Getting art actually isn't that easy, and it takes some practice to get used to it. Or maybe I was just really bad at it and needed practice on how to present ideas to others and what not. Some extra things I want to throw in, purely as a pretty average commissioner:
Ask the artist what kind of stuff they like drawing, if they don't have something explicitly saying that
Themes, body shapes, even artstyles. I like asking this because I've usually got a ton of ideas but nothing stands out more than others, so asking the artist what they're up for can help narrow that down. Also, some artists may be really wanting to do something they don't usually do, and I'm personally more up for "oh yeah try something new!" than others. There's less reason for doing this if you already have a crystal clear idea in mind, but sometimes I'm like "Damn your art is good I wanna see you draw me" and the rest I'm not as particular about. I like when people enjoy what they draw, and it's even better if that can include drawing me :3
If they don't have it listed, ask what kind of turnaround time they're looking at
A lot of artists will say this in their TOS, and I think all should, but some won't. Just because they give you a time estimate doesn't mean they'll for sure make it, and should not be treated as a guarantee, and a lot of times stuff just comes up, but people (artists and commissioners) have wildly different perceptions of what "fast" and "slow" is and I like to, if nothing else, know when I should check back in. I've had some artists tell me straight up that it was going to be 6 months (which I made the mistake of asking after I had paid), and to their credit that's exactly when it got done. Still something I like to know ahead of time. Some artists run a HUGE queue, some don't. Some will say "sorry it took so long!" when handing you a super detailed incredible thing they did, 72 hours after you first messaged them. You won't know if you don't ask.
Write down ideas and keep pose/outfit/scene refs on hand, just in case
Sometimes the artist you've been wanting to get something from for ages opens up and it's one of those "I have 5 minutes to try and get this" deals. Sometimes an artist doesn't make clear that they want more than just a character ref and "no no, you can do whatever you want". Keep stuff ready to go, so you don't ever put yourself in a stressful situation. Because sometimes you just snap decide you wanna get that art.
