How I Price a Charcoal Commission
Every commission is different. Here is how I think about pricing, without turning art into a menu.
Pricing art always feels a little awkward to write about. Most people who reach out have never commissioned a drawing before, and the first message is usually some version of: how much will this cost?
I get it. So I will be as clear as I can. A commission is not a faster version of something already on my wall. It is time, intuition, rework, and a piece made for one person, one story, one feeling you want to keep close.
What shapes the quote
- Size of the finished work and paper
- How many figures are in the scene, and how complex the composition is
- Your references, and how much I need to build the image with you
- Timeline: I usually need 4–6 weeks
- Shipping and framing, if you need help with either
Portraits typically start from ₹15,000. Landscapes from ₹12,000. Personal scenes with multiple figures or a layered story often begin around ₹18,000. These are starting points, not fixed boxes. Every conversation begins with understanding what you want the piece to hold.
What you receive
I share progress as I go and welcome your thoughts at the stages that matter. The finished work is signed before it leaves my studio. You are paying for something that cannot be reordered from a catalogue, something made slowly, by hand, in Varanasi.
If you have an idea forming, email is the best place to start. A few reference photos and a line about why the piece matters to you is enough for me to reply with a thoughtful quote.