Commissioning a Custom Painting From Jay the Painter: What to Expect

Jay the Painter takes commissions. If you want a caulk texture original built around a specific subject — a flower that means something to you, a landscape from a place you love, an animal that's part of your family — Jay can make it.

Here's exactly what the process looks like.

Step 1: The First Conversation

Commission work starts with a conversation. Text or call Jay at 330-285-3136 and tell him what you have in mind.

The more specific you can be, the better. "A blue hibiscus" is a starting point. "A blue hibiscus with deep purple centers, on a dark background, in the same size as your large originals" gives Jay what he needs to give you an accurate quote and timeline.

Jay will ask questions: What size are you thinking? Do you have a color palette in mind? Is there a reference photo you want him to work from, or are you giving him creative latitude? What's the occasion, if any?

This conversation takes 10–15 minutes and costs nothing. At the end of it, you'll know whether the commission is feasible, what it will cost, and roughly when it will be done.

Step 2: What You Can Request

Jay can create caulk texture originals of almost any subject that works in his technique:

Florals — any flower, any color palette. This is Jay's strongest category. The caulk texture technique is particularly well-suited to flower forms — petals that curve up off the canvas, stamens that rise above the petals, leaves with real dimensional structure.

Landscapes — forests, fields, mountains, water. Jay can work from a reference photo of a specific place or create an original composition in a style you describe.

Animals — birds, pets, wildlife. Jay has painted roosters, blue jays, orioles, cats, and fish. He can work from a photo of your pet.

Abstract — if you want a specific color palette or compositional feel but don't need a representational subject, Jay can create abstract caulk texture work to your specifications.

What Jay doesn't do: portraits of people. The caulk texture technique doesn't lend itself to the fine detail required for facial likeness work.

Step 3: The Quote

After the first conversation, Jay will give you a price. Commission pricing is based on size and complexity — a small floral commission costs less than a large multi-element landscape.

For reference: Jay's gallery originals range from $100 (small) to $400 (large). Commission work is typically in the same range, with a small premium for the custom work.

Jay requires a deposit to begin. The balance is due when the painting is complete and you've approved it.

Step 4: The Work

Once the deposit is paid, Jay begins the commission. The caulk texture process takes time — the caulk must cure between layers, and rushing it produces inferior results. A typical commission takes 2–4 weeks from start to finish, depending on complexity and Jay's current workload.

Jay will send you progress photos during the process. You'll see the caulk sculpture stage (white raised forms on canvas) before any paint is applied, and you'll see the painting as it develops. If something isn't right, this is the time to say so.

Step 5: Approval and Shipping

When the painting is complete, Jay sends final photos for your approval. Once you approve it, he packages it carefully and ships it to you. Jay ships nationwide with careful packaging — the paintings arrive in the same condition they left the studio.

What Makes a Commission Worth It

The obvious answer is that you get exactly what you want — a subject that means something to you, in a size that works for your space, in colors that work with your home.

The less obvious answer is that a commissioned caulk texture painting is genuinely one of a kind in a way that gallery originals aren't quite. A gallery original is unique — there's only one of it — but it was made without you in mind. A commission was made specifically for you, with your input, for your space.

That's a different kind of object.

Start a commission: Text or call Jay at 330-285-3136

See existing work for reference: jaythepainter.com/artwork

Commission page: jaythepainter.com/commissioned

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Jay the Painter is an independent caulk texture artist based in Akron, Ohio. He takes commissions and ships nationwide.