Commission

Building for someone else changes everything. Your own cosplay can be 90% done and "good enough." A commission needs to be 100% done, fits a body you might never see in person, and has a client on the other end who's paying real money for a specific vision. The craft skills are the same. The project management is completely different.

Your deliverable is a finished costume (or costume piece) that matches the client's brief, fits their measurements, passes their approval, and arrives safely in their hands. The process includes communication milestones alongside construction milestones because client expectation management is half the job.

Get the brief right or the entire project goes wrong. Your first conversation needs to nail down: exactly what the client wants (specific character, specific version, specific details), their measurements, their budget, their deadline, and their expectations for quality level. Write all of this down in a shared document. Screenshots, reference images, color samples. Leave nothing to verbal memory.

Quote honestly and include a buffer. Calculate your material costs, estimate your hours, multiply hours by your rate, and add 15-20% for unexpected issues. Don't quote low to win the job. Undercharging leads to resentment, rushed work, and you losing money on the project. A client who can't afford your real price is not your client.

Client Brief and Measurements

Collect reference images from the client and confirm every detail in writing. Take or receive measurements using a standardized measurement sheet (bust, waist, hips, torso length, arm length, head circumference if applicable, inseam, shoulder width). If you can't measure in person, send a measurement guide with photos showing exactly where to measure.

Quoting

Draft a detailed build plan listing every component, the materials needed, estimated hours, and total cost. Break the cost into materials and labor so the client understands what they're paying for. Include your revision policy (how many rounds of changes are included, what costs extra). Get written approval on the plan and quote before ordering a single thing.

Materials

Source and order materials only after client approval on the quote. Keep receipts for everything. If a specific fabric or material is unavailable and you need to substitute, send the client a photo of the alternative and get approval before using it. Surprises are bad in commissions.

Construction Phase 1

Build the base construction. Take progress photos at natural checkpoints (garment body assembled, armor pieces shaped but unpainted, etc.) and send them to the client. This is not optional. Clients who don't hear from you for weeks get anxious, and anxious clients send anxious messages.

Progress Communication

Send clear, well-lit progress photos showing the current state of the build. Include a brief note about what's done, what's next, and whether you're on schedule. If you're behind schedule, say so immediately. A client can handle "I'm running a week behind" but cannot handle radio silence followed by a missed deadline.

Details and Finishing

Complete all detail work, painting, finishing, and weathering. Take final photos of the completed piece under good lighting and from multiple angles. Send these to the client for approval before shipping. This is their chance to request any final adjustments.

Client Approval

Get explicit written approval ("this looks great, ship it") before packing and shipping. If the client requests changes, determine whether they're within the original scope or constitute additional work. Scope creep kills commission profitability.

Fitting and Adjustments

If possible, do a fitting (in person or by shipping a muslin/mockup). For remote clients, build adjustment room into the construction (adjustable straps, let-out seam allowances, laced closures). Include fitting instructions with the delivered piece.

Shipping and Handoff

Package everything with extreme care. Tissue paper between painted surfaces, pool noodle padding around armor, garments folded along seam lines in a garment bag. Ship with tracking and insurance. Include care instructions, a packing list, and your contact info for questions. A handoff note showing how to put the costume on is a professional touch that clients remember.

Common mistakes

• No written agreement. Verbal agreements lead to disputes. Get the brief, quote, payment terms, and revision policy in writing before you start building.
• Insufficient progress photos. Clients need visual updates every 1-2 weeks minimum. Radio silence breeds anxiety and refund requests.
• Absorbing scope creep. If the client adds components or changes the design mid-build, that's additional work and additional cost. Quote the change formally before building it.
• Underquoting. Calculate your actual hours honestly. If the build takes 60 hours and you charged for 30, that's not a commission problem. That's a quoting problem.
• Poor shipping. A beautiful commission damaged in transit is a failed commission. Pack like you're shipping glass. Insure the package for the full value.

Commissions are how you turn cosplay skills into a sustainable practice. The craft is table stakes. Client management is the real skill.