I need to get a gift for someone and I’m thinking about getting a “family portrait” done for them in comic-book art style. Nothing elaborate or fancy or huge. Small, 8.5 x 11 or maybe smaller. Looking to spend maybe $100 maximum. Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?
Quite a bit. I collect original comic book artwork and occasionally commission pieces from artists as well.
You should be able to get something done within your budget. Do you have a photo to work from? That will make it easier for the artist.
I don’t have any current connections but, back when I played City of Heroes, I’d have commissions done for favorite characters. I would say that $100 should be more than sufficient. Everyone I worked with had a Deviant Art account where I could see their previous work and contact them about rates and availability.
So I just go surfing Deviant Art until I find an artist whose work I like?
Well, I looked at the artists who had done my stuff and most of them looked like they haven’t updated for a long while so I doubt I’d be much help there.
You could do a search for something like “superhero” and set it for Most Recent and work your way through there, trying to find an artist you like who is also accepting commissions (and hopefully has customers they have worked for before rather than asking some random guy to make you art for money). Of course, that might take a little doing on your part since you’ll be weeding through every notebook paper and Wacom pad doodling with a “superhero” tag on it looking for a semi-professional.
This link may help: http://commission-central.deviantart.com/
Hmm… That sounds daunting.
Maybe you could find an artist you like on Etsy. Try searching “custom portrait” or “custom illustration”
Send me a PM. I’ll connect you with one I know is taking commissions and active. How’s that?
I “commissioned” a company to make me a T-shirt from a design I submitted.
I am now a Patron of the Arts. 
I commissioned a portrait of Pepper Mill from one of the artists at Arisia. Not unusual at all.
I tried to jazz up my blog by commissioning illustrations from two webcomic artists. I sent my money about a year ago and haven’t received anything from either of them.
Maybe I’ll get something someday, but at this point my hopes aren’t very high.
Hopefully your mileage will vary.
I had a painting of a wedding photo done for an anniversary. Our local mall had an art store which had an artist on staff who would do it. I believe the work was done in pastels in a very realistic style. An 18 x 24 (?) cost about $300.
So check your local mall-based art store. (By “art store” I mean a store that sells framed and unframed art, not a store that sells art supplies.) They may have someone who could do the work for you.
J.
Hmm. That’s an interesting suggestion. Thanks!
I have a lot of artists on my Facebook friends list. If you want to send me a PM with your pitch (how many figures, timeframe, color or BW, etc.), I could post it and see if any of them are interested or have friends who might be.
Try a PM to admin Gaudere. She has lots of comic and art contacts.