed openly at the conversation stage.

What about memorial paintings?

Memorial commissions — of a specific working horse, hunting dog, or beloved animal that has passed — are sensitive work. Renso treats them with the care they deserve. The painting is built around the animal's character, not just its appearance, which means more conversation about behaviour, posture, and mood at the conversation stage.

What if I'm not happy with the final painting?

The structured sketch-approval and milestone process is designed to make this outcome extremely rare. By the time the painting is complete, every major decision has been jointly approved. If genuine concerns arise at the final review stage and adjustment is possible within the painting's existing structure, Renso will work with you. In the unlikely event that the painting cannot be brought to a satisfactory result, the studio and the collector agree on a fair resolution. In nearly two decades of commission work, this has been resolved without dispute.

Practical pre-commission checklist

Before you reach out, it helps to have answers to these questions ready. You don't need all of them — partial answers are fine — but they will speed the first conversation:

• What animal or scene do you want painted?
• Do you have a specific moment, memory, or photograph behind the request?
• Approximate size you have in mind (small / medium / large, or specific dimensions)
• Format (portrait, landscape, square, panoramic)
• Where the painting will hang — wall description, room light, surrounding furniture
• Budget range (a starting figure helps even if it is rough)
• Any deadline or target date
• Whether reference photos exist (and if you own the rights)
• Whether this is a gift, memorial, or self-purchase

If you have most of these answers, the first reply from Renso will include a real concept and a real quote. If you are earlier in the process — just exploring — say so and the conversation will start from there instead.

A note from the studio

Renso has been painting wildlife professionally for nearly two decades, with field observation across the Alps, the Carpathians, the East African plains, and the Indian subcontinent. The same layered watercolour techniques used in the Originals collection are used in commissioned work — the only difference is that the painting is shaped by your story rather than his own.

Every commission ships with a Certificate of Authenticity, full provenance documentation, archival materials, and tracked worldwide insured shipping. Framing is optional. Lifetime contact with the studio is included.

If you are ready to start the conversation, the Commissions page has the full process summary and a direct contact link. The first reply usually comes within 48 hours.

The short version

A commissioned painting is the most personal thing a working artist can make for you. The process is structured, the pricing is transparent, the timeline is realistic, and the final work belongs to you and to your story. If you have an animal, a place, or a moment that you want made permanent — in a way that no print can fully replace — a commission is what you are looking for.

The first conversation is free. Most collectors find that the conversation itself, regardless of whether it leads to a commission, is one of the most satisfying parts of the process.