What Does D&D Character Art Cost? Compare the Whole Quote
A lower starting price can describe a very different picture. Put the subjects, setting, changes and final files beside the total before you choose.
Jan
5 min read
A $150 quote and a $250 quote tell you very little until you know what each artist is making. One might cover a single character against a quiet background. The other might include a companion, a detailed setting and a different approval process.
Your job is to get the picture you want for a total you understand. You should be able to explain the order in one sentence before you pay.
Start with the part of your character you need to see
If you want a face for your character sheet, you have a different job from someone who wants a framed picture of their paladin’s entire armor set. Write down where the picture will go. That gives the crop decision somewhere sensible to start.
| Format | Current starting price | What to settle before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Half-body | $99 USD | Which face, upper-body and hand details must fit? |
| Thigh-up | $139 USD | How much of the outfit and weapon needs to remain visible? |
| Full-body | $199 USD | Do the feet, stance and full silhouette matter to the picture? |
A longer crop gives the composition more of your character to show. It does not settle the background, number of characters or final file specifications by itself. Those need their own answers.
For a closer visual comparison, use the portrait-format guide. Choose the frame that keeps the details you care about. Your rogue can own seventeen belt pouches. Decide which ones belong in the picture before the quote.
Compare the whole order on one page
Put two quotes beside the same brief. Ask both providers about the same subject count, crop, setting and intended use. This stops a lower starting number from doing all the talking.
Finish matters too. A sketch, a monochrome drawing and a fully shaded illustration are different deliverables. For example, AnemoneTea’s commission menu separates those finish levels and lists extras. That is one artist’s structure. It does not establish an industry average.
| Question | Example quote A | Example quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Characters | One ranger | One ranger and a wolf companion |
| Composition | Thigh-up portrait | Full-body scene |
| Background | Simple color treatment | Recognizable forest location |
| Changes | Two feedback stages specified | Changes and approval stages unspecified |
| Delivery | Final image dimensions stated | Only “high resolution” stated |
These are invented examples, with no market prices attached. They show why you would ask different follow-up questions. Quote B needs clarity about feedback and files. Quote A needs confirmation that the simpler picture meets your actual goal.
Count companions and settings before you compare prices
A familiar perched on a shoulder can be important enough to name in the brief. So can a second player character, a mount or the ruined gate where the party first met. Tell the artist what must be present and what can be suggested.
Background descriptions need the same care. “Something atmospheric” leaves more room for interpretation than “our white castle, its outer wall and the mountain behind it.” Send the reference or describe the location that makes the scene recognizable.
Ask what a revision means
“Please make the cloak a deeper blue” and “I have decided this is a different character” change very different amounts of work. Share your fixed details early, then check when you can give feedback and which changes affect the total.
FramedFantasy’s current FAQ separates refinements within the original description from major pose, outfit or concept changes that can require extra payment. Keep that distinction in mind when reading the revision promise.
Read the current refund policy separately. Its concept-review guarantee requires an emailed request within 72 hours of the concept being sent, before revisions begin, and a good-faith mismatch with the brief you supplied. The window starts when it is sent, even if you open it later.
A qualifying refund covers the base commission value and any eligible unused shipping, with exclusions for add-ons, upgrades and produced physical items. Asking for a revision or passing the window ends this guarantee. A change of mind is not the same as a qualifying request. Read the full conditions before ordering.
Check what arrives and what you can do with it
Ask for final pixel dimensions, file format and intended printing size. If you need a transparent version, layered source file or artwork for a paid publication, mention it before the quote is agreed.
Physical printing, framing and shipping also need a direct answer. A portrait that is ready to print is a different purchase from a print arriving at your door. Use the contact page to confirm any delivery detail your order depends on.
Send this before you pay
Swap in your own details. Keep the request short enough that the artist can answer every part. If an answer is missing, settle it before you buy.
Then compare the examples in the provider’s portfolio with what you want to receive. The best quote for you is one whose scope, process and finished work all fit the job. If that fit is FramedFantasy, the portrait page is the place to check the current formats and join the queue.
