If you like the artwork that you see on this site you can commission Ariela to create something special for you.
How the Commission Process Works: Art & Text
To start, send Terri an email indicating your interest, she will start to walk you through it from there.
When Terri receives your email, she will make sure that the commission is within our wheelhouse and will fit in our calendar; she might contact you to ask followup questions to ascertain.
Once we know that we can fit you in, Ariela will be in touch to discuss the artistic specifics of your commission. This might take place over email, phone, or video call. Don't worry if your vision is still a little bit vague; Ariela has started from prompts as general as "I like dolphins and my spouse-to-be likes bowler hats, can you put them together to make something awesome and unique to us?" to requests as specific as "We want two lions rearing up on either side of a shield with a dodo perched on top; the ketubah text should be on the shield."
Some information Ariela will likely to ask you for:
Text: What text would you like in your commission?
Font: Which alphabet(s) would you like me to use in your piece?
Dimensions: How big do you want the finished piece to be?
Stylistic preferences: If you really like Impressionism or Japanese wood-block prints, let me know!
Layout: Do you want the text and images to interact in a specific way?
Picture references: If you have pictures of people or items you would like included in your piece, please send them along.
If you don’t have these, don’t worry, go ahead and get in touch anyway. Much of this can be figured out in the first consultation.
Once we agree on an initial concept, we will give you a preliminary cost estimate and Ariela will begin drawing a first sketch. Please remember that this is a piece of fine art that you are commissioning, and it is priced accordingly. If the price is out of your budget, we will be happy to advise you how to change your design to trim costs.
After reviewing the first sketch Ariela sends you, you will have a chance to tweak it. At that point Ariela will draw a second sketch and send it to you. With approval, we will send you a revised cost estimate and a full contract. Upon receipt of a down-payment, the size of which depends on the full cost of your commission, Ariela will begin working on your commission.
When Ariela has finished the final product, she will send you an invoice with the final cost, including the artwork and full tabulation of the materials cost. If the piece is being shipped, that will be included in the bill as well. We recommend that you retain the invoice so that you can get the piece insured.
We Have Art, Will You Calligraph Text to go with it?
Yes. This is a common request, particularly for ketubot.
When you contact us with a request for calligraphy to go with another artist's work, you will probably be asked the following:
What is the due date of this commission?
Is the art finished? If not, when will it be finished?
What sort of paper is your art drawn/painted on? What medium is your art?
What are the dimensions of the paper and what are the dimensions of the area in which the text is expected to go?
How many words is your text? Is it in Hebrew, English, or both?
Which calligraphic hands do you want used for your commission?
Please Note: Ariela will not write on canvas or work with art done in oil paint.
Text-only commissions tend to take at least 6 weeks to complete, more if it's a busy time.
More Information
While Ariela loves taking commissions, she will not be the artist to fill every single request - sometimes people want things that are just outside her wheelhouse. When that happens, we promise to be up front with you. If we know someone better suited to fulfill your needs, we will refer you to them.
Please feel free to be in touch with any other questions you might have.