How to make an art commission form (free template)

The free art commission form template

Copy these questions into any form tool. Each one says what kind of question to use and if it should be required.

1. What's your name or handle? Short answer. Required. You need to know who you're talking to.
2. How can I reach you? Short answer, for an email or a social handle. Required. Without it, you can't reply.
3. What would you like me to draw? Paragraph. Required. Add a hint: who or what, the pose, the mood, and what the piece is for.
4. Which commission type? Dropdown with the items on your price sheet, like headshot, half body, or full body. Required. It ties the request to a price.
5. What's your budget? Short answer, numbers only. Required if you have a minimum. A clear budget saves you both time.
6. Do you have a deadline? Date. Optional. Many clients don't have one, and a required date makes them invent one.
7. Is this for personal or commercial use? Multiple choice. Required. Commercial use often costs more, so you need this before you quote.
8. References. File upload, or a short answer for links. Optional, but ask for them warmly. Some clients only have an idea in their head.
9. Is there anything I should avoid? Paragraph. Optional. This is where clients tell you about the scar, the tattoo, or the color they hate.
10. I've read your terms. One checkbox. Required. It gives you something clear to point back to later.
11. Where did you find me? Short answer. Optional. It's nice to know which posts bring people in.

That's a full art commission request form. Change the words so it sounds like you.

Tips for a form people actually finish

Keep it short

Every extra question is one more reason to close the tab. If you only need it after you say yes, leave it out. You can ask about file size, crop, or a signature in the chat later.

Ask for references as files

Links break. Boards go private. Screenshots of screenshots get blurry. Ask for the real image files when you can, so you see what the client sees. If your form tool makes uploads hard, ask for links now and the files later. Our guide on how to ask clients for references has more on this.

Get the budget and deadline up front

These two answers tell you fast if a job fits. A client with a tiny budget and a rush date needs a kind "not this time". Asking first saves a long back and forth.

Ask about use

Personal use and commercial use are different jobs. A phone wallpaper and a book cover should not cost the same. Ask early, so your quote is right the first time.

Make contact details hard to get wrong

A typo in an email means a lost client. If your tool can check emails, turn that on. If not, ask for a second way to reach them.

How to build it in Google Forms

Google Forms is a solid choice. Many people have filled one in before, and you can ask anything you like. Here's how to set it up.

1. Go to forms.google.com and click Blank form. Give it a name, like "Commission request".
2. Add each question from the template. Pick its type: Short answer, Paragraph, Dropdown, Multiple choice, Checkboxes, Date, or File upload.
3. Turn on Required for the questions marked required above.
4. For references, add a File upload question. You can allow only some file types and set a maximum number of files and file size.
5. Change the confirmation message under Settings, then Presentation. Tell clients when you usually reply.
6. Publish the form. Then use Copy responder link. Tick Shorten URL if you want a shorter link for your bio.
7. In Responses, use Link to Sheets to keep every request in a spreadsheet. From the More menu there, turn on Get email notifications for new responses.

What Google Forms does well

You control every question. Answers land in one place, and the Sheets link makes a handy request list. The email notice means you don't have to keep checking. To track jobs after you say yes, see how to set up a commission queue.

The catch with file uploads

Google's help page is clear: to answer a File upload question, "responders need to sign in to a Google Account." Some clients don't have one, or don't want to sign in to send fan art ideas to a stranger.

The files go to a new folder in your Google Drive. You also can't use File upload if the form is stored in a shared drive.

If that sign-in step bothers you, swap the File upload question for a "paste your links" question. Then collect the real files after you accept.

refDrop's request form: a commission form that takes references

refDrop gives you a public page at refdrop.to/your-name. It shows your prices, open slots, examples, and terms, and it has a request form. The form shows only while your commissions are open. A client fills it in with no account.

What the request form asks

1. Your idea. Required. The hint asks for who or what, the mood, and what the piece is for.
2. Budget. A number. It's required only if you set a minimum, and then the form shows "At least" your amount. It's for your information. refDrop never handles payments.
3. Deadline. An optional date.
4. Use. Personal or Commercial.
5. Your email. Required. refDrop sends a code there.

Next, the client can add up to 10 reference images. Then they type the six-number code from the email. The request reaches you only after that, so you know the email is real.

You can't add your own questions to the request form. Put the rest on your page instead: your terms, and your "will draw" and "won't draw" lists.

What happens when you accept

Click Accept and open a box. refDrop makes a box for that commission, with the client's references inside as their first upload. The box takes one of your open box slots. The free plan has 5.

The client gets an email saying you accepted. You send them the box's private link. From there they can drop in any file type at full size, up to 2 GB per box on the free plan. Programs and scripts are blocked. You post work-in-progress updates and deliver the finished files in the same box. See how to send finished commission art to a client.

If it's not a fit, Decline sends a short, polite email for you. You can also block or report a sender.

Google Forms and refDrop side by side

You don't have to pick one. You can keep a Google Form for long intake questions and use refDrop boxes for the files. Both work.

refDrop is free to start. During the beta there's a set number of free spots, then a waitlist. See pricing for every plan, or read the help page for how boxes and requests work.