Commission Terms & Conditions
Thank you for choosing Mulberry & Hare to create a portrait of your companion. These Commission Terms & Conditions apply to Signature Portraits, Bespoke Portraits, Paw Portraits and other personalised artwork commissions supplied by Mulberry & Hare.
They are intended to set out clearly what you can expect from the commissioning process and what is expected from you.
1. Booking, Pricing & Payment
Booking and payment
The payment structure shown on the relevant product page, booking page or written quote forms part of your commission agreement.
Signature Portraits and Bespoke Portraits will normally be booked with a 50% booking payment, with the remaining balance due after final approval and before dispatch.
Paw Portraits and other smaller commissions may be paid in full at checkout where stated.
Price and inclusions
The agreed price covers the size, medium, number of animals, presentation and delivery arrangements described on the product page or written quote.
Any optional extras or changes that affect the price will be agreed with you in writing before additional work is carried out.
Final payment
Where a balance remains, it becomes due once the finished portrait has been shown to you for approval.
Artwork will not be dispatched until cleared payment has been received.
2. Personalised Goods, Cancellations & Refunds
Personalised commissions
Commissioned portraits are created specifically for you from your own reference photographs and requirements.
Because they are clearly personalised or made to your specifications, the standard 14-day change-of-mind cancellation right that applies to many online purchases does not normally apply to these commissions.
If you need to cancel
Please contact Mulberry & Hare as soon as possible.
Any refund will be calculated fairly, taking into account work already completed, materials or costs already committed, studio time reserved and any reasonable loss that cannot be avoided.
Where little or no work has begun and the reserved slot can reasonably be rebooked, any amount not needed to cover those losses will be refunded.
If Mulberry & Hare cancels
If Mulberry & Hare is unable to complete the commission for reasons that are not your fault, you will receive a refund of payments made for work that has not been supplied.
Your statutory rights
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions limits your legal rights where artwork is faulty, damaged, not as described or otherwise fails to meet the standards required by law.
3. Reference Photographs & Client Responsibilities
Reference quality
The quality and accuracy of the finished portrait depend heavily on the photographs provided.
Please supply clear, well-lit, high-resolution images with important details visible. Mulberry & Hare may ask for additional or alternative photographs if the original references are not suitable.
Permission to use photographs
You confirm that you own the photographs you provide, or that you have permission from the copyright owner to use them for the purpose of creating the commissioned artwork.
You give Mulberry & Hare permission to use those photographs only as reasonably necessary to create and administer your commission, unless you separately agree to wider use.
Commission brief
Before work begins, you are responsible for confirming the agreed size, subject, composition and any specific requests that are important to the commission.
Requests made later that substantially change the agreed brief may be treated as additional work.
4. Timeframes, Slots & Client Delays
Estimated completion
Any completion date or month given is an estimate unless a specific deadline has been expressly agreed in writing.
Mulberry & Hare will keep you informed if an unexpected delay is likely to affect your commission.
Photograph submission
If reference photographs or other required information are not supplied at the time of booking, please provide them within 14 calendar days unless another timeframe has been agreed.
Delayed information
If required information is not received after reasonable reminders, the reserved slot may be moved or released so that other booked work can proceed.
Any cancellation or refund resulting from a prolonged client delay will be handled under the cancellation terms above rather than by automatic forfeiture of the full booking payment.
Gift and fixed deadlines
If the portrait is required for a birthday, Christmas or another fixed occasion, please tell Mulberry & Hare before booking.
A deadline should only be relied upon where it has been confirmed in writing.
5. Artistic Process, Revisions & Approval
Artistic interpretation
A hand-drawn portrait is an artistic interpretation rather than a photographic reproduction.
The finished work will reflect Mulberry & Hare’s established coloured-pencil style, professional judgement and the quality of the reference photographs supplied.
Updates and proofs
Digital progress images or proofs may be provided at appropriate stages depending on the commission.
A clear image of the finished portrait will be supplied for final approval before any outstanding balance is requested.
Minor adjustments
Reasonable minor adjustments that remain within the original brief may be made before final approval where practical.
Major changes
A request that changes the agreed composition, reference image or brief, or requires substantial reworking of completed areas, may carry an additional charge.
Any additional cost will be explained and agreed with you before that work is undertaken.
Final approval
Please review the final proof carefully.
Once you approve the finished artwork and any outstanding balance has been paid, the commission is treated as artistically approved.
This does not remove any statutory rights you may have if the physical artwork is faulty, damaged or not as described.
6. Delivery, Damage & International Orders
Delivery charges
Delivery is included where the relevant product page or written quote says that it is included.
Any additional, upgraded or international delivery charge will be shown or agreed before payment is taken.
Address details
You are responsible for providing a complete and accurate delivery address.
Please contact Mulberry & Hare promptly if your address changes before dispatch.
Tracked delivery
Physical artwork will normally be sent using an appropriate tracked service and insured where suitable for the value and format of the piece.
Loss or transit damage
If your artwork is lost or arrives damaged, please contact Mulberry & Hare as soon as reasonably possible.
For visible transit damage, photographs of the artwork and packaging are very helpful and, where possible, should be supplied within 48 hours so that a carrier claim can be made.
This request does not limit your statutory rights.
International customs
For deliveries outside the United Kingdom, you are responsible for any import duties, customs charges or local taxes imposed by the destination country unless expressly stated otherwise.
7. Copyright, Reproduction & Promotional Use
Copyright ownership
Copyright in the commissioned artwork, preliminary sketches and images of the artwork remains with Mulberry & Hare unless copyright is expressly transferred under a separate written agreement.
Ownership of the physical artwork
Once the commission has been paid for in full, you own the physical original artwork.
Ownership of the physical piece does not transfer copyright.
Client use
You may display the physical artwork privately and may later sell or gift the physical original.
You may not reproduce it, create prints or merchandise from it, licence it, use it for commercial branding, or otherwise exploit the artwork commercially without prior written permission from Mulberry & Hare.
Artist reproductions and promotion
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, Mulberry & Hare may photograph, reproduce and use images of the finished artwork for portfolios, the website, social media, exhibitions, marketing, prints, merchandise and other reproductions.
If you wish to purchase additional rights or exclusive copyright, this must be agreed separately in writing and may involve an additional fee.
Surprise gifts
If the portrait is intended as a surprise gift, please say so at the time of booking.
Mulberry & Hare will delay public sharing of the finished artwork until the agreed date.
8. Materials, Care & Longevity
Materials
Mulberry & Hare uses professional artist materials selected for quality and longevity.
Care
To help preserve the artwork, keep it dry, avoid prolonged direct sunlight and use appropriate framing and conservation-quality materials where possible.
Damage after delivery
Mulberry & Hare is not responsible for deterioration or damage caused after delivery by misuse, unsuitable storage, moisture, direct sunlight, improper framing or other conditions outside the artist’s control.
This does not affect your rights in relation to faults that were present when the artwork was supplied.
9. Privacy & Communication
Personal information
Personal information supplied in connection with a commission will be used to process and fulfil the order, communicate with you and meet legal or administrative requirements.
Further information is provided in the Mulberry & Hare Privacy Policy.
Written changes
Any important change to the agreed commission, price, deadline or these project-specific arrangements should be confirmed in writing so that both parties have a clear record of what has been agreed.
10. Questions, Complaints & Agreement
Questions or concerns
If you have any concern about a commission, please contact Mulberry & Hare as soon as possible so that the issue can be discussed and, where appropriate, resolved.
Agreement
These Terms & Conditions should be made available to you before you place your order or make a booking payment.
By proceeding with the commission after having the opportunity to read them, you agree that they form part of the commission contract.
Statutory rights
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or restricts rights that cannot legally be excluded or restricted under applicable UK consumer law.
Last updated: October 2026