I am always happy to give a price for a commission. What I need to know is:
Your deadline (if it’s a couple of weeks, I may be unable to do it as I teach a lot in term time)
How much text: if it’s names on invitations/ certificates, I will need all names (which you’ve checked for spelling!) typed and everything supplied together (dribs & drabs cost extra!)
If it’s a poem or quotation, email it or fax it with your thoughts on colour and size.
What size you had in mind: For poetry & prose designs, A4 is the smallest I would recommend, and to give the work some visual space, 3 verses of a poem maximum at that size. Be prepared for something larger if there’s lots of text.
Colour in the pen isn’t charged more than black, but coloured backgrounds are, as washes take time and sometimes go wrong. Coloured papers are a cheaper option. Gold and simple decorative features would also be extra, depending on complexity. That said, I prefer to let the calligraphy have the focus, so decoration would be minimal, as you’ll see from my examples.
If the work is complex, perhaps needing a lot of designing and sending you roughs for approval, we might agree a charge for that stage, with the option of cancelling if you decide not to go ahead. I don’t do framing, so the work is usually sent in a stiff-backed envelope or a postal tube. I live on the south coast, near Portsmouth, (England) so most work is sent by post (not included in the charge). If you are close enough to deliver, please telephone first to arrange a mutually convenient time.