Pre-selling your works before creating them: the advance commission model

01The principle and its advantages

Pre-selling means offering a work (or a series) for sale before its completion, based on a description, preparatory sketches, a preview of the format and technique. The buyer commits to a price and pays a deposit; the artist commits to a delivery timeline and a result consistent with the initial proposal.

The first advantage is financial: the deposit funds production. You do not need to advance the costs of materials, studio time or labor before having a buyer. For an artist working with expensive materials (bronze, marble, large format), this advantage is considerable. Richard Serra, whose monumental Corten steel sculptures require enormous production investments, systematically works on advance commission for his major installations.

The second advantage is risk reduction. You do not produce in uncertainty hoping to find a buyer. You know, before starting, that the work has a recipient and the price is agreed. This security lets you focus entirely on creation without the pressure of unsold inventory that erodes so many artists.

The third advantage is relational. Pre-selling creates a privileged bond between you and the buyer. The collector who commissions a work before its creation invests in the creative process. They feel they are participating in the birth of the work, which strengthens their attachment and loyalty.

02What you propose exactly

The key to pre-selling is clarity of proposition. A buyer committing to a work that does not yet exist needs concrete elements to envision the result. You must provide: a written description of the work or series, exact dimensions, technique and materials used, an estimated completion timeline, and visual references (sketches, previous works in a similar spirit, texture or palette details).

Christo took this model to its extreme throughout his career. His monumental projects (wrapping the Pont-Neuf, the umbrellas in Japan and California, the posthumously realized wrapped Arc de Triomphe) were funded by selling preparatory drawings and collages years before their realization. Collectors bought not a finished work but the promise of a future project, materialized by a preparatory document that had its own artistic value.

You do not need monumental projects to apply this principle. A series of six canvases in a palette and format you announce in advance, a set of ceramics whose sketches you present, a portrait commission for which you show previous examples: these proposals are concrete enough for a buyer to commit with confidence.

03Structuring the agreement

The pre-sale must be framed by a clear agreement, even informal. This agreement should specify: the total price of the work, the deposit amount (generally 30 to 50 percent of the price), payment terms for the balance (on delivery or in two installments), the expected completion timeline, conditions in case of delay (reasonable additional time, no penalties for moderate delays), and conditions in case of disagreement over the final result.

This last point is delicate. The final work will never match exactly what the buyer imagined, because creation contains an element of the unexpected that is precisely what gives art its value. The agreement should stipulate that the artist retains creative freedom within the defined framework. If the buyer wants a result identical to the millimeter to a preparatory sketch, they do not want a work of art: they want a manufactured product.

Maurizio Cattelan, whose conceptual works often play with audience and collector expectations, has always maintained total creative freedom in his commissions. The collector knows they are buying a Cattelan, not a mechanical execution of specifications.

04Formats that lend themselves to pre-selling

Certain formats suit pre-selling better than others. Thematic series work particularly well: you announce a series of eight works on a given theme, show the first two, and offer the next six for pre-sale. The buyer sees the quality of completed work and can envision the coming pieces.

Portrait or representational commissions are a pre-selling classic. Kehinde Wiley, known for portraits that reinterpret classical painting canons, works on commission for some of his portraits. The subject is defined, the stylistic reference is known, the buyer knows broadly what they will receive.

Functional art objects (ceramics, textile pieces, artist furniture) also lend themselves to pre-selling because format, use and dimensions are objective criteria the buyer can evaluate before creation.

05Managing client expectations during the wait

The period between commission and delivery is critical. A buyer who paid a deposit and receives no news for three months can shift from enthusiasm to anxiety, then to distrust. Communication during this period is essential.

Send regular progress updates: a photo of work in progress, a message about advancement, an anecdote about the creative process. These communications take only minutes and transform waiting into positive anticipation. The collector feels involved in the process and awaits delivery with eagerness rather than worry.

Olafur Eliasson abundantly documents the creation processes of his installations in his Berlin studio. This transparency about process strengthens his commissioners' trust and feeds the narrative around each work.

06Delivery: the moment of truth

Delivery of a pre-sold work is a significant moment. It is the realization of a promise. Take care with this moment: package the work carefully, include a certificate of authenticity and a handwritten note, offer the collector the chance to see it in the studio before shipping if possible. This care in delivery creates a memorable experience that turns a buyer into an ambassador for your work.

If the final work differs significantly from the initial proposal, communicate this in advance with the buyer. Explain the choices you made during creation, show how the work evolved from the initial project. Transparency is always preferable to surprise. Artedusa lets you manage your pre-sales with an interface that reassures buyers and facilitates exchanges throughout the creative process.