I'm not an artist, but I've commissioned hundreds of pieces over my lifetime. I welcome any artists who wants to add their advice below!

Form your idea
If you can imagine it, someone out there can draw it. This can be anything from a simple profile picture to a full-blown scene commemorating a thread. Just remember: bigger pieces cost more. Keep in mind:
- what type of commission you want (bust, full body, reference sheet, illustration, etc.)
- your budget

Find the right artist
Artists are everywhere! Sometimes, you can find them in our OOC Shop board where they accept galleons. I've come across some excellent ones by searching "commission sheet" on TikTok. Otherwise, there are dedicated sites for this sort of thing. I personally prefer vgen.co because they have a strong anti-AI stance (you do not want to be sold an ai-generated image), and their process for hiring artists is streamlined + straightforward. Try to look for:
- styles compatible to your wants and your character (ie realistic, stylized, anime, fantasy)
- prices that match your budget
I strongly discourage trying to haggle, artists determine the worth of their time. ALWAYS make sure to read an artist's terms-of-service. This is a business transaction, and different sellers have different processes. Some don't offer works-in-progress, others charge extra for changes, or refuse to draw specific content. Some only offer "skeb" comms (the artist makes their personal interpretation of your OC, you have little say in the process). To avoid wasting your and their time, it's important to know what they expect from the transaction.

Collect and provide references
The best way to be happy with your piece is to be detailed in your request. Artists cannot see inside if your mind, so the better you are with conveying an idea, the more accurately they can execute it. This is crucial if you want something specific. You can include outfits, face-claims, collages of body references (hair, eye, face shape, body type), color palettes, dollmakers. If you already have a piece of your character, you can provide that too as a more direct reference. Examples:
Be open to communication
- you can reference their other pieces ("I want something similar to this [link] piece you did, I really liked the dramatic lighting / soft texturing / cinematic poses")
- note what you do and don't like ("The face shape is perfect, but can we make the nose longer")
- have manners: just because you're paying an artist doesn't mean they're beholden to drawing outside of their style or comfort levels
There have only been a couple of times where a commission wasn't even remotely close to what I wanted and I had to cut my losses. It's okay to request changes (unless their ToS states otherwise), but sometimes, an artist's style just might not be compatible with what you're imagining. Again, try your best to find a look you're sure you like by looking at an artist's portfolio first!