A landscape commission can hold a specific place, season or memory while still becoming an original interpretation.

A practical framework

  1. 01

    Choose a place and feeling

    Name the location, season, light and emotional reason the view matters.

  2. 02

    Share varied references

    Include wide views, details, maps or your own snapshots when they help explain the setting.

  3. 03

    Match the artist

    Select someone whose landscapes already handle atmosphere, colour and detail in a way you value.

  4. 04

    Design for the room

    Discuss canvas proportions, viewing distance, wall size and dominant colours.

  5. 05

    Approve the direction

    Confirm composition and palette, then allow the painter to make the work their own.

Questions to ask before paying a deposit

  • Has the artist painted similar terrain?
  • Can several viewpoints be combined?
  • What size suits the wall?
  • Will a room mock-up be provided?
  • How will a wet oil painting be delivered?

What to send for a landscape painting commission

Start with the place and why it matters. A wide photo establishes the setting; closer views show distinctive peaks, trees, buildings or shoreline. Note the season, time of day and elements that must remain recognizable. If photographs belong to someone else, obtain permission before supplying them as references.

Also send the wall width and height, a straight-on room photograph, your preferred canvas orientation and a comfortable budget range. A landscape artist can then propose size and composition rather than guess from a single cropped image.

How to compare landscape commission artists

Look for an artist whose existing landscapes already handle the kind of terrain and light you want. A painter of atmospheric coastlines may interpret a mountain differently from one who studies alpine structure. Review finished examples and ask whether the artist combines references, changes the viewpoint or sends a sketch or digital mock-up for approval.

For distinct approaches, compare Cassie Dickinson’s Whistler landscapes, Ronei’s commissioned West Coast scenes and Graham Watts’s oil painting process. The linked profiles point to the artists’ own published work and commission information.

Agree on the practical details

Before a deposit, confirm medium, dimensions, price, references, approval stages, changes after approval, completion window and delivery method. Oil paint may need additional drying time before packaging. Framing, tax and insured shipping should be spelled out separately. Use the commission contract checklist to record the agreement.

Browse Canadian landscape commission artists, including artists in British Columbia and Alberta.