I send an invoice if I accept the commission, if a client sends me money without my invoice, I will refund it and insist the proper forms are used.
I may turn down a project for any reason.
Half the cost of the piece is due upon my accepting the job, and this half is non-refundable.
I agree to send progress pictures throughout the course of the project so that you can see how your piece is coming along, and request changes if needed.
If you request changes around the end of the project that should have been made at an earlier stage, for example: Wanting the head changed to face a different angle after the fur/scales/feathers have already been put on, then this will incur an extra fee to be paid immediately.
The remainder of the balance is due upon completion.
Shipping: For small projects(under 24 inches) in the US, shipping is already included in the price.
For larger projects or pieces going to another country, I have to find out the exact shipping cost. I will tell you ahead of time if the shipping is included or separate.
Some countries are really hard to ship stuff to, and I may decline your project if I think getting it to you is going to be a nightmare, even if the project sounds really cool.
Payment is due up front.
I will generally send some small thumbnail sketches with potential designs/layouts/compositions as relevent for you to choose from as a starting point, and from there send updates of the real sketch, lineart, and flat colors.
Changes are free until the sketch is completed, after that you get 3 changes until a fee is incurred.