Commission Brief The Vision This illustration is the world Noctierra's products come from — a dark, magical nighttime forest scene centered on a willow tree, a lantern, and a pond. I want a piece with real depth: something you can come back to again and again and keep noticing new detail (hidden animals, small engravings, small creatures in the water) — not something that reads fully at a glance. Status: This illustration is roughly 50–60% complete from a previous artist. Working files (layered) are available. This commission is to finish and revise the existing piece, not start from zero — though several elements need significant rework (see below). The first added picture is the current illustration. A separate logo illustration is also needed — details further down. Style Reference Photos 2-8 Painterly, traditional-feeling realism — not digital/vector, not anime, not flat illustration. Visible brushwork with a mix of fine detail and looser, broader strokes. The finished piece should look like it could be an oil or gouache painting, with texture, atmosphere, and soft, moody lighting rather than crisp digital rendering. Reference images attached separately. The palette consists of muted dark tones - dark blues, greens, browns, teals and a little bit of silver. Scope of Work Revise and complete the existing central illustration per the detailed notes below Deliver final in a usable production format + layered working file Design a standalone logo illustration (two marks — see Logo section) Detailed Requirements The Willow Tree Rework branch structure — current branches feel disconnected/arbitrary; needs to read as a coherent, believable willow silhouette (strong, tense, classically drooping canopy, a bit fuller at the front) Leaves need actual shape/form (not blobs), naturalistic green (current color reads neon — needs to be muted/natural) Trunk and branches need age: bark texture, moss, mushrooms, color variation Water droplets on the underside of leaves (post-rain look), concentrated on the lower half of the tree, some clusters with a slight silver highlight Celtic engravings carved into the trunk/bark, flowing together as one intentional design (not scattered): Triskele, Triquetra, Serpent, Dragon, Cat, Bythol (Eternal Love Knot), Quaternary Knot, Celtic Arrow, Celtic Compass, Bear, Stag, Wolf, Celtic Five-Fold Symbol, Sailor's Knot, Shield Knot, Tree of Life (Crann Bethadh) A few natural holes/hollows in the trunk suitable for bird nests The Island (tree base) Add grass, cattails in places, a few Venus flytraps Roots should show visible age/weathering A small path on the right side connecting the island to the mainland The Lantern The focal point — should draw the eye through its light and glow, not its size. Light needs more depth/realism as the "hero" element Rework how the lantern is physically attached/hung — current attachment doesn't read well The lantern's overall shape/design also needs reworking The Pond Add cattails, weeds, water plants, duckweed, ferns, rocks Exactly 3 water lilies (odd number, intentional), with a decorative water-drip detail at the petal tips Reflection should be softer/less intense than current Lily pads, lilies, and creatures scattered across the whole pond — foreground and distance — not clustered only at front Some lily pads near the tree island swapped out for rocks instead Sky Moon: more detail, dimmer, and not a perfect circle Stars: two of a specific custom shape (artist to propose options), plus smaller x-shaped stars and simple dots Overall sky should feel soft, blended, dreamy rather than sharp Background Background treeline should feel more organic, less bowl-shaped Mountains in the background Animals (fantasy-nature hybrid feel — subtle, naturalistic fantasy touches, not cartoonish) Snake: reposition — current pose/placement is compositionally awkward Cat: reworked pose, reaching toward the lantern, darker brown coloring Dragon (on rock): needs to read clearly as a dragon — visible falling/draped wing Alligator: too small and cramped currently, needs redo so it reads clearly and has room Frogs: more of them, scattered through the pond and on lily pads Fireflies around the lantern More dragonflies A stingray in the water Small cave beside the rock/roots with an otter or otter family looking toward the lantern light (some in water, babies possibly peeking from the den) A small bird on the opposite side of the tree from the main animal cluster Open to artist input: bear, wolves, a "water monster," a fish jumping in the distant background Logo Two marks, both on a dark teal background with green and blue painterly blotches: A monogram using the letter N — I already have this design; I just need it placed on that background A main logo of a branch with a lantern hanging from it, same background — I have a rough idea of what I want here already Working Relationship & Revision Terms I'm including this section directly because of a difficult experience with my previous illustrator around revisions, and I want this project to be fair and clear for both of us from the start. I'd like us to agree upfront on what actually counts as "a revision," so it's capped clearly in the quote, with a clear rate for anything beyond that cap I'd like to agree on a realistic timeline together, and on how we'll communicate — last time I had to chase for updates myself. This time I'd rather be the one who gets proactively told when something needs my input or a decision from me I'd like some proof of past clients/commissions and reviews if possible, just so I can confirm authenticity before we start Also: file ownership and usage rights (personal brand use, commercial reproduction on products, etc.) need to be agreed and put in writing before final payment. Budget I honestly don't have a clear sense of how long a piece like this actually takes, so I don't want to lowball anyone without meaning to. My starting range in mind is $100–150, but I'd genuinely like artists to reach out with what they'd actually charge for this scope — if that's well beyond what I have, I'd rather know now and save up for it properly than rush into something underpriced.   submitted by   /u/ell_izabet_ee [link]   [comments]